The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-16
Novel Ideas of
Busy Lawmakers.
Some of the More Interesting
Propositions of Americas Able SOlOns.
Compiled for the Scranton Tribune.

II, 1894, of u strong supplementary law,
New York's compulsory education law
worked well. 1t was passed May IL,
1874, and amended May 20, 1876, 1t COM
PEELED the attendance of children be-
tween the ages of eight and fourteen
years at public or private schools four
teen weeks in each year, eight weeks ot
which attendance should be consecn-
tive. II not in attendance at pubic OF
private schools. home instruction for
the same period was required Althoush
this law made no provision for the cor
rection of truancy, a statement lat"iS
made by Superintendent John Jasper
of the New York city schools shows
that truancy declined under 1t. he
cited the fact that during the years CT
1870 to 1874, just prior to the enactment
of the old law, the average number OF
arrests was l,22l, while during the year
1898 the number Of children arrested
wac only AL. The interesting fact was
also revealed that truancy had been
suppressed to great extent. In 1870
there were l03 arrests for truancy; In
1871, Il: in 1872, 99 in 1873, 139; in 1874.
81. Coming down to 1889 only II arrests
for truancy are recorded. In lS9o me
number of arrests rose to AZ; in 1871 II
receded to 80: in 1892 to 2S, and in 1898 TO
%. These statistics show that during
the five years of 1870 to 1874 inclusive
there were 1893 arrests, while during the
five years of 1889 to 1898 inclusive the
total was only 157. The last legislature
adopted on May l., 1894, what is known
as the Compulsory Education law,
which materially strengthens the lie
fects of the old New York law. ThiS
new law requires the regular attend
ance of every child between eight and
sixteen years old upon instruction at
school in which at least reading, spell
ing, writing, arithmetic, English gram
mar and geography are taught. or upon
equivalent instruction by competent
teacher elsewhere than at school. A
fine of $50 is imposed upon parents or
guardians who neglect the observance
of this law, and upon firms or corpora
tions employing children between the
ages of eight and twelve during public
school term time. The law went into
effect on January l, 1895. Teachers are
required to supply accurate record or
the attendance of all children between
the ages mentioned Provision is made
also in the law for arrest without war
rant of any child between eight and
sixteen found away from home as
truant from instruction. A section also
provides for the establishment of tru-
ant schools, that is, free schools set
apart in seperate rooms in public school
buildings for children between seven
and sixteen who are habitual truants
from instruction. The testimony of
New York newspapers and educators
as to the new laws operation up to date
is, upon the whole, favorable.
Anti.Railroad Legislation.
The average American legislator
somehow has, or at least appears 10
have. an instructive emnity for rail-
roads. With nearly three-fourths the
total railway mileage of the country
operated under receiverships, and not
much chance yet visible of material
improvement in this unhappy condition
of affairs, the American legislator goes
right on making laws to harass and
hinder and veX the soul of the corpora
tion manager Below are four meas
different states; and If we had scanned
the papers of that one day more care
fully we should probably have found
several others besides. The first one
is New York measure, by which AS
semblyman Glen proposes to amend the
railroad law so as to confer the stop
over privilege upon all holders of tickets
sold at the maximum rate of fare.
Mr.. Glen proposes also to compel rail-
roads not authorized to charge more
than cents a mile to sell l,OOO-mile
mileage books for $50. Out in Mime
sofa, where the grangers greatly are in
evidence, we find two bills sprung in
one day. One, the Christensen bill,
would like to make the state railroad
commission the regulator of railroad
rates and fares. 1t provides that the
commission shall annually require of
the common carriers Of the state and
of all shippers, the tariffs of rates, fares
and classifications charged and received
by the common carriers, and that the
commission should then meet at the
state capitol and proceed to revise the
rates and fares and establish such new
charges as it deems eXpedient. The
Attorney general shall represent the in
terests of the state at such meetings,
and the common carriers may be repre-
sented by counsel. The other, known
as the Jacobson bill, proves that COM
mon carriers shall provide at all points
of connection, crossing or intersection,
when it is practicable and necessary ih
the interest of traffic, ample track con-
nections with intersecting lines for the
transfer of the regular business of their
lines, and prohibits any discrimination
on freight forwarded to another line OF
shipment. 1t provides that upon de-
mand of one or more persons interested,
or of the grain and warehouse COM
mission, such railway company must
establish q reasonable joint through
rate for transportation of freight with
in the state. Lastly, up in Wisconsin,
Senator Bashford has bill providing
for filing with the railway commission
ers by all railroad companies in that
state schedules of charges for carrying
freight between all points in the state
and points and terminal stations in
adjacent states, in force June 25 1894,
and making such schedules the maxi
mum rates; maintaining the 2O,OO0-mile
ticket transferable, and cutting max
imum charge for single fare to 4 cents,
instead of cents per mile. The present
Scent rate for round trip remains.
1t prohibits the charge of a greater
sum for a car load on the same road
through the same intermediate points.
Is 1t any wonder that railroads do not
earn dividends?
For an Honest Peach Basket
The Saugutuck and Ganges Pomo-
logical society, an organization of Mich
igan fruit growers chartered by the
state in 1870, and numerically one Of the
strongest socities of its kind in the
state, has passed resolution by ris-
ing and unanimous vote that the pass.
age of law should be urged before the
n