Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-04-26
CAPITOL BILL PASSES.
PLANS LAID FOR A RAID ON THE
NEXT STATE TREASURY.
Expenses of the Structure Limited to
$55O,OOO, But No Limit to the Cost of
Decorations and Neutrality-suspicious.
of the Bills Which Have Passed.
Harrisburg, Pa, April "a, 1897.

|
law. The measure appropriates $3.50
600 for the erection of capitol on the
site of the old building. The work is tc
be done under the supervision of a com.
mission composed of the governor, state
treasurer, auditor general, president
| pro TEN of the senate and speaker of the
house. The building is to be ready fol
the meeting of the next legislature. II
| is to be furnished under the direction OF
the board of public buildings and
grounds. The cost of furnishing and
decorating is not specified, and this is
what caused the offering of the numer-
Gus amendments, which were all defeat
ed.
1t has been heralded abroad over the
state that the new capitol is to cost but
$3.50, 600, and the people applaudcd the
legislature for this seeming economy.
This amount is to pay only for its cree.
ton, and as there is no law specifying
how much the finishing touches are t.
cost. it is impossible to say what the
amount will be. 1t may be one million
or five.
With all the care and precautions the
people today have no assurance what il
will cost. just why a specific sum was
not named for the decoration and fur.
nishing is difficult to understand. This
could have been just as easily estimated
as the cost of the erection of the build.
ing. If this commission is given power
to eXpend unlimited sums of money for
furnishing why was not the amount to
be expended for its erection unlimited
also? The one is just as important tc
the people as the other.
The commission met soon after the
bill was signed in the executive chamber
and organized by the election of thu
governor as chairman and State Treas
urer Haywood secretary. j. b. Patrick
of Clarion, Il clerk in the state depart.
ment, was elected clerk to serve without
compensation. Warren u. Laid, profes.
sor of architecture in the University OF
Pennsylvania, was empowered to con
tinue as the professional adviser of the
commission. He will be allowed 81, ,00o
for his services.
One of the most sensational features
of this session occurred in the senate
last week. A bill of much importance
was killed and resolution passed pro-
viding for an investigation into the
scandalous reports circulated in connec-
tion with the measure. The bill was
the one prohibiting the insuring of chill
dren under sixteen years of age and
other persons legally irresponsible. The
members and senators received thous-
ands of letters concerning this measure
and considerable interest had been ere
ated. During the course of heated
peared in a New York paper a telegram
from Harrisburg, to the effect that sena-
tors had demanded $4,000 from the in
surance companies interested, to kill
the measure. Much other talk was in
dulged in, when a vote was taken and
and the bill killed, as the insurance
companies desired.
Last week | made mention of a
"snake" insurance bill being reconsid-
cred, then laid aside. 1t was defeated
sponsibiity for the downfall is claimed
by the "seventy-siX.
Those famous reform measures were
given Il glimpse of day this week. One
prohibiting executive legislation" by
councils was laid to rest by decisive
vote; one preventing the levying of as
sessments and political contributions
was only saved by being amended and
laid over for printing. The Stewart bill
calling for interest on state deposits
went over for the same reason
The bill requiring interest on state
deposits, presented in the senate by
Senator kaufman, of Lancaster, met
death last week. 1t had been reposing
in committee for six weeks, and Mr..
Kaufman saw that it was not going to
be reported, so he moved to have the
committee on finances discharged from
further consideration of the bill and
have it placed on the calendar. Mr.
kaufman defended his motion by stat
| lhS ohaO LOO leading papers III lhe state
were supporting the bill The motion
was defeated. There is, however, a
similar bill on its way through the
| house.
Mr. Smith, of Jefferson, called up the
libel bill prepared by the Pennsylvania
State Editorial Association. The meas.
ure was defeated some time ago in the
house and subsequently reconsidered.
Mr.. Smith presented series of amend
ments, which practically make new
bill and eliminate the most objection
able features. The bill as amended
passed second reading.
1t provides that in all criminal prose
cutions for libel the truth may be given
in evidence to the jury and If it shall
appear that the matter charged as libel
Gus is substantially true and was pub
lshed with good motives and for iusti.
liable ends the defendant shall be ac.