The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-06-30
PATTISONS VETOES.
Objections to Appropriations for
Election Contests.
DISHONESTY DIRECTLY ALLEGED.

The Governor Fully Satisfied That Ear
More witnesses Are Charged For Than
Were Before the Committee and More
Miles Charged Than Were Travelled"
HARRISBURG, June 90-Governor Patti
son has cleared his table of all bills left in
his hands by the legislature. He vetoes the
McCarrell Street railway consolidation
bill, and the appr opriation Of $26511.60 to
pay the expenses of the house committee
on elections for the general and necessary
expenses" incurred in investigating four
contests to seats in the Legislature. He
says he has already approved, mot with
out some misgivings, eleven bills appropri
ating $lS, 563. 20 TO pay the expenses of con
testants and contestees in such disputes
and to pay the salaries of ousted mem
bers"
He warns the public that this system of
paying all parties has tendency to pro-
mote and encourage such contests and to
transfer their investigation to body too
often moved by partisan interest, and to
take them out of the courts where the
more deliberate methods of judicial inves-
tigation are better calculated to create
confidence in the final judgment reached.
| Regarding the additional bill of S26,-
57l.60 to pay the expenses OF those investi-
eating these contests, he says the bill is
largely made up of items practically con-
stituting extra compensation for officers
and members Of the house in direct viola
tion of that provision of the law which de-
clares that 'no greater or other compensa-
! tion or allowance" than is provided by the
existing salary act "shall be voted by
either house to any officer thereof for SER
| vices performed at any session. "
The governor refers to the charges of the
sergeant-at-arms, and declares there is no
warrant of law for his excessive bills. He
is entitled to his actual expenses only
! Special inquiry, he says, satisfies his mind
that the service of subpnnaing witnesses
and the mileage charged for were not
actually rendered and performed by the
sergeant-at-arms. He is fully satisfied
'that far more witnesses are here charged
for than were actually before the commit
tee or necessary to its investigation, and
far more miles are herein charged than
were actually travelled" He picks out
items in the bill and shows the extrava-
gance of the charges, especially the hotel
bills, amounting to S5,19G70, and extra
car fare and kilograms" He believes this
latter item to be pretext for increasing
the compensation of certain members of
|
In conclusion he says: This entire
measure is so saturated and perm eated
with an attempt to impose upon the COM
monwealth, and to take from its treasury
q large amount of money for which no
just claim exists, that | am unwilling to
approve any portion of the same or to make
it possible for those who framed and de-
vised it, and for whose benefit it was i'm
posed upon the legislature during the hur.
ried business on the last day of the session
to profit from it."
These appropriation bills were approved
House committee on appropriations, 81.
557; senate committee on finance for 1891
$1,000. Contestants and contestees as fol
lows Charles l. Baker, 50, 720; A. L. Tag
CART, 81, 600; Eli Waughaman, 81, ,720: Will
lam r. Barnhart, 81, 1885, w. p. Highly
$4,000; w. H. Andrews, 81 ,0O0 F. T. Okell
81, 600; J. p. Quinnan, s., ,720, George For
rest, s2,644; w. w. Franklin, 1,OOO G, A
Mccarthy, $1,000.