Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-04-25
HARRISBURG LETTER.
Fight Between Friends and 0ppo-
nents of a Greater Pittsburg.
CONGRESSIONAL APPORTIONMENT.


A Bill to be Prepared by the House Com
mittee-Uncle George Lawrence viii
Ride Home on Horseback at the End
of the Present Session.
Especial Correspondence)
HARRISBURG, April 22-There is liable
to be trouble in the house to morrow when
the Finn greater Pittsburg bills come up
on second reading The resolution fixing
the special order for their consideration
read that they should be taken up just
after the reading of the journal, not later
than II o'clock. The special order for the
consideration of the Smith bill for the dis
tribution of school funds was fixed for IL
O'Clock, and there is where the hitch comes
In. The lobby of the capitol will swarm
With the friends and opponents of the three
annexation measures. Representative
Merrick, of Tioga, the legal oracle of the
grangers, has been selected to make the
| fight against the bills. He will be seconded
by Representatives Mansfield, of Beaver
and Richey and Tillbrook, of Allegheny
Mr.. Merrick has few old scores to pay
Off with the boomers of greater Pitts
burg, and this is one of the ways in which
| ne proposes to get even.
The Pittsburg people claim that their
bills must be considered until disposed of,
and the Smith bill friends insist that when
II o'clock arrives the consideration of the
Finn bills must be stayed until the school
fund bill Is disposed of.
A decision on this point made in the
house in 1861 by Speaker Elisha w. Davis
that has never been disputed, says: "The
speaker decided that the house, having by
atwo-thirds vote determined that it would,
at n certain specified hour, upon a partc-
ular day, proceed to the consideration of
n certain question, and the time having
arrived, the house must proceed to its con-
sideration, and any other business before
the house stands postponed until the ques-
tion is disposed of by the house, either by
adoption, rejection or postponement."
The Finn bill people clearly have the
decision on their side The African in the
woodpile is that the consideration of the
Finn bill may consume the entire day,
and the other special orders will be shut
out and cannot go on the next days cal
endar.
The School Appropriation Bill.
The Smith bill proposes to distribute
the school appropriation by scattering one
third according to the number oil teachers
employed for the full term and the balance
on the basis of the number of taxables.
Under this plan Philadelphia would re-
ceive over 100000 less than it's present
share, and other large cities correspond
ing decrease.
The members from the rural districts
and small towns are pushing the bill
They argue that the cities should make
concessions to the country districts, where
thn nppn1a lnnly
ties to learn. In the large centers of pop
ulation it is easier to gain an education.
The Philadelphia delegation is n unit
against the measure. Representatives
| Fow, Stewart and Hicks have given the
subject much attention. They contend
| that it is not fair to the populous cities,
whose corporations and industries pay the
| bulk of the state taxes, and where the cit
| liens take pride in improving their schools,
to perpetuate the miserable system of odu-
cation in the country-that Is, short terms
and low salaries to teachers.
Chairman Niles, of the house judicial
| apportionment committee, has fixed to-
morrow for hearing on the memorial of
J. w. M. Newlin, the Philadelphia law
yer who charges Judge Gordon, of that
city, with holding secret court in viola
tion of the bill of rights Both sides have
been notified to bo present. Tho investi-
cation will be conducted by sub.com
mittee of five. Representative Kunkel, of
this city, is chairman.
| A meeting of the house congressional
| apportionment committee will also be
held tomorrow evening to prepare bill.
The measure will practically be the same
as that of 1893, and will give Philadelphia
and Allegheny each an additional mem
| bar Tho hpnsn and
tee will meet the same evening to consider
| finally the new revenue bill. 1t Is gen.
| orally conceded that the bill will be brought
out of committee and killed on second
reading. A special calendar will be made
| for the revenue, apportionment and ap-
preparation bills.
VIII Criticize Treasurer jackson.
A resolution will be offered in the house
this evening by Mr.. Bliss, of Delaware
asking for n more definite answer from
| State Treasurer Jackson as to the probable
amount of revenue which could be derived
| during the next two years from a tax of
sixteen cents barrel ON malt liquors
brewed in the State. In reply to a resolu-
tion to this effect, Colonel jackson sent
communication to the house last Friday
in which he stated that he was not in pos
session of the data necessary to make such
an estimate. Mr.. Bliss is angry, and in
tends to rake the state treasurer in the
resolution. He says Colonel Jackson could
easily have obtained the information about
the beer tax had he desired to be accom-
modating
In the statement referred to above Treas
urer Jackson reported as follows
Balance in the treasury March 81, 1895,
less advances made to the legislature, 49,
| m. H. 80
preparations for 1893, and which includes
the common school appropriation balance
for 1895 of 50, 500, 0O0 1870, ,321.40. In this
total sum there are appropriations to five
charitable associations, ,and to tho soldiers
orphans industrial schools, of which no
part has been drawn from the treasury,
amounting to Sl03 500.