The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-03-13

er directly or indirectly, aided or con-
scented, either by their acts or silence, in
the violation of sections | and of the
act.
This is practical confscation of the
property of the holder of such stocks and
bond without any act upon their part,
but because ot their silence, although
they may have been in entire ignorance of
what was transpiring.
Moreover, an innocent mortgage or
the holders Of any lien against such pipe
line company, partnership or individual,
after violation of the provisions of the
act, is Obliged to suffer the loss of his
mortgage or other lien.
81 am convinced, after hearing of
both sides of this ccntroversey. aud upon
the fullest investigation, that the effect of
the act is directly the reverse of its osten-
sible object. Instead of encouraging
competition and fostering the building of
pipe lines 10 compete with each other, the
fact that when the property becomes un-
profitable the owners are prohibited by
law from selling it must necessarily dis
''All legislation, the tendency of which
is to control, hamper or restrain individ-
ual enterprise, should, in my opinion, be
closely scanned, and, unless some great
public reason exists to the contrary, il is
much better that all commercial enter
prises remain unfettered by legislation"
Among the reasons urged before the
Governor in favor of the repeal was the
fact that the act OF 1883 interferes with the
rights of individuals as well as of corpO-
rations and further that inasmuch rs no
similar inhibition exists against the own
ers of gas lines, water lines, electric light
lines, Sc., selling and transferring their
property to each other, the act as il stood
was class legislation, which is always
dangerous.
The Biddle road bill, which was report
ed from the Committee on Agriculture on
the 7th, appropriates one million dollars
annually To aid in the construction, i'm
provement and maintenance of the pub
lie roads OF the state, payable in warrants
drawn by the Auditor General to the sew
eral county treasurers in proportion to
the number of miles of public roads in
their respective counties, to he ascertain
ed by the several township supervisors
by actual measurement, and returned 20
the County Commissioners under oath.
The vote by which the bill regulating
the blockading OF roads ny snow by the
construction Of plain wire fences was de-
feated was reconsidered in the House,and
further action postponed.
\ bill was read in place in the House
fixing the time within which teachers in
stitutes shall he held in the several coun-
ties, and providing for the payment Of
teachers attending the same. The months
of Jnly and August only are fixed as the
time.
Mr.. Seyfert's House bill, No. 2s5, pro-
vides that female teachers shall in all
cases receive the same compensation a is
allowed to male teachers for like services,
when holding the same grade Of certiii-
cate, and employed to teach an equal
grade as male teachers.
The compulsory education bill passed
the House finally on Tuesday last, by a
vote OF I34 20 l3 Il may strike a snag in
the Senate.
The Smith religious garb bill was called
up on second reading in the House last
Wednesday morning. and after some
what heated discussion, and the addition
of a new section and an amendment at
taching penalty for violation of its pro-
visions, passed. Its provisions are: No
teacher in any public school in this Com
monweaith shall wear in said school, or
while engaged in the performance of his
or her duty as such teacher, any dress,
mark, emblem or insignia indicating The
fact that such teacher is a member or adj
herent Of any religious order, sect or de-
nomination. The penalty for violation ia,
for the first oflense, upon conviction, sI01;
for the second oilense, the same sum and
loss OF Office as school teacher; person
thns twice convicted shall not be eligible
To re-appointment in the state within
period of five years from the date of con-
Viction.
The rural members Of the House are
confident OF being able To defeat the at
tempt to repeal the oleomargarine law.
Oieo. has more friends in the Senate than
in the House, but the Senator FROM Som
erset. who is Chairman of the Committee
on Agriculture, hopes to be able TO defeat
the repeal in committee in clse il goes to
his committee. The oleo. people will use
every effort in their power to have all
bills IN which they are interested 90 10
some other COMMITTEES. Representative
Miller and Maurer are both actively hos
tile 20 the repeal of the oleo. Law.
Senator Critchteld has looked hap
py ever since the defeat of the
bill to increase the minimum
length of the school term to seven
months. He was the recognized leader
OF the opposition to the lensthening of
the term both at this session and the ses-
sion of 1873, and the members of the Sen
ate who made the fight for the seven
months term blame him for its defeat.
When spoken to with regard 10 his oppo-
siti5n he stated that il is not because he is
less friendly 10 popular education than
his fellow Senators, but because he en- I
see no propriety or justice in laying in |
creased burdens upon the people to |
lengthen the term until the whole OF the |
six months now provided for IS shown |
By the reports 10 be utilized.
TheSenate adjourned on Thursday and |
the House on Friday. Both meet again
on Monday ave.ino, Nor.h II