The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-25
Smith BILL IS Defeated
School Fund Measure Docs Not ke-
ceiye Constitutional Majority.
PHILADELPHIA WANTS A LEXOW
Spirited Debate by Senators Penrose.
Osbournc and Others Greater Pitts.
burg Goes Through with Fly.
ing Colors-BilIs Passed.

Harrisburg, Pa, April 24.-The sem
ate met at II o'clock. After the usual
reports of committees the calendar OF
bills on third reading and final passage
was taken up. and these bills passed
finally: Authorizing cities to appropri-
ate private property for public park
purposes; comforting on boards of trus-
tees entire control of all hospitals for
the insane which are owned by the
state or receive state aid; the act TO
exempt from taxation public property
used for public purposes and places OF
religious worship, places of burial and
institutions of purely public charity;
authorizing any soldier or sailor to
bring suit against any county, borough
or township to recover the amount OF
money to which he became entitled by
reason of his enlistment in the service
of the United States and being accred-
tied to any such county, borough or
township; taxing the shares Of stock or
any bank Incorporated under state or
national laws. The bill limiting the
hours of labor of employees OF cable,
traction and electric railways was de-
feated-yeas, 25; nays, 9; less than q
constitutional majority voting for it.
Petition for n IcNOw
communication was then read
from the Municipal league, of Philadel-
phia, in which. after reciting that pow
erful combinations control the action or
councils and obtain valuable franchise
privileges without adequate compensa-
tion therefor, that the gas works are
deficient, that the water supply is COM
planned of. and after pointing out the
cause for complaint in the city govern
ment, the senate is asked to appoint
special committee to investigate the
operations of the Bulitt bill. to the end
that appropriate legislation may be de-
vised and enacted to remedy such
abuses as may be found to exist.
After the reading of the communica-
tion, Senator Penrose offered resolu-
tion authorizing the president pro tenn.
to appoint a committee of five MEM
bers of the senate, of whom he shall be
one, with full power ITO investigate all
of the matters and charges referred to.
Mr.. Osbourne violently denounced the
proposed investigation. He declared
that such a thing was an insult to the
Republicans of Philadelphia. He ridi-
culed the attitude of those whom he
referred to as "so-called reformers."
He asserted that the senate had no
power to pass the resolution. having
committed this proposed duty to an
other tribunal under an act of assem-
bly,.
Mr.. Penrose regretted that his coll
league had worked himself into a pas
sion through misunderstanding of the
purpose of the resolution. He said it
was not aimed at individuals, but in
tended to investigate the operations of
the Bullet bill. The committee pro-
posed to be appointed is widely differ
ent from the Lexow committee. 1t is
more nearly similar to the committee
appointed by Governor Hartranft in
1876, as the final result of whose labors
the Bullitt bill was passed in 1885.
The resolution was referred to the
committee on judiciary general, 1t being
understood that the committee will re-
port solely on the advisability of it's
adoption.
House Proceedings.
The house met at 10 clock this morn
ing. Notwithstanding conference last
night and a partial agreement upon the
Smith bill, providing new method of
distributing the school fund, whereby
pass the house today and be amended
in the senate so as to distribute the
appropriation onthe basis of school popu-
lation, when the bill was reached this
morning the fight on it was renewed
motion was made to postpone con-
sideration of the bill until Wednesday
next at II O'clock, in order to give the
country and city members an oppor-
frn fn rat
moved to amend by making the post
ponement indefinite. but this was with
drawn, and the motion to postpone un-
til next Wednesday was voted down.
After some further discussion the bill
was defeated-yeas. "a; nays, 81; less
than a constitutional majority.
Greater pittsburg Bill.
After the report of few bills from
committees the greater Pittsburg bill
was considered. The vote on its final
passage resulted as follows Yeas, 144;
nays, AZ.
After the passage of the greater Pitts
burg bill the following, which were on
the special order calendar. and which
were delayed, were passed finally:
Act enlarging the capacity of wife
TO sell her real estate; relative to the
schools of the boroughs of Carlisle, Cum
berland county; an act to provide for
uniform contract or policy of fire in
surance, and prescribing penalties for
Its violation; to provide for the assess
ment and taxation of aliens. The bill
to prohibit changes in school books
oftener than once in five years was de-
feated on final passage, only having "a
votes in it's favor
The bill for the annexation of cities
of the second class to another city of
the same class, which Is known as
the second bill of the Greater Pitts
burg, passed finally by vote of $50
yeas, to 2 nays.