The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-03-29
Erom tha stata cnnIrol.

legal holiday was defeated BY vote of q
ayes to 50 hayes i requires los votes "a
pass bill on final passage
A bill has been prepared aud will be pre-
scented TO the Legislature for a pension fol
the widow Of the family Of Sergeant Wm
Knnkle, Of fChambersburg. Sergeant Kun
kls was one Of the victims Of the Homestead
war
A bill vas introduced in the Legislature
the other day, increasing the pay Of the
county commissioners, cOroners aud county
detectives and decreasing the compensation
ofcounty auditors and county surveyors
The pay OF auditors and surveyors Is low
enough now in ell conscience. and it is not
likely the bill will pass.
Governor Pattison has issued prOclams
ton designating Saturday, April 18TH and
Saturday, April 29th, to be observed as Ar
Dor days in Pennsylvania The selection ol
either of the designated days is left TO the
discretion OF the people in the various sec
tions of the Commonwealth, each locality
observing that day which is deemed mosi
favorable on account Of climatic conditions.
1t is said a resolution has been prepared
and will be offered in the House next week
directing the appointment of special com
mittee of five members of the House and
three members Of the Senate 20 make all the
arrangements to take the Legislature 70 chi
cago to attend the dedication Of the Penn
sylvania State building. The expenses oi
the trip will be provided for in the general
appropriation bill.
Assemblyman Murphy. Of Westmorellnc
county, on Tuesday introduced bin amend
ing the penal laws of the State 50 as Il
change the punishment for murder in the
first degree from hanging to either hanging
or solitary confinement for life, and making
it the duty of The jury when they tender
their verdict TO designate the punishment
and requiring the sentence in accordance
Herewith.
One of the surprises Of the week was the
large vote cast for the local option bill intro
duced by Representative Mansfield, of Bea-
yer, authorizing counties and cities TO vote
at the next February election and every
three years thereafter on the propriety oi
granting licenses to sell Intoxicating liquors.
Another surprise was the fact that this i'm
portant bill excited no discussion. 1t com
msnded s5 votes, while its opponents could
muster only So.
A bill was introduced by Mr. Metzger, ol
Potter, a member of the house elections com
mittee, to pay the expenses Of William P.
Highly, the unsuccessful contestant in the
Crawford county election case. Mr.. Higby's
expenses are itemized, as follows: Witness
es and transportation, S56IO0; livery and
ineidentals. S6s4 s,enographer, S2t5; rail-
road fare and personal expenses, 1886 IS ;
hotel bill. Harrisburg, s225; attorneys fees,
81, 200; total, s3,SSl.45.
Senator Hsckenburg, of Northumberland
has prepared an important substitute for bis
License Commission Bill. Il provides for a
License Court, composed Of ten persons
learned in the law, to be appointed by the
Governor, five from each of the two parties
polling the largest aggregate vote in the
State. These Judges serve for Ten years at q
salary of $ 900 and travelling expenses, and
one from each party retires every two years.
No person who mas served full term OF ten
years is eligible TO reappointment. For IL
censt purposes the State is divided into
twenty -four districts, the 10Th district being
] a.,ff
Cambria and Somerset. In these districts
applications for licenses shall be filed by 0c-
tober lst of each year, and, when granted
take effect on January lst following. The
court shall meet at Harrisburg on the first
Mondays of October, January and April OF
each year, when the President shall assign
one Judge to each district where licenses are
to be granted during the three months next
following. He shall summon to his assist
ance judge of different political faith, but
no Judge shall sit in the district wherein ke
resides. nor be assigned two years success
lively 20 the same district. nor shall Judge:
OF the same political party succeed each 9th.
er in the same district The hearing before
the License Court shall be by petition. re
mOnstranct, and the testimony of witnesses
the same as now had before the Courts OF
| Quarter Sessions. II shall be the duty Of q
Judge assigned to district, before proceed
ing TO bear the applications for licenses, to
go upon the several premises for which IL
censes are asked, ascertain their fitness for
the accommodation Of the public, investi-
gate the necessity for the license, and make
inquiry as to the character of the several ap-
icarts. No change is made in the license
fee, further than to require ;he payment O.
S. TO the clerk of courts for the use Of the
State Itisstated that this bill has been sub
mitied to the Governor. and will be signed by
him if passed.