The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-03
STATE
LEGISLATIVE
TOPICS.

Manufacturers and dealers Interested N
oleomargarine will. it Is announced, make
another attempt this winter to secure
some concessions from the GranSerS, who
refuse any modification of the present
anti-oeo law. A bill to legaliZe the sale
of oleo under restrictions will shortly be
introduced in the legislature. 1t pro-
Vides for heavy license fees, the proceeds
of which are to be used on the public
roads, divided fairly between the ,ouu-
ties. The fee for manufacturers viii be
put at $4,000: wholesalers, $4,000. ana re-
tailers, $1,000. 1t is believed the farmers
will agree 20 such a measure. The oleo
men point out that with such law the
state would get some benefit out OF the
business, and the persecution of oleO deal
ers under the guise of legal prosecution
would b. stopped. Oleo people claim the
existing law is Il failure and a hardship
on the poor, who should have the right
to buy oleo if they want 1t, since It has
been demonstrate it is not injurious TO
the health. The best market for oleo in
the state is Allegheny county, where the
dealers have been driven from pillar TO
post and back again By the agents OF
the agricultural department. Within the
last year or two, however the sales of
oleO have largely increased i'm the coke
regions. throughout the bituminous and
anthracite coal counties and in slow going
Philadelphia, where until recently only
creamery butter from the adjoining bu-
coIc couht'e" 'orId be tolerated on the
bread OIL quaker. Ihe farmers are be-
ginning TO feallZe also that II Is impOS-
slble to stop the sale OF oleo by legal EN-
actment, ana as road Improvement Is
sorely needed, they are inclined to be less
severe. Oleo men nave been sounding the
legislature ana are greatly encouraged in
the favorable talk of the Changers. There
are 81 Changers in this house to more than
% in the last one.
o
Representative Stewards bill to appro-
pirate $25O,OOO to establish a state hospital
for the criminal insane provides that the
governor shall appoint five commission
| ers to select site, build the hospital and
| serve without compensation. Care is
| taken in the specifications Of the bill to
require all sanitary surroundings ana ar
rangements, and to insure proper con-
struction of the buildings. While provld-
| ing for all necessaries the bin prohibits
| adornments or unduly large or costly al
! minIstrative accommodations. The COM
| missiOners upon the completion of the nos
| pital shall surrender their trust to a board
of nine trustees, appointed by the COVER
| nor, to serve without compensation. The
| trustees shall be a corporate body, and
manage the institution. They shall ap-
|
| i'm advertising for and procuring supplies
| the bill provides strict regulations The
| bill is equally particular in regard to such
| duties of Che trustees as the selection of
physicians ana attendants and the euuip-
| ment of suitable workshops for such of
! the inmates as shall be assigned to work
| 1t is specified that the cost of mainten-
| ance shall not exceed 81 per week for each
| patient one-half to be paid by the state
and the other half by the county from
! which the inmate came. The hospital
| shall be entirely devoted to the care of
| persons found to be insane before trial
| or after trial and conviction ana before
sentence; persons acquitted of any crime
| on the ground of insanity and persons
or requiring care ana treatment in a hos
| pital for the insane, or believed to be
| fe!gning insanity Nothing i'm this act
Shall apply to prisoner convicted of
murder in the first degree and awaiting
sentence or execution
%
1t is regarded at Harrisburg as a signin-