Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-05-10
BEHIND WITH ITS WORK.
LEGISLATURE HAS SEVERAL BILLS
YET TO CONSIDER.
Time Was Idied Away in the Forepart
of the Session, and Many Measures
VIII Not Receive Proper Discussion on
Account of Lack of Time.
Harrisburg, Pa, May z, 1897.


Account of Lack of Time
Harrisburg, Pa, May z, 1897.
| The legislature entered this week
upon the fifth month of the session and
there is no telling how long the session
will last, although it is pretty generally
believed that the middle of June will
see the end. There are now enough
| bills on the calendar to keep the mem
bers busy day and night for two months
at least. Had more work been done
during the first two months the calendar
might have been cleared when the legis-
lature adjournS; as it is, many good bills
VIII never receive the attention due them.
There are nearly 500 bills on the house
calendar for second and third readings
Twenty per cent of these have come
from the senate. Besides there are
twenty bills awaiting frs reading.
There are several important senate
bills in the house awaiting third reading
and final passage. The most important
house bills on this stage are those prohib-
iting the discharge from public positions
of Union soldiers without reasonable
cause and prohibiting the abolishment
of public offices occupied by Union
soldiers except for good reason; to pre-
vent the wearing of the badges or button
of any labor or fraternal organization
by other than members; amending the
act of June ), 1895. to decrease the num-
Der of terms of enlistment for which en-
listed men of the National Guard shall
be entitled to an additional pay of 25
cents "a day, and prohibiting the adul-
teraton of malt and brewed liquors.
The last of the preliminary arrange
ments for the erection of the new capi-
tol building will be made this week,
when architects will be selected at IL
meeting of the state board appointed to
supervise the construction of the new
building.
The Pennsylvania State College, near
Bellefonte, came in for share of at
asked that the act to reorganize the
board of trustees of the college be con
sidered on second reading. Senator
Kaufman claimed that this act was in
tended to unload this institution on the
state. The state had already spent too
much money there. Senator McQuown
claimed this argument was chestnut"
Mr.. Kaufman further claimed that the
state had given it $1,000, 900, but the
college has never been success; it
ha
however, passed second reading. The
act making voting compulsory passed
second reading.
The bill making taxes Il first lien on
all property passed second and third
reading on special order.
The legislature evidently is of the
opinion that there are not enough holi-
days now to observe. The house adopt
ed resolution making May Is a legal
holiday, on the occasion of the unveil-
ing of the Washington monument in
Philadelphia. The resolution was
promptly sent to the senate, where it
will pass, and the governor will sign the
resolution.
The excise liquor bill has been
Abandoned but it is said that the bill to
license clubs will become a law This
bill makes it unlawful for any club or
organization of any kind to sell or supply
liquor to members or others without first
procuring license. The discretion of
granting licenses is lodged in the judges.
When the application is made it must be
accompanied by a list of all the mem
bers, with their places of residence, and
the secretary or treasurer who makes
the application for the license.
These bills passed the house finally:
Amending the act of May 81, 1898, to
make February 13, Lincoln's birthday, a
holiday; allowing liquor dealers and
their employees to give testimony in cases
where they have been prosecuted for
furnishing liquor to minors; authorizing
labor claimants to take joint appeals.
The vote by which bill regulating
the forfeiture of life insurance poll
cies was defeated was reconsidered,
after which the measure was laid aside
for further consideration.
ne Dill requiring all structures mere
after erected in Philadelphia, which are
seventy feet or over in height, to be fire.
proof, passed finally. The governor
sent to the senate the appointment of
James III. Lambert, as insurance com
missioner for term of three years, be-
ginning May l, 1897. Mr.. Lambert was
originally appointed by Governor Hast
ings to an uneXpired term Nissley.
Investigating the Wyoming Region.
The committee which is investigating
the condition of the miners of the an
thracite region were in Wilkesbarre last
week. A number of miners and laborers