Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-02-28
HARRISBURG LETTER.
Important Measures Pending Be-
fore the Legislature.
OUR EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS.
The @ 'mpulsory Education Bill Nearing
Second Reading-The Insane Asylums
Investigation-wiIkes Citizens OPP
pose the County of Quay.

pose the County of Quay.
Especial Correspondence
HARRISBURG, Feb. 25.-This will be an
eventful week at the state capital. The
legislature reconvened this evening after
ten days recess and will remain in $685.
sion until Friday noon. The house will
begin tomorrow to hold two sessions day
Governor Hastings is expected to send to
The senate during the week number of i'm
portent nominations. At the close of the
session of the senate ON Wednesday a tes-
timonial In the shape Of q magnificent
solid silver service, valued at 81, 900, will be
presented to ex-Lieutenant Governor Wat
res, OF Scranton, by his colleagues during
the four years he served as It's presiding Of
Ulcer. The presentation speech will be
made by Senator McCarrell, of this city.
beginning tomorrow the house commit
tee on ways and means will give hearings
on the new revenue bill foisfulated by
the state tax conference.
The bill providing for the publication OF
25,000 copies of the famous bird Book"
will be signed tomorrow by the presiding
officers of the house and senate and then
messaged to the governor for his action.
A similar bill was vetoed two years ago by
ooNcihci dOtiSOH Ou Gnc RIOunu UubG UQo
book was unnecessary and should not be
printed at the expense Of the state. The
committee to Investigate the state institu-
tions under the Focht resolution;to ascer-
tain how many of their inmates arc aliens
will also be announced during the week.
The gossip at the capital is that a resolu-
ton will be offered in the senate tomor-
row by Senator Kennedy, of Allegheny, or
some other friend of Senator Quay for O
committee to investigate the municipal
affairs of Philadelphia.
Governor Hastings Three vetoes.
Governor Hastings set a wholesome OK.
ample for the legislature during tho recess
by vetoing three bills, two of which created
additional law judges, one in Washington
and the other in Westmoreland county.
The third bill to fall under the governor g
veto ak relates to certain DEGREES of the
registers Of wills and of courts on appeal
from the DEGREES Of registers. The effect
OF this bill, If permitted to become a law,
would be to make the decree of the regis
ter refusing to admit u will to probate
final and conclusive upon all parties claim
Ing under the will If unappealed from, and
II appeal Is taken from such decree, then
the decree of the orphans court Is made
final and conclusive. AS to the other bills
the governor says to allow them to become
laws would in effect be permitting special
legislation and render nugatory the man.
date Of the constitution regarding appor-
tionment He Is satisfied, though, that
the Legislature will fairly consider and re-
lieve the special needs of all the judicial
districts.
The final reception of the season will be
given tomorrow evening at the executive
mansion by Governor and Mrs. Hastings
1t will be the most brilliant ever seen at
the state capital, and will be attended by
many Of the most distinguished person
ages in Pennsylvania.
A bill introduced in the house by Mr..
Crothers, of Philadelphia, exempts leased
sewing machines from levy and sale for
arrears Of rent. Another introduced by
Mr.. Harvey, Of Luzerne, reduces the profits
of pawnbrokers fully one-half. 1t limits
the charge for interest on money advanced
to per cent. per annum, and for the stor-
age Of goods to per cent per month,
which would make net maximum charge
of 21a per cent. per month, instead of s
and per cent, as Is now charged. An
other bill pending in the house makes 1t
unlawful for anybody to exhibit in public
any human being afflicted with physical
or mental deformity.
There are many important bills on the
senate and house calendars relating to the
educational interests OF the common.
wealth that will be considered during the
week. Some are we'll advanced and arc
likely to reach the governor before the
close of the month. Other bills Of this
character are under consideration by COM
mittee and will be disposed of during the
week. In the senate bill has passed
finally requiring school directors and con-
trollers to purchase out of the state ap-
preparation American flags to DO displayed
on the school houses in their respective
districts. The senate killed the bill In
| creasing the minimum school term from
| six to seven months. The Farr COM
| pulsory education bill Is on the calendar
In the house for second reading and will
| be considered tomorrow unless the chair
| man Of the education committee allows Il
to go over.
The Douthett School Book Bill.
The Douthett bill, providing for the pur.
chase of books at publishers prices, was
read the first time In the house this even-
ing. The school authorities of the state
are earnestly opposed to the bill, and de-
| clare that IL 1t becomes a law 1t will in
crease instead Of diminish tho price Of
books. They contend this is tho case In
Ohio, where such law is in operation,
and that books were never cheaper in
| Pennsylvania than under the present sys-
tenn. Six bills prescribing various meth
ods of distributing the school appropria-
tion are slumbering in the house commit
tee on education.
The soldiers orphans school commits.
sion Is overwhelmed with applications for
admission to the schools at Hartford, Ches-
ter Springs and Uniontown. The schools
are already overcrowded and the commits
sion has on file over 300 applications, all
of which have been Investigated and found
deserving. There will be no further ad-
missions, unless the applicants are abso-
lutely destitute, before the opening of tho
industrial school of Scotland.
During the recess the special committee
appointed to investigate the management
of the state hospitals for the insane at
Norristown and Wernersviile have been at
work in Norristown. Thus far the COM
mittee has only examined the general
account books of the institution, the pay
gTl oh 10 IL - ~