Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-03-07
HARRISBURG Letter.
Our State Lawmakers Making
Haste Very Slowly.
WORK FOR A STEERING ooMMITTEE

WORK FOR A STEERING COMMITTEE
The Governor and Speaker Walton Decide
on That Mode of Procedure-The Visit
OF Senator Quay and Its Probable Effect
on Legislative Work.
Especial Correspondencc)
HARRISBURG March 4-The legislature
is making progress slowly. Neither body
did anything of Importance the past week,
and if this lack Of energy continues tho
final adjournment will not come before
the middle of the summer. In the senate
few bills passed the final stage, the most
important being the Marshall pipe line re-
peal bill and the measure creating de-
partment of agriculture. In the house the
entire week was given up to useless de-
bate and petty wrangles over trifles. The
Farr compulsory education bill and bills
decreasing the salaries of district attor-
neys and changing the poor system of the
state 30 as to prevent counties not having
poorhouses from farming out" their poor
to neighborinR counties passed second
reading after much debate. The need of a
wise clear headed and honest leader In
the house is more apparent daily and un-
| less something is done very soon there will
be trouble.
Governor Hastings realizes this and has
decided chat the only hope of accomplish
Ing anything is to have steering COM
mittee to direct its affairs. The governor
had n conference last week with Speaker
Walton Mt which tho situation was care.
fully discussed, and it was decided that
snch committee was absolutely indispen-
sible, and Mr.. Walton will appoint tho
committee during the week A resolution
will be considered this evening that the
Legislature adjourn sine die on April 25.
1t was offered by Mr.. Niles, of Tioga a
member of the rules committee, but there
isn't the least doubt but that 1t will be
overwhelmingly defeated. If the calen-
dars arc to be cleared of the bills now on
them the legislature cannot possibly get
away before the first week in June.
Tie New Revenue Bill.
The house ways and means committee
is giving three hearings week on the
new revenue bill drafted by the state tax
conference. The manufacturers and doe
mcstic building and loan associations are
opposed to the proposition, and it looks
now as if it will never pass second read
ing. 1t would be great relief to the agrl-
| culture classes if 1t were to become a law,
| and ut the same time burden to the man
| ufacturers. The bill transfers to the coun-
| tics the whole of the proceeds of the per-
sonal property tax, of which the counties
now get only three efourths, and the tax
| upon vehicles, ali mercantile licenses, ped
| dlers' licenses, taxes upon the fees and
emolumcnts of county officers, and upon
original writs. 1t transfers to the bor-
oughs and townships the taxes upon horscs
and cattle more than years old, the IL
cense fees of billiard rooms, pool rooms
| and theaters.
The effect of the revenues will be that
about 81, 10000 will be diverted from the
state to counties and minor civil divisions
This deficit in the revenues will be met by
an increase in the taxes from corporations
in 1895, when the bill goes into effect, of
S750,00 The increase in the taxation of
banks will be about $4,000 by the taking
away of tho option. The tax on building
and loan associations will be 800, 900; on
manufacturing and other corporations,
s25 900, and from various other sources
SlO0,O00 more, leaving an actual deficit of
only about s2oo, 900 1t is estimated that
the increase in the number of corportions,
and in their value resulting in increased
taxes will more than wipe out this deficit.
The house general judiciary committee
| Is wrestling with a civil reform bill, which
was introduced by Mr. Moore, of Chester,
| by request of the State Civil Service Re
! form association. The measure is pat
termed after the United States law, and
| puts all state and many county employees
under civil service rules. A commission
| of three il provided to make the necessary
examinations.
Secretary Lee, OF the state board OF
! health, was in the city last week lobbying
for the bill allowing the board discretion
as to the use to be made of the money to
be appropriated to it. AS the law now
stands the money is appropriated for
| specific purposes and no matter how urg-
ent the need the board is unable to use u
surplus in ono branch of its work to make
| good a deficiency in another. Tho amount
of the appropriation will be embodied in Il
bill which will be introduced in the house
and has not yet been decided upon. 1t has
been agreed, however that the salary of
the secretary shall be raised from g., coo TO
$1,000. Five thousand was asked for, but
the amount was cut down to So, 900. Penn
sylvania's appropriation to the board che
past two years for all purposes was So O0O.
Massachusetts appropriates $4,000, New
York, $4,000; New Jersey, $4,000; Mary
land, sI3,600 and Alabama, Illinois and
Minnesota, $1,000.
| May Veto tho "Bird Book" Bill.
Governor Hastings has not yet disposed
OF the bird book" bill, which has been on
his desk since last Tuesday. Those who
speak by Authority say hW has decided to
veto the measure on the ground that the
public revenues are not sufficient to war
rant an expenditure of S25, 900 or $50 900 for
| the publication of q Dicture hook Stnte
Ornithologist Warren, by whom the book
will be prepared, should tho bill become
law, has submitted to the governor esti.
mates of the cost. which show that 1t can
not be printed for less than 5000. The
grnngcrs are urging the governor to ap-
| prove the bill.
The bill prohibiting teachers from wear
ing Il religious garb of any kind in the
public schools has been read the first time
in the house, and will be considered on sac-
ond reading next Wednesday, and third
reading aud final passage the following
Tuesday. The Democrats are opposed to