The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-28
INVESTIGATION BILLS
viii Awake a Lively Discussion in
the Pennsylvania Legislature.
THE QUESTION OF ADJOURNMENT

II Is Not Probable That the Legisla-
tors Can Leave Harrisburg Before
Saturday Next, md the Session May
Continue Into Next Week.
Harrisburg, June 2S.-The legislature
will hardly get away before next Sat
urday, although the final adjournment
has been fixed for Thursday. The lead
ers agree that unless all debate is shut
or the business cannot be cleaned up
in four days. The house has passed the
bulk Of the appropriation bills, and the
senate committee is reporting them
out as fast as they are received. Chair.
man Marshall says the house will bring
out the remaining senate appropriation
bills this afternoon, and then take
rest the remainder of the session. The
committees have been working day
and night for month pairing down
bills and getting the general revenue
bill in shape for final passage.
Y Mr.. Marshall does not think 1t will
be necessary ~ extend the session be-
yond Saturday to dispose of all the
j jlation scheduled. Speaker Boyer
! yes both bodies will be ready to
g Thursday, and yet many mem
! would not be surprised If the ses-
vas delayed ten days. The defeat
/. re house of the new revenue bill
inc sing liquor licenses has upset the
cali tions of the leaders. This meas
urc uld raise about S2,O0O.OOO year,
an. Hess 1t becomes law it will be
me-, ary for Governor Hastings to
sls ter the appropriation bills to
kc he public expenses for the next
~, ears within the revenues. Tho
BIZ! IL go to a conference committee,
n ay be fixed up there to meet the
ol ions in the house. The represent
Il are bent on taxing the brewers,
NJ 10 not take kindly to putting All
a.. tional tax of 800 on retailers, eX-
&C. in classified cities, where the tax
IS ,sed 5000.
IT, movement to cut the school ap-
preparation 100000 a year has been
abandoned. The country members
would not agree to the proposition
under any circumstances The general
appropriation bill as 1t passed second
reading appropriated $5,5O0.OaO a year
10 the schools. The bill is in the hands
~
Ibsrs will not take the responsibility of
making the cut, If it is made it will
have to be done by the senate.
There will be a lively time in the
house when the expense bills of the
elections and investigating committees
are taken up for final passage. strong
combination has been formed to de-
feat these measures especially the
Philadelphia "Lexow" committee bill
of $66,000 and the bill of $50. 600 for
hitting up Grace church. The pressure
on members from the country to re-
duce expenses has become 50 great
that six members of the special house
committee have refused to take a cent
Tor car fare and other personal ex-
penses. Such a thing has never been
known before In the history of the
state, These members are Chairman
Hosack, of the olcomargarine commit
tee. and his colleague, Mr.. Ford of AL
aegheny, Rice of Bucks, Wilson Of Ly-
coming, Pedder of Allegheny and Alex
ander of Clearfield. With the exception
,of ME. Ford, of Allegheny who follows
the lead of Senator Quay, these MEM
lbers belong to the "Seventy-six" the
leaders of which organized a move
Sment to kill all expense bills. One
effect of this scheme has been the
quiet pairing down by the appropria-
ticns committee of several OF the OBJ
yectionable bills. At least $50, 900 or $780,
200 will be saved the state.
Repeated attempts have been made
in the house by Mr.. Bare of Hunting
don keator of Philadelphia and others
to ammend these bills to require mem
bers of the committees to file sworn
statements with the auditor general
that their accounts are correct, but
they all have been futile. II these ex-
pensc bills are passed and signed by
the governor there will be over $780,
06O less for private charities MANY
members have voted for the measures
inthe belief that they will be disapprov-
ed by the governor. They preferred to |
throw the responsibility on the gov
eInor rather than incur the dsplensure |
OF their colleagues, who are directly in
terestcd, by voting against them.
The poll tax and assessment bills |
drafted by special committee Of the |
stale Republican committee to carry |
out the pledges of the campaign of |
1895 and 1926 are still in the hands of |
the governor. The non-poltcal inter- |
ference bill was killed by the house,
but will probably be reconsldered.
amended and passed. The civil service
bill has passed the senate and will be
taken up by the house today for
final passage. 1t will have to go back
to the senate for concurrence in The
amendments made by the judicial gen.
pral committee. Although radical
change has been made in all four bills.
nobody doubts but that they Will be
signed,
The ripper" bill and all other
schemes to give Pittsburg new char
ter have all been abandoned. The re-
formers of the Smoky City" will have
to walt at least two years longer for
the reforms they have ASKED of the leg
islature. The Becker three fifths"
bill has gone to the gov
ernor and will be disposed of this week,
the ten days limit expiring Saturday.
John C. Bullitt and other prominent
Philadelphia reformers will be given
a hearing on Wednesday at the execu-
tive chamber. Should the governor
veto the bill before the legislature gets
away an attempt will be made to pass
It over his veto.
The outcome of the oleo investiga-
tion will probably be the dismissal of
Frank N. Moore, of Bradford, special
agent of the department of agrlcul-
lure, Moore was accused by Mr.. Ho-
3ack,. chairman OF the investigating
of going in league with the
Dleo dealers in western Pennsylvania,
but this charge could not be proved.
Several material witnesses failed to ap-
pear before the committee Mr.. Moore
believes he has been vindicated by the
Investigation, and apparently is not
about the story that he is
10 be removed
Mr.. Greasy, Of Columbia, the Demo-
cratic leader Of the house, and Mr.
Hsagy. of Dauphin, ale the only mem
Ders Of either body who have not mis-
,ed session since organization.