Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-06-03
OUR STATE SENATE.

OUR STATE SENATE.
As now controlled our State Senate il
not a very creditable institution to oui
State To try TO gain little factional
advantage the controlling element, head
ed by that chief ringster, w. d. An
drews. the discredited Senator from
Crawford county, at the last session Of
the Legislature forced resolution
through to "Lexow" Philadelphia af-
fairs.
This would give them a junketlne
time in the interval between sessions, al
the expense of the State. Strong oppo-
sition was encountered in the House,
which. TO its credit, refused TO join IL
the proposed raid on the treasury.
Fooled in their attempt to get the res
olution through the House the ''rlng'
sters" determined to ''go it alone, and
later force bill through to pay the ex-
penses. Many thought they would not
have the audaclty to attempt such
thing, but it proved otherwise, as the
sequel will show Placing Andrews at
the head of the Committee, as Chair
man, satisfied most people that the
whole "Lexow investigation" would be
a farce, and after great "biare OF
trunpets' and pretense of investigation,
they conclude their labors, prepare and
present their report, which when
examined is a repetition of the ''moun-
tain groaning, and out comes a tiny,
little mouse.
Why, any of our newspapers In Pitts
burg or Philadelphia have correspon-
dents. who in few hours, could have
written up and given the people OF the
State far more information of the
working of the Bullitt charter, than
is contained in the 'Lexow Report.
The report is made to the Senate and
a resolution to print 9. 800 copies rushed
through and sent to the House, where
it encounters many snags on its voyage,
but was finally ''pus he'd through, sent
to Governor Hastings, who, to his cred
it be it said, vetoed the bill, as an un
nessary expense But the crowning act
of the farce is played when the bill for
expenses is presented to the Senate, and
an appropriation asked for the payment
of the iniquitous measure.
Senator Andrews of Crawford county,
the Chairman, with his usual gall,
which is said to be unlimited and ION
tap" all the time, is the champion of the
bill which calls for an appropriation of
$65, 90s. 96 for expenses-for what1
Why, "Lexowing Philadelphia. A
thing not called for by the people of the
State, wholly unnecessary, and why
should the treasury be looted to that
extent when no good was to come of it!
The bill comes up in the Senate for con
sideration and is antagonized by few
Senators who appear to have some de-
cency about them when it comes to ap-
propriating the peoples money. Sena-
tor G. c. Kaufman, in dissecting, and
analyzing the bill said
Total number of sessions of commit
tee, 81; average number of Senators sit
ting at each session, Al; average length
of each session, 2 hours and 25 minutes s;
total number of hours committee in ses-
sion, 1871; total number Of witnesses
sworn, 436 Careful examination shows
at least 30 per cent. of witnesses will ac-
cept no compensation for their services.
Committee held 81 meetings at a
cost Of $65, ,90s 98, or 81, 1856 2S per ses-
sion; committee was in session 1871
hours, cost of S4s5. ~ for each hour in
session.
-Four hundred and thirty-six wit
nesses were examined, at cost of $33,
022. 22, or an average per witness of
$75.73
Expenses of committee at Hotel
Walton for 81 sessions, s., 912 40, or an
average cost of SOB " per meeting for
hotel expenses. The number of Sena-
tors present at each meeting was four
and half, making average hotel cost
per day for each Senator in attendance,
Cost of stenographer for 81 meetings,
80, 1925 or an average cost per session
of $172.14. Average length of meetings
being hours and 25 minutes, the aver
age cost per hour for stenographer was
$71.23. Stenographer's bill for report
ing testimony of 436 witnesses is 50,
S12.25, an average cost per witness of
$22. So
Average cost per witness for mileage
and fees is 1913. Average cost for
stenographer's services per witness is
81. so, making total cost per witness of
$93 %.
Counsel fees for 81 meetings is $12,
10000, average cost per meeting of
$21053."
Kaufman is aided by Senator Finn Of
Pittsburg, and some others in exposing
the monstrons character of the bill.
Was ever a more unrighteous claim
presented, and payment asked than the
above? Fifty-seven meetings cost 81,
1861 each for 2 hours and % minutes
alleged work, or $4s5 ~ per hour. Great
Scott how hard the grave and rev
erned Senators" must have worked to
cause that much expense hourly?
Then what on earth could they have
been eating and drinking to make the
hotel bill cost $103.72 for each 2 hours
and % minutes, the average time OF
sessions?
What extremely expert stenographers
they must have had to earn $71 23 PEI
hour. Then comes the lawyers fees
$210. AZ for each meeting, average time
Q hours and 25 minutes.
Is there any person living that will
for q moment contend this bill is an
honest bill of expenses, for an honest in
vestigation? The bare asking of the
question brings the answer. We ven
ture to say that even Andrews himself
would scarcely want to defend the bill
on the score of honesty Compared
with this attempt to loot the treasu
ry, highway robbery would be decen
occupation, for the highwayman would
take chances sometimes of being shot
whereas this is an effort to tak'
money from the treasury by legal forms
with no risk of personal danger. NJ
wonder the treasury is running low, anC
the officers scurrying round to find new
subjects for taxation and raising reve
nue. if such raids as these are to be tol
Grated. There must be "A change in th'
management of our affairs, such thing
as these must not be allowed or The
people will, in no uncertain sound, cal
the leaders to account
II. w MARCUS, an Olean, n. Y.