Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-24
TALK is TOO CHEAP
In the Legislative Halls, and 1t Must
Be Cut Off Short
IN THE INTEREST OF BUSINESS.
The Fight on the Tax Rate of the Boyer Bill
Is Not Finished.
SIX MILLIONS PROPOSED FOR SCHOOLS
IRON A srArr CORRESPONDENT ]

rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT
HARRISBURG, May 23.-For time the
"hay wagon" rolled in triumphal progress
through the House and seemed in fair way
to continue its onward way through the
Senate, and occasionally the Democratic
cart took little spur around the course,
but things changed and the old-fashioned
Republican chariot has started out and is
sweeping things before it.
The Republican party in both Houses has
at last got down to business; has apparently
made up its mind whatit wants to do and is
doing it. Upon the Boyer tax bill and the
ballot reform bill, at least so far as the SEN
ate is concerned upon the latter measure,
and upon the several apportionment bills,
there seems to be substantial agreement.
They are to go through, and unless things
change very suddenly the programme will
be carried out. Both Houses have settled
down to work and between now and the
hour of adjournment matters will be dis
posed of with promptness which, while it
may admit of little deliberation, will GER
tainly clear the calendars of vast amount
Of legislation.
Luz 1iIuo lOr LINK ID OtcTs
In the Senate the five-minute rule will be
enforced and no member allowed to speak
more than once on the same subject. This
will shut off great deal of "stale, fiat and
Improbable" discussion, which has been
INDUCED in for no other object than to get
on record for home consumption.
In the Senate the House Bower bill, as
amended in committee last night, reducing
ol tov IN fx,o,
up on second reading Monday night and
will be substituted for the pending Senate
bill when third reading is reached This
will be done, as has been before said, to
avoid the raising of any constitutional OBJ
lection to the bill substituted by the Senate
for the Taggart bill There seems to be lit
tie room to doubt that the rate will be in
creased again to six mills. That is one
point upon which the House is determined,
and. should the corporations succeed in pre-
venting its restoration in the Senate, there
will be a fight over concurrence, which
might even lead, to an extension of the
session.
Progress of Apportionment.
The judicial and legislative .apportion-
ment bills have passed second reading in the
Senate, while the Congressional and Sena-
torial bills, which are at the same stage of
progress, have been recommitted for amend
ment. They will likely be acted upon on
Monday. There are nearly 100 House bills
on second and third reading in the Senate
and there are some more yet to come over.
Eleven of these, however, which are not
read first time on Monday night, must of
necessity fail.
The rate at which the Senate has disposed
of House bills on second reading during the
past week must have caused the ghost of the
old Constitution, if it ever visits the
glimpses of the moon and stalks through
the legislative halls, to rub its eyes in
amazement. 1t is said that 102 House bills
were read second time in one session. Of
course, they were only read by title, but
the Constitution must be strained O little
sometimes. 49,
In the House, there is number of Senate
bills on first reading, and they will be dis
posed of ON Monday. There are 81 Senate
bills now on the calendar and 30 on third
reading. Adding all these readings to-
gether, it would equal about 125 bills to be
read once,
Debate Must Be Cut Short.
This, in connection with innumerable
roll calls on Senate amendments and con-
ference committee reports, shows that to
dispose of all these measures will allow
little time for debate, and that every min
ute spent in useless talk will simply pre-
vent the passage of bills.
The general appropriation bill has passed
the House finally and is UP on third reading
in the Senate. 1t has been recommitted for
amendment in committee, and if the tax
rate in the Boyer bill is left at mills by
the Senate an effort may. be made to have
the House amendment, increasing the ar
nual school appropriation from "a, 900, 900 to
S5,000,OOO, stricken out and the original
amount restored. But before this is done
there will be a lively fight, not only in the
Senate, but between the two Houses, for
the country members are determined to
have the s5,O00,OOO. In fact, it is said an
effort will be made in the Senate to increase
it to S6,0O0.OO0, not so much, perhaps, in the
expectation of getting it as to scare the
other side into agreeing to S5,OO0,0O0.