The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-05-03
HARRISBURG LETTER.
The Hardest Kind of Work for Lee
islators This Week.
LITTLE PROGRESS MADE THUS FAR.

rose Resolutions Providing for an Inves-
tigation of Alleged Philadelphia Crook
ednes', Which WIN Doubtless be Re-
ported Favorabiy in the Senate.
Especial Correspondence)
HARRISBURG, April 29.-There is moth
Ing but the hardest kind of work for the
state lawmakers, especially the members
OF the house, from now until the close of
the session. The committees arc working
day and night to get rid of tho bills not
yet acted upon, so that the members may
be free to give all their attention to the
general calendar of bills The house COM
mittees have about cleared their calendars
OF house bills and are disposing Of senate
bills as fast rs they come over. Beginning
this week, the house ways and means com
mittee will hold two sessions on TUESDAYS
"Wednesday and Thursdays, and one on
Friday morning. The committee has been
working all winter on the now revenue
bill, and has finally gotten rid of It, There
are about fifty other bills on its calendar
for consideration.
The house general judiciary committee
is the hardest worked committee in either
branch OF the legislature. 1t has already
disposed of 400 house and senate bills The
committee has also under consideration
the petition of James w. NJ. Newln, the
Philadelphia lawyer, charging Judge Cor
don, of that city, with holding secret
court in violation of the bill of rights.
This matter will be taken up tomorrow
evening and disposed Of The sentiment
In the committee is decidedly in favor of
Judge Gordon and 1t is believed he will
be oxoneratcd of Ncwlin's charge
The Appropriation Committee Busy.
Ihe house appropriations committee is
still grinding away at bills. Chairman
Marshall has prepared special calendar
of appropriation bills, but will not bring
them out until it is definitely determined
Just how much the state can give to char
tiles the next two years. Governor Has
tings and his cabinet have not vet been
able to solve this problem. If the bill tax
ing brewers twcnty-four cents a barrel for
all malt liquors brcwed or sold in the
state becomes II law it will raise about
S1OOO,OOO annually. State Treasurer jack
son estimates that il will cost about SlOO.-
600 to collect this tax. The bill is still in
the house ways and means committee.
The congressional apportionment bill
will be brought out this week by the
house committee. Chairman Lawrence
has prepared Il bill which he will submit
to the committee tomorrow morning. 1t
gives Philadelphia and Allegheny each an
additional congressman and makes no
material change In the other districts in
the state outside these two counties. The
legislative and senatorial apportionment
bills are still in committed The senate
has not yet acted upon the judicial appor-
tionment bill, which passed the house six
weeks ago. The senators do not like the
changes made in certain districts and will
not agree to them. II the house stands by
the bill as it passed that body it will have
have to go to a conference committee. This
would mean that the governor will not re-
ceive 1t until near the close of the session.
The legislature has now been In session
l1S days. Both bodies have apparently
worked hard, and yet they have accom-
plished nothing practically in the way of
legislation. Up to date Governor Hast.
ings has signed but twenty eight bills and
vetoed six. He has also signed thirty Joint
resolutions. The Farr compulsory educa-
tion bill and few others which have been
passed finally by both bodies were sent to
the governor today. The governor has dis
posed of all the bills he had previously re-
ceived.
Working Overtime Objectionable.
The house has been doing good work the
past two weeks. The members started in
last Thursday to clear the calendar of sec
ond reading house bills and succeeded by
extending the afternoon session a half
hour. Encouraged by this remarkable
feat an attempt was made on Friday to
clear the calendar of senate bills on sec
ond reading The members worked faith
fully for an hour or two, and then the
spring fever struck them and the remain
der of the session was given up to pound
ing on the desks, smoking bad cigars and
other 'innnocent" amusements, and in
cidentally considering bills. After hav-
ing been in session four hours the legis-
lators concluded they had done enough
work for one day, and adjourned with up
wards of seventy-flve bills on the calendar
for future consideration.
There will be few special orders here
after, except for revenue, appropriation
and apportionment bills. The house rules
committee has learned that the wrangling
over requests for this privilege costs too
much valuable time, and has determined
to choke off all future requests for orders
except in the case of bills of vital impor-
tance
1t seems to be definitely settled that
there will be no road legislation this ses-
sion. The Smiley and Brown bills have
been killed, and the Finn measure, which
went through the senate, has been laid
aside by the house. 1t does not meet the
views of the rural members, who are most
Interested in road legislation, and will
probably never be called up.
Watching the Penrose Resolutions.
The proceedings of the senate will be
watched with keen interest this week.
Everybody Is waiting TO hear of tho action
of the judiciary general committee on the
Penrose resolution to investigate the OPP
Grafton of the Bullitt bill. The committee
will meet tomorrow, and an attempt will
be made to bring out the resolution with
out delay. There is no doubt rs to the &C
tion of the committee. Three-fourths of
its members are friendly to Senator Pen
rose, and will vote to report the memorial
favorably. Senator Quay will be here this
week, and it is thought he will be con-
suited by President Pro Tenn Thomas and
Senator Penrose before the committee is
announced. Senator Kennedy, of Ale
gheny, seems to be the general favorite for
chairman. He is personal and political