The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-19
WORK BEFORE LEGISLATURE
Unfinished Business Before the House
Sufficient to Last All Summer.
DEBATE ON THE WEIGHING BILL
Representatives FOw and OMalley
Entertain the House = Gould Bill
Passes Second Rea ding-Othcr
Measures Considered.
Special to the Scranton Tribune.

Harrisburg, April 1S.-This was sec
ond reading day in the house. The pro-
ceedings were dull and uninteresting.
The members We're Indifferent about
their work and little business OF gem
eral interest was transacted. 1t begins
to look as II the legislators will not get
away for two months. Those who
speak by authority say it has been de-
cided to adjourn finally June 20 II
this be true it will be the longest ses-
sion the state legislature has ever held,
except In such years as there We're
extra sessions. The senate calendar Is
practically clear OF bills, but the house
is burdsned down with measures OF
considered the session will continue un-
til the middle of the summer.
The bill authorizing the superinten-
dent Of public instruction to appoint
examiners for the state normal school
was recalled from the governor for
amendment. The measure provides
that graduate from such schools shall
not receive q diploma when there Is
negative vote in the examining board
against him. Governor Hastings suS-
gested to the friends of the measure
that it was unconstitutional. because 1t
contained two subjects. To remedy
this seeming defect the provision relat-
ing to diplomas was stricken out.
An invitation was extended to DR..
John Harris. president of the Bucknell
university, at Lewisburg, to deliver his
lecture on the Fall of Richmond" in
the hall of the house next Wednesday.
This was a great day for the farmers.
They wiped out of existence the Muehl-
bronner bill repeating the oleo law of
1885. During the calling of the roll
many of the rural members opposed to
the measure were temporarily absent
from their seats. Friends were sent out
after them and they were brought in
in knots of two and three. When the
clerk had finished calling the roll sew
eral members asked leave to vote. 9TH
ers wanted to change their vote and
still others inquired how their votes
were recorded. This brought about
much confusion and finally the roll was
completed and the result announced.
1t showed that only thirty votes had
been recorded for the bill to 113 against
1t.
A bill to prohibit the use of eel pots
In the rivers and other waters of the
state, except trout streams, went
through after Mr.. Grigsby had read
letter from the state fish commission
endorsing the proposition. The bill for
the protection of the public health
against the Infectious diseases and au-
thorizing the health authorities in mu-
inequalities to order the vacation of a
building unfit for human habitation
was also read the second time. The
city members advocated the passage
OF the bill because of it's Importance
to cities like Philadelphia and Pitts
burg, where diseases are bred in tene-
ment houses in the slums.
A bill providing for the examination
of miners in the bituminous coal re-
gions and to prevent the employment
Of incompetent persons passed second
reading. A similar act has been in
force in the anthracite regions since
1887. Three weeks ago Mr.. Reese, of
Luzerne, a. practical miner, had passed
a pill repeating the act. He contended
the miners did not want the law be-
cause 1t was a dead letter and of no
benefit to them.
Representatives Fow and Fritz made
a vigorous fight against the bill to pro-
tect miners and operators in the weigh
ing Of coal and providing for the ap-
pointment by the governor of a sealer
and weigher. Their objections was that
the bill created an unlimited number
Of offices and was of no material bene-
fit to either operator or miner Messrs.
O'Malley, Farr and Connell, Of Lacka-
wanna. and other representatives of
the anthracite regions, defended the
measure. After lively debate, in which
Fow and OMalley afforded much
amusement for their colleagues by their
answers to each others questions, the
bill passed by vote of 10 to SO.
The Gould bill, making 1t a misde-
meanor for a minor to misrepresent his
or her age to procure liquor was re-
considered and passed second reading
Last Thursday the bill was defeated
A number of local bills were read the
second time with practically no opposi-
tion. During the afternoon the Smiley
road bill came up and the remainder Of
the session was devoted to its consid-
Grafton.