The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-03-15
From the state capkaI.

TIOltl lft9 SAo-S 10 RRot-
A bill has been passed oy the Senate max
ing election day after y O'Clock legal
half holiday.
The bill closing the polls at four o'clock on
election day has been reported to the House
with NEGATIVE recommendation
A bin was introduced into the Legislature
Thursday morning appropriating 1000 ,ooo
for the purpose Of Purchasing free text books
for the common schools of the state
Hon. William C. Saith, Of Everett, has
introduced BIZ providing for the election
ola superintendent to the county aims
house. instead Of their appointment.
Representative Doathe.t has introduced
q bill to increase the compensation Of jas
tees OF the peace, aldermen and cOnstables.
The increase proposed IS from % to 25 per
cent.
Chairman Talbot Of the House Elections
Committee on the Andrew S. Higby contest,
Thursday presented a majority report, sign
ed by the Republican members. fsEoring the
seating OF William a. Andrews
The members who 90 to Chicago at the
expense Of the State are not likely to 60
back to the legislature. The legislature will
likely go to Chicago in body to attend the
dedication Of the Pennsylvania state build
ing at the Worlds Fair, even though Gov
ernor Pattison has repeatedly threatened TO
veto any bill making an appropriation for
such trip.
A subcommittee of the joint commi ttese
on elections have agreed upon a number of
changes in the Baker ballot law, which will
probably be reported to both houses soon.
It is proposed to strike out the requirement
that the residence Of candidates shall be
printed on the ballot. The time within
which objections may be filed is lessened
and the time for printing the ballots is in
creased. The number of official ballots re-
quired is to be decreased to one set ofseyen-
ty-fve for every fifty persons on the asses
sors list, the ballots to be delivered TO the
proper election officers on the day before
election. The number of specimen ballots
is decreased, one for each voter. The per-
centage Of the vote cast in order 20 secure
party recognition is reduced from three to
two. This will let the Prohibitionists in.
An entirely new feature proposed is an 90
to be placed al the top of the ballot opposite
the party name. 4 cross placed within this
circle will mean vote for elch and every
person under such party name. These are
abou; all Oft the amendments to the law that
will be permitted at this session.
The house and senate have been flooded
with petitions and memorials the past week
from the various oranges throughout the
state. These documents relate chiefly to the
measures that have been introduced in the
legislature on oleOmargarine, road laws,
equalization Of taxation, publication of agri-
cultural reports and other legislation in
which the farmers are directly interested.
A surprise was given the friends of the state
board OF agriculture Thursday by the pre-
sentation offs number of memorials in the
house and senate from the various subordi-
nate oranges in the state, signed by the mas
ter and secretary Of each, asking that the
manner ofchoosing members ofthe board be
changed. The memorials state that "the
present method ofelecting the county mem
bers Of the board Of agriculture is wholly
vested in the county agricultural societies,
the majority Of which only exist in name,
largely made mp of town people, who take
very little interest in agriculture, farmers
being thereby debsrred from voice in the
election of the msmbt rs Of the board Of ag-
ric1lture; that we petition the state legisls-
ture to 50 amend the Law governing the cleo
ton Of the members Of the board, 50 as to
elect by joint convention ofthree delegates
from each agricultural society, grange and
kindred agricultural organizations in the
county, to meet at the county seat the third
Tuesday in August, which convention shall
also ix the time and place Of each Farmers
Institute, and audit the accounts governing
the expenditures Of the same, subject to the
approval of the secretary Of the board" A
bill viii be introduced in the Legislature this
week in accordance with the suggestions
embodied in the memorial. These memo
rails have created much adverse comment
among the most active members of the
board, many Of whom stand high in the
State Grange. The members Of the state
board Of agriculture, Of which Governor Pat
tison is chairman. viii oppose any such bill.
The grangers are said to be divided on the
matter and it is not likely that the desired
change will be brought about at the present
session.