The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-04-03
BOINGS AT HARRISBURG.

HARRISBURG, Pa, April /, 1895.
The proares of legislation has not been
exceedingly swift during the past week,
ond reading calendar upon which the
friends and foes were about evenly di-
vided. Although last Monday was the
last day, according to resolution, for the
introduction of new bills in the House,
quite number have been read in place,
nevertheless, by courtesy of unanimous
consent. The number of bills now on
the calendars of both branches is upward
of ten hundred, which does not include
the regular appropriation bills, nearly
three hundred of which are still in
committee. For the latter class of bills a
special calendar will eventually be ar
ranged, but not one-fourth of the general
measures will ever reach the governor,
and perhaps ii is just as we'll.
The Ways and Means committee has
been giving hearings for the past three or
four weeks to the different interests
throughout the State on the new tax con-
ference revenue bill. The manufacturers
are arrayed against the bill, claiming
that it does them injustice. The bill is
the result OF the work of the tax commits
sion for the past two years, and will like
ly pass substantially as it is, and what
ever differences of opinion as to its bene-
ficient workings will have to be settled
by trial. Many fear it may not be an
improvement on the present system, but
it won't hurt, probably, to try it,
A bill came up on second reading in
the House few days ago, which if en-
acted into law would virtually para
lyze the numbering industries of our
county. It prohibited, under heavy pen
atty, the allowing of any sawdust, shaw
ings or slabs to enter into any of the
streams, great or small, in the State. The
bill was killed, but not until after a tough
fight, the vote standing So for, to SO
against.
The Judicial Apportionment bill passed
finally in the House Tuesday, after sew
eral attempts to amend. Representative
Smith of Jefferson offered an amendment
detaching Clarion from jefferson, and
made strong plea to the House for its
adoption, but no amount of persuasion
would induce the members TO change the
bill in any particular. Elk county is at
tached to Warren and Forest. It is hint
ed that the Senate will make some
changes when the bill comes up in that
body, but judging from the temper of
the House, when it was under discussion
there, it will not permit the Senate TO
make any material change.
The Gould bill revolutionizing the poor
laws Of the State, met a Waterloo defeat
in the House on Tuesday of last week.
The bill provided that each county
should have poor house whether they
needed it or not. Other expenses con-
nected with the new system would run
the figures up to large proportions for
the smaller counties, and prove hard
ship on them which they could scarcely
bear.
Among the interesting scenes in the
House during the week was the fight on
the Quay county bill, which seeks to
make new county out of parts of Lu-
zerne and Sehuylkill counties. 1t was
up ON special order for third reading
Wednesday, having passed the second
reading stage the previous day with
amendments which would effect every
county with 10000 inhabitants or over.
This was a little too far reaching for
most of the counties, and the friends OF
the bill in its original form found they
had bitten off too much, and proceeded
TO retrace their steps and undo their work
! of the previous day in order to save their