Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-05-02
Harrisburg Notes.


name Of Thomas Robinson OF Butler for
Superintendent of Public Printing to the
State Senate. and the nomination was
confirmed.
The revenue bill was reported to the
House with amendments, the provisions
imposing y tax on one mill on manufactHr-
ing corporations, building and loan as
sociations and purely mutual insurance
associations without capital stock or cum
ulstive reserve. the latter class embracing
the Farmers mutual fire insurance COM
panies, have been stricken out. Chairman
Ritter also suggested IN amendment, which
was agreed to, providing that the entire
amount OF money reverting to the yarlous
sub divisions at once shall be diverted
from the State Treasury gradually IN order
not to seriously affect The States resources.
Under the bill as framed by the tax con-
ference it was proposed to have the person
al property tax, mercantile, billiard, brok-
ers, peddler, theatre and.circus and other
licenses with the tax or writs, wills and
deeds, and net earnings of bankers and
brokers amounting TO about s1,4SO, 600
collected annually by the counties, cities,
boroughs and townships for their own use,
but the amendment changes this divertion
of the revenue so that one-tourth VIII 60
to the subdivisions next January, one
half in January, 1897, the rest year lat
er.
On Friday Chairman Ritter, of the Ways
and Means committee, reported the amend
ed Tax Conference bill to the House. }.
D. Weeks said that while the amendments
were not satisfactory to the Tax confer
ence, yet on the principle that "half loaf
is better than no bread" they would not
oppose them. He said that some of the
country members were very much oppos-
ed to the exemption of building and loan
associations and manufacturing corpora
tions from taxation, and wanted to try to
have the mill tax restored by the House
He deprecated such action, and Was per-
suading them to let the matter go and try
to put the bill through in its present shape.
The measure exempts from taxation
building and loan associations and such
manufacturing companies as are not en-
gagged in the brewing or distilling of spirits
or malt liquors. 1t provides that insurance
companies liablesto taxation shall not be
required to make report of or pay any
further taxation on the moneys and credits
"other than such reserved in payments of
premiums and assessments" owned by
them in their own rights. The clause
taxing mutual insurance companies with
out capital stock has been eliminated.
The recent decision of Judge Stewart,
of Franklin, that the present act forbidding
the use of explosives in streams to catch
fish was unconstitutional, as its subject
was rot clearly expressed in the title, in
duced Representative Stewart, of Phila-
delphia. to present bill to correct the de-
feet in the present law. 1t provides ''that
no person shall, at any time or place, in
any of the waters of Pennsylvania, use
any torpedo. giant powder, nitro glycerine,
dynamite, lime or any other poisonous or
explosive substance for the purpose of
catching or taking Gsh, under penalty of
$50 for each offense."
On Monday word was received Of the
death of Hon. NJ. B. Lemon, of Pittsburg,a
member OF the House, at hotel in New
York; and the House appointed commit
tee to arrange for tie funeral, and then
adjourned.
In the House, Tuesday, two bills of con-
siderable interest were killed on final pas
sage Ore was to create the county OF
Quay out of parts of Luzerne and Schuyl-
KILL and the other vas the McQuown bill
to pr, vent the changing of school books
oftenar than once in five years. The Quay
county bill got bat so votes and the school
book bill but III. The Congressional ap-
portinment bill was reported from Com
mlttee, that 1ay. Butler is left in with
the same old counties but the number of
the district is changed to 81.
Among the bills which passed finally
was the Marshall bill, amending the oleo-
margerine law of 1895, by taking one-half
of the fine from the informer and giving it
TOR the use of the State Dairy and Food
Commission. The vote was l52 to 2.
The bill of Mr.. Weyand, of Beaver,
amending the escheat law of 1885 by ex-
tending its provisions to unpaid dividends
OF banks, savings institutions. building and
loan associations and trust companies,
passed finally. Mr.. Seyfert's bill provid-
that female tsahers shall receive the same
salaries as male teachers for performing
the same duties, also passed finally. The
building and loan league bill. introduced
by Mr. Cotton, authorizing the issue of
two or more classes of stock for permanent
investments. and for home builders, was
defeated, receiving only 76 votes.
On Wednesday the Pen-ose resolution
to Lexow Philadelphia, had rather un
satisfactory airing in committee, and was
held over till aext Tuesday.
The Greater Pittsburg bills were sent to
the Governor, who will hear arguments
regarding them next Monday and Tuesday
Two thousand patents have been taken