Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-03-31
Harrisburg Notes.

me with statement tne clneI uag- hc
said he was being continually bothered, not
only by politicians and city officials. but
by church members who introduced the
subject as be went in and out of his house
on Sunday. Besides that number Of Ii
quor dealers, present and prospective, had
come to him saying they desired to deal
with the Court direct instead of through
the middle man. The Judge capped the
climax with this remark:
From the propositions l have already
received I believe 1 could make $4,000
out Of the License Court. I want you to
understand thst they are getting very near
nv price, and / want the matter taken
away from the bench"
Judge Agnew's local option bill was
called up on second reading in the House,
Thursday, and passed by vote of So toss.
The bill provides for vote in each county
every three-years.
Road legislation ran against the tirst Sc
rious snag of this session that day. Capt
Nesbit called up his bill, which was re-
ported from committee a few days ago.
The agricultural delegation proceeded at
once to amend it 20 make it conform to
the committee bill as passed BY Senator
Brown on third reading in the Senate down
TO the section appropriating s3,0OO,OoO
year from the state treasury for the road
making purposes.
Chairman Marshall Of the appropriations
committee here called the attention OF the
house to the estimate OF state revenues
made By Treasurer Morrison and Auditor
General Gregg, and gave warning that tie
passage OF the bill in its present form might
compel the state to 90 in debt. Inc esl-
mated revenue is about $1S ,000. 600 for the
two wears. OF this. Mr. Marshall explain
ed. $40, 900, 900 must go to the public
schools and "a, 0O0, 900 to the executive,
judicial and legi latiye departments Near
ly million has been given to the national
guard and another million is asked Tor the
state normal schools.
The road appropriation would take more
than the remainder OF the whole revenue.
not to mention the insane asylum and pen
al institutions which must be supported.
Monday evening a rather sensational
episode in the history of the bill to repeal
the local-option law of Vsrona was devel-
oped in the house 1t was stated on the
floor, without any attempt at contradiction
that this bill was taken from the locked
private desk of the chairman of the com
mIttee on vice and immortality, during MS
absence and without his knowledge or con-
sent, to be acted upon by that committee
while the chairman was absent on business
assigned him as O member of sub-com-
a. a
mittee.
s. B. Cochran OF Armstrong, chairman
of the committee on vice and immortality,
moved TO recommit the Varona bill to
committee. He made a statement to the
house that the bill was senate bill, and
was committed to his committee with the
understanding that an opportunity was to
be given persons interested, both Tor and
against, to be heard. A date was set ior
the hearing No one appeared for the bill.
The general superintendent of the Allie
gheny Valley railroad, which road has
made and maintains the borough of Varona
by its business, intended to be present and
D protest against the bill, but was prevented
by sickness
The general counsel Of the road was pre-
vented fIom coming by business IN court
and no one appeared but the superinten..
dent of the railroad shop who protested
against the bill in the name of the people
Of Varona.
At the time the bill was considered he
(the chairman) was absent. Had he been
present he would have made this state
ment to the committee and that he had re-
quest for further time for the hearing
Mr.. Jeffrey of Luzerne, of the committee
said he hoped the bill would not be recon-
mitted. Had the chairman been present
and made his statement at the time the
bill was considered be thought it would
have been reported just the same.
Mr. Quinnan spoke against recommlttal,
as did Mr.. Muehlbronner of Allegheny.
Mr. Cochran said he had telegram from
David McCargo asking hearing, and he
thought it should be accorded him. Messrs.
Millard and Seanor also spoke for the re-
committal of the bill. Bernhard of Lehigh
entered protest against recommittal on
the plea that the house was not able to
take care of the bill.
Mr.. Cochran then made further state
ment. He said it was rule to leave bills
in charge of the chairman OF committees,
that communications received regarding
them were usually sent to the chairman or
referred to them and they sometimes had
information not known to all members OF
q
case, lust before leaving Harrisburg, be re-
ceieyed a communication asking for hear
lug on the bill. He had not time to lay it
before the committee and had. therefore,
left the bill in his private desk instead OF
turning it over with others to the acting
chairman.
He wanted TO say the parties who were
pushing the bill had secured it from his
desk, which was locked when he went
away. When be returned he found the bill
on the calandar, though his desk was lock-
ed again. He did not want TO make any
charges, but these were the plain facts.
Stewart of Philadelphia said that in all
fairness the bill should go back to com
m ittee. 1t had been pilfered from the
chairman's desk in his absence, which was
a serious matter. The bill was an import
ant one to the borough of Verona, and the
peop le who were interested in it should be
heard.
Mr.. Cessna recited the history ofthe case.
He said some years ago law hal been
passed to give certain portions OF Alleghe-
nv county the right to vote for or against
license. and Verona had declared against
Just now, when some persons were making
big profits selling liquor, there were efforts
made TO open these places to the traftic
AS the gentlemen said the Allegheny Val
lev ro ad has made the borough OF Varona,
and il officers should be given an oppor-
tunity to be heard.
His letters, however, were from the
ladies of Verona-he had not received so
MANY letteas from the ladies before or
since he was married-and every one OF
them wanted this bill defeated. Not one
lady in the whole town asked to have the
law repealed.
Bernhard said the bill had been in com
mittee long enough, having passed the
senate February l6. Skinner thought it
had been their long enough, too, and fav
ored home rule. He said the gentleman
who represented Verona favored the pass
age of the bill, though he was absent and
could not speak for him self.
Stewart Of Philadelphia corrected Mr..
Bernhard by calling attention to the fact
that the bill, according to the file, had
been amended ON second reading in the
senate on February 16 and had been de-
feated on that date 1t had subsequently
been reconsidered and passed, so it could
not have been in the house committee
very long.
The yeas and nays were called on the
motion to recommit ind it was carried 10y
a vote Of 50 to &C. The Democrats gener-
ally voted no and Republicans yes.
On Tuesday the Free Text Book bill
passed the House finally by vote Of l4l
to 80.
THB proposed new Congressional district
which takes out Beaver county and puts in
Venango comfy for this district, We think
IN .:4t