The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-14
OF INTEREST TO
THE COMMONWEALTH
Suggestions 10 the Biennial Report Of
Secretary Reeder.
REGARDING BAKER BALLOT LAW
Several Changes to Remedy Defects
Are Recommend nded by the Secretary.
Nomination Papers Are Declared to
be at Variance with the Intent Of
the Law.

Harrisburg, Pa. Dec. 13.-The bi-en-
1ial report of the secretary of the
commonwealth contains some Interest,"
ing data and important recommends
tions. 1t shows that during the last
two wears over 1,200 charters were Is
sued, not including railroads, there be-
ing about $50 of these. The receipts OF
the department were $S1,93l.OI. about
$4,000 being from fees upon letters
patent. The expenditures We're So',-
O9O.SG A large number of commissions
We're issued.
He suggests that law be enacted
fixing the terms of all officers appointed
by the governor, owing to much con-
fusion in computing these terms.
During the period covered by this re-
port forty-siX death warrants. respites
and combinations were issued ana l3i
pardons. Secretary Reeder speaks or
the attempt of the publishers of the
Supreme court reports to increase the
price from $l.17 to 81 per volume and
states that Banks e. Brothers have
agreed to maintain the former price
pending an adjustment of the matter.
Regarding the Baker ballot law the
secretary recommends several changes
tn remedy defects which have been
found in the practical operation OF the
law. There We're filed 755 papers con-
tanning the names of 1877 candidates.
52S of these papers being certificates of
nomination and 22T being nomination
papers Eighteen different parties were
represented in the papers filed. and the
work of the department. in the prepa-
ration of the official ballots and in pre-
pairing the necessary return sheets
upon which the prothonOtarieS should
certify the returns filed in their Of
fees. and the compiling of said re-
turns. and the issuing of certihcates
therefrom, was more than doubled in
comparison with any previous year. He
refers to the many objections to MINI
inaton papers and suggests that some
provision should be made whereby
body of citizens making 4 nomination
by nomination papers should have the
right to the exclusive use of the polit-
ical name or appellation adopted by
them.
AT VARIANCE WITH LAW.
He adds that the hearings in the
Dauphn county court disclosed so
many practices in the preparation of
nomination papers that We're totally
at variance with the intent of the law
as to make it imperative that some
form for such papers should be pre-
sCribed by the legislature.
He suggests further that the time in
tervening between the last day of fill
ing objections to nominations and the
day of election be increased. and that
it also be provided that all contests
should be determined by certain day.
thereby giving to the department and
county officers proper and sufficient
time for the accurate completion Of
their work lie also dwells upon the
importance of changing the law so as
to make the blanket ballot impossible
by preventing the multiplication of
candidates.
An appropriation of $1,000 is recon-
mended to cover the cost of two sets
of indices. one for Pennsylvania and
the other for foreign corporations. He
says reform is necessary in TRANSCRIPT
ing and comparing bills. owing to many
errors discovered in the laws of 1895.
An increase in the number of pamphlet
laws is recommended. The compila-
tion Of the several corporations laws
from 1874 to 1898 inclusive was entirely
destroyed when ready for the binder
by the state printing house fire. The
printing of another series of Pennsyl-
Vania archives is recommended as Is
also an appropriation to continue the
work or classifying, arranging and tab
ulating old papers belonging to the
1iles of the state department. Secre-
tary Reeder concludes his report by
bearing testimony to the fidelity, indus
Try ana efficiency of the clerks of the
lpna