The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-03-22
HARRISBURG LETTER.
A Bill to Prevent the Sale of In
pure Meat by Inspection.
TIE CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.
Not Cent for Them II the Demands Of
the State Institutions Are AIiowed-BiIi,
for the Protection of Game and of Insur.
snce Policy Holders.
Especial Correspondcnce.)

""SO "''Ny 'sV'Nc'Ss
Especial Correspondence)
HARRIsBURe, March 17.-The grangers
are back OF bill introduced in the senate
by Senator Snyder for the inspection Of
meats offered for sale. There was n meet
ing Of the legislative committee of the
State Grange here last week, at which res
olutions were adopted favoring the speedy
enactment of the measure. Under the pro.
visions of the bill the president of the state
board OF health will appoint one or more
persons In each city, borough or township
In the state to inspect the meats. Their
duties will consist in inspecting all meats
slaughtered or shipped to within their dis.
tricts.
The receiver Of consignment Of meat
must notify the inspector as soon as 1t ar.
rives, and cannot sell any portion of 1t un.
til IL Is inspected II the meat Is pure the
inspector will attach q certificate Of inspec.
tion. The inspectors will receive g. for
each whole carcass of beef, and fifty cents
for each quarter; for sheep, veal and swine
I'll will be paid, and for n quarter carcass
of the same twenty five cents is allowed.
The receiver of the meats pays for the
inspection Farmers Strengthening stock
Of their own raising for sale are exempted
from the provisions of the act IL the
consignee of meats neglects to have meat
inspected or refuses to pay the charges he
will be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor
and pay a fine not exceeding 5000, or be
imprisoned for more than thirty days
The fines go to the county treasury. The
inspectors are to make monthly returns to
the treasurer of the county or city for
which they are appointed, and must pay
over 80 per cent. of the gross fees collected.
The act only applies to fresh meat.
Not n Cent Left for Charity.
II the demands of the state institutions
are allowed there will not be one cent for
charity the next two years. The public
schools will have to have sl1, 900, 900. To
meet this and tho running expenses of the
state Sl5, ,253, 900 will be required The
National Guard wants 100000. The main.
tenance of the INDECENT insane and asy-
lums will cost 81, 100000. The somi.state
institutions, such as the homes for feeble
minded and the schools for the deaf, blind
and dumb, will require 81, 800 600 The
penal institutions must be looked after.
1t has been found by the state authorities
that these amounts will eat up the Sl9,-
100000 income for the next two years, and
thus leave not a cent for charity.
A number Of prominent officers Of the
National Guard have been here during
the past week, advocating plan to pro-
vide armories for the various commands
throughout the state. Among them were
Colonels Case and Ripple, Majors Keen
and Warman and Captain Louis II. Wal
ters, all of whom were members Of the
executive committee Of the organization
of National Guard officers formed here at
the time Of the Inauguration Of Governor
Hastings.
One plan suggested was to have the leg.
islature appropriate 5000 to each COM
pany, and then save the 5000 annually ap-
propriated for armory rent. As there arc
100 companies In the guard however, and
but little money in the treasury, this plan
was quickly given up as impracticable.
The other appeared in much more favor.
able light, however. 1t IL merely to in
crease the annual rent appropriation from
$500 to si00, which would allow the COM
panies to erect armories and pay interest
on mortgage at per cent, tho state to
protect itself by taking title to the prop
erty This plan would require an increase
Of only $4,000 in the annual appropria-
tion to the guard.
The great Importance Of the improve.
IutuJ W tuc TlNtT
help to secure that appropriation OF s500-
O0O or at least good portion of it. The
Philadelphia members of both political
parties are bending every effort to getting
votes for the bill, and they count great
deal on the impression to be made by hav-
ing Messrs. Cook, Higbee and Tucker re-
peat their arguments on the necessity OF
the work before the entire house.
The Ritter Tax Bill Doomed.
This very condition of the treasury will
prevent the passage, at this session Mt
least, of the Ritter tax bill. Even its advo-
Gates admit that it would result in deficit,
and the more progressive members are
urging the retention of the present law,
with the addition OF few amendments to
increase the revenue rather than the GER
tainty of IA decrease and lots of litigation
under the proposed law. Ex-State Treas
urer Boyer, who prepared the present law,
has been at the capitol for several days,
and will appear before the ways and means
committee some time this week TO discuss
the features of the proposed bill.
Governor Hastings is extremely anxious
to aid the charitable institutions, and now
has the states S accounting officers at work
to see If they cannot figure out an in
creased revenue for the next two years.
The state board of charities has figured
out that it will need S. 100000 Owing to
the financial depression the state revenues
have been reduced 81, 100000 for the two
years. The total appropriations by the
last legislature were s22, 146 1888, 49, OF this
charity received 100000. This condition
of affairs will work hardship TO the state
normal schools. These institu tions have
received liberal donations from the stats
the past ten years, and are now asking for
appropriations aggrcgating 81, 100000. 1t
is the general opinion of the members OF
the appropriations committee Of the SEN
ate and house that these schools have re-
ceived all they are entitled to, and wide
swath will be cut into the respective
amounts asked for by them.
A Bill to Protect Game.
The house general judiciary committee
has brought out the Cotton bill for the pro
lection OF game The measure provides
that it shall not bo lawful to kill, trap,
sell, trade or barter, or expose for sale any
wild game or birds, either dead or alive,
known under the laws of the state as