Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-11
A LOOK AROUND.

W mhILofS WHICH Will prODdDly UoihchN enO
attention OF the next Legislature, Mr.. Hen
sci said; "The BOYER revenue bill and the
Baker ballot bill will undoubtedly be
among the important matters which will re-
ceive attention from the Legislature. The
| granger element Will no doubt make an
| effort to increase the millage on cor
| porationB to 8 mills. There has not
been as much agitation throughout the
State, however, on this subject as there has
been in other years. The large amount ap-
propristed by the Boyer bill for school pur-
poses has given general satisfaction, ano In
many locations it h as reduced the school
tax materially instead of merely increasing
the expenditures, as It was feared might be
| the case. The money has been intelligently
applied in the localities speak OF, and
hence the tax reduction. There will, never
theless, be q movement from the repre-
sentatives of the agricultural district In the
| direction Of the tax bill amendments.
So far as the Baker ballot law is con-
| cerned," continued Mr.. Hensel, "there are a
great many changes necessary In the law as
| it now stands, and have no doubt that the
Governor will call the attention of the Leg
| islature to the need OF these changes. There
are many vague and unsatisfactory provis-
ions in the bill which, under ordinary oir-
| cumstances would have compelled an in.
depreciation of their meaning by the
courts Fortunately, so far, there has
| arisen no complication which has been
| taken into the court, and there
could be no better opportunity for
the Legislature to more clearly define and
express what is the intent and meaning of
the act. This is particularly true as to the
disability clause, the time for fling nomina-
tfon papers and the objections to them and
many minor points. There is no doubt that
the bill has. in the main, given much greater
general satisfaction than was expected, and
the anticipated drawbacks and defects have
not been nearly as serious as it was feared
they might be. For example, there was no.
trouble in getting the vote polled in the
large city districts, and there was
but little trouble from wrongly marked
ballots. Indeed, we made fine
showing in this latter respect. Massachu-
setts. State in which IL has been thought
the standard of education was high, did not
consider the Pennsylvania group plan was
desirable and would not adopt il. The elec-
tion showed that the number of mistakes
arising from ignorance or carelessness was
incredibly large in Massachusetts and re-
markably small in Pennsylvania. Still 1
think it would be advisable to adopt the
Ohio plan of marking ballots instead of that
in use with US. In Ohio when q man wants
to vote the full ticket, except one
man, he merely marks once for
those he votes for and once for the man he
cuts.
"There Is no doubt that the general plan
will remain as It is, including an official bal
lot supplied by the authorities and of uni
form size and color, as well as the booth
plan. 1t will be necessary TO more clearly
distinguish the political party organiza-
tions to be recognized and to economize on
A. agA -
three times as many ballots as were needed
were sent out, and three times as many
sample ballots. This amount will be re-
duced no doubt in future. So far as the
disability clause goes, as it now stands, it
includes as disabilities many things from
actual physical disability to mere ig-
norance. This section should be amended
and the causes which will permit man to
take an adviser into the booth with him
should be specifically and clearly defined
and restricted.
'T MYSELF am hardly of the opinion"
said M. Hensel, "that real ignorance is a
sufficient disability, with the opportunity
given to prepare ballot outside and with
the sample ballots, man can
readily vote as he desires. Ignorance
is so ready simulated and the stimulation is
so difficult to detect that feel as though
more safeguards should be thrown about
the bill. Mr.. Baker himself, the author of
the bill, will no doubt take part in making
the changes required, and so will many
others. We have been fortunate in avoiding
complications of legal nature so far, and it
is a simple thing for the Legislature to give
additional protection against them in the
future by a remodelIng OF the bill this win
ter"
m hAf al nv Acoin has
arisen among q number of those who hold
maturing Pittsburg bonds. as TO the ciiy's
intention in regard to them. "rhey have
confounded Allegheny's intention of ex-
tending some of her loans with ours" re-
marked Controller Morrow yesterday, ''and
the result is that find 1t difficult to buy up
the water and street bonds which are due
next April. These bonds to the ex-
tent of $45o,0O0 became due in April
and I have endeavored to get them
out of the way by anticipating
their payment. Very few of them are held
in Pittsburg, 80 per cent being in Philadel-
phia in the hands of trust companies or in
dividuals. L have been buying up other
bonds for the sinking funds, having taken
in $4,000 worth yesterday at a good price
from our standpoint. We have moro than
enough money in the sinking fund to wipe
out the April installment and L wish the
people who have them could be made to
understand that there is no hope of having
them extended"
'T AM up to my neck in building
operations just now," remar ked Senator
William Finn yesterday. Ihnve Sc houses
either under way or Just completed in and
around Greenfield avenue. 80 more are under
way on Negley avenue and 10 more on
Roup's Hill. see you have been writing
about the hillsides in Pittsburg and suggest
that something be done to beautify them.
1t is a good idea, but 1t would cost a
lot of money. One thing, however, is under |
contemplation by Chief Bigelow al present |
which will 20 a long way in the direction |
you speak of. He proposes to open up fine \
wide avenue along the side of the hill above |
the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. This |
avenue would begin at Washington street |
and run along the hillside 70 Craig street at
Shady Side. 1t would be q much needed |
drive way and would be the most beautiful |
street in the city in the way Of affording a
view. IL is good thing, and hope it will |
soon be carried out"
SPEAKING of this new driveway sug-
gests Beechwood avenue, the 88-fooe con- |
Meeting link between Schenley and High |
land Parks. This street has been surveyed |
and planned as far as where it taps Fifth |
avenue, and on Monday next the ordinance |
locating the remainder of the avenue as far |
as the Allegheny river will be introduced |
in Councils. Councilman Warmcastle, who |
has spent great deal Of time and energy in |
behalf of this street. does not intend to let #
drag now that it promises so well of public
favor and support.