The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-06-17
HARRISBURG LETTER
Senator Quay Will Aid the Revenue
Seeking Legislators.
THE QUESTION OF ADJOURNMENT.
The Session May be Extended Beyond
the Date Agreed Upon. In Order to
Provide for the Charitable Institu-
tions-The Taxation OF Aliens.
Especial Correspondence.)

(SpeClal COrreSpOnuenCeD
Harrisburg, June Ex-senator Quay
Is coming here this week to help the
legislature out Of the revenue dilemma.
He conferred with prominent members
Of the senate and house at the resi-
dence of Senator Penrose in Philadel-
phia on Friday night, and will continue
the conference in this city in day or
two. He will also have talk with
Governor Hastings, who has been made
aware Of his views by Representative
William Marshall, chairman of the
house committee on appropriations,
who went to Washington on Thurs
day for the purpose of giving Senator
Quay an inside view of the states
financial situation. State Treasurer
Haywood and Auditor General Mylin
were both present at the Philadelphia
conference. and went over the esti-
mates of receipts and expenditures
carefully, with a view to discovering
how to economize without Gripping
any of the state institutions. One Of
the cuts will be in the contingent funds,
all sorts of appropriations. There will
be no unnecessary grants of money. All
bills appropriating money will be care
fully pruned by Mr.. Marshall's COM
mittee, but the charitable institutions
Of the state will be better satisfied with
half the sums they have asked than no
aid at all.
When it was decided by the legisa-
ture to adjourn finally on July /, and
1t became apparent that the revenue
was insufficient to meet the ordinary
demands of the state government and
stitutions, the lawmakers were flooded
with kilograms and letters from their
indignant constituents demanding that
hospitals and homes for the poor
and friendless would not be left PEN
niless. The final adjournment resolu-
ton was put through in a tiff by the
house, having been offered in the SEN
ate by Senator Meredith as a bluff
to make the house work. Speaker
Boyer was present in the senate at the
time, and, returning to the house, he
had that body speedily concur in the
action of the senate. UP to that time
1t was the general opinion that the
legislature would remain in session un-
til the middle of July. This sudden
change of front interfered with the
plans of the leaders, and the announce
ment that all appropriation bills, ex-
cept those for the ordinary expenses
OF the state government and penal and
fnr t<-
dropped, alarmed the charitable in
stitutions throughout the state to such
a degree that general protest went
up, and the agreement to extend the
session week or two beyond the first
of July was the result. 1t Is believed
now that the revenue measures will
be put through without delay, and all
appropriations will be scaled down so
as to come within the estimated re-
ceipts for the next two years.
Economy Must be the Rule.
Governor Hasting, in his message to
the legislature in January, clearly set
forth the condition of the revenues.
and warned the lawmakers that 1t
would be necessary to exercise strict
economy in order to prevent embar-
rassment of the state treasury. This
statement has been verified by recent
figures, and. responding to a resolu-
tion of the senate calling upon the gov-
ernor to suggest suitable subjects for
taxation, he said that the present was
no time to increase the burdens of the
people; II Is rather a time to lessen
their burdens by reducing the expendi-
lures. He concluded his communica-
tion in these words: AT this time,
when almost all industries are suffer-
Ing, when trade is stagnant, and when
willing labor can find no employment,
economy in the expenditure of public
monies should control the general as
sembly in its appropriations, and will
certainly control the executive in the
consideration of all such measures"
Governor Hastings has not changed
his views as expressed in his communi-
cation to the senate, but it is believed
now that he will agree to help those
who favor an extension of the session
a few days in order to secure money,
by some reasonable increase of taxa
tion, for the charitable institutions.
He feels, as do all others who have
considered the question, that 1t would
be almost criminal to deprive the hos
anu NdTlOuS
tions of the state aid to which they
have looked forward since the opening
of the session. The proposition to pro-
long the session beyond the 1st of
July is contingent upon the inability
of the senate and house to complete
their labors by that time. Some of the
leaders in the Legislature still believe
that 1t will be possible to get through
with the important work and adjourn
finally on that date.
No appropriation bills have yet been
reported from the committee, and in
view of the fact that they must be
scaled down to come within the rev.
enues, the labors of these committees
will be very arduous. The majority In
the legislature realize that an adjourn
ment without the passage of revenue
and appropriation bills will result dis
astrously for the party in power and
seriously handicap the Republicans in
the campaign this year.
State Treasurer Haywood has gem
erously assumed the responsibility of
paying the state employees until the
general appropriation bill is passed and
signed. The fiscal year of the COM