Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-08-06
HARRISBURG LETTER.
Some Important Changes in the
Ballot Law.
GOVERNOR ENDS SESSIONS WORK

GOVERNOR ENDS SESSIONS WORK
His veto Az was Uaed on Numerous
Bills Conscientiousiy Appropria-
tlou= cut Downand Approved Penn
syIvania Day at Tennessee's Cen-
tenniai
Especial Corrospondence)
HARRISBURG. Aog 3-some important
changes in the ballot law were made
by the late legislature, and Deputy Sec
retary OF the commonwealth Barnett,
In an interview sets E'rth what these
changes are owing to the trouble
about nomination papers year ago,
and the numerous contests In the
Dauphln county court. as result
thereof an tAnendment was inserted
prow Dig that all blank forms for nom
nations shall hereafter he furnished
by the secretary Of the commonwealth
In the interest Of uniformity. No other
form shall be used for such purposes.
Another amendment provides that five
persons shall have the exclusive right
to a party name, providing proper GER
tilcates shall have been filed with the
pruthonotary and certified to by the
secretary of the commonwealth In the
old act the representatives" were not
mentioned Another important change
is that which provides that objections
TO certificates to nomination must be
made 35 days before election, instead
Of 49, This gives more time to print
the ballots in the case of contests in
court. 1t is further provided in the
amended bill that the name OF a can
didate for any Office shall not appear
more than once on certificate of nom
nation or n nomination paper. This
will have the effect Of reducing the size
Of the ballot, which has been growing
to mammoth proportions.
Governor Hastings has concluded the
work left him as a legacy by the leg
slature. and on Friday started over
land for his home in Bellefonte He
had many things to consider IN dis
posing finally Of the bills, but the work
was conscientiously done, and he leaves
the result to the people. When he
started a few weeks ago TO Investigate
the expense accounts of the several
committees ne realized that he was
undertaking something that was bound
TO arouse the enmity Of all persons in
terested and the criticisms of news
papers unfriendly to him. But having
mapped out line of policy with re-
spect to these bills he continued to the
end, and as a consequence of his course
the commonwealth has been saved in
the neighborhood of half million dol
lars. In vetolng the expense accounts
of members of the investigating com
mttees the governor took occasion to
say that many members had made up
their accounts under the honest as
sumption that they were entitled to
mileage and to other compensation not
authorized by law The fact of the
matter is the whole system OF legis-
lative Investigations, having grown into
an abuse, Governor Hastings deter
mined 10 make start In the direction
of abolishing this species Of extrava-
gance. II will be noticed In his vetoes
of these bills that he has allowed ex-
penses where It was shown by those
who submitted itemized statements
that the expenditures were properly
made In the line of investigation He
cut down the item OF S76 900 for salaries
Of officers and employees Of the house
to about $50 900, and reduced the son
ate item for the same purpose In a
proportiOnate degree
Appropriations Approved.
Among the items In the general ap~
preparation billwhich were approved are
the following For fitting Grace church
for the use Of the Legislature, $50. 500 SO ;
! for rental Of Grace church two years.
100000 for expenses of Tennessee CEN
tennial commission. $4,000: for un-
yelling ceremonies OF the monument
to General John f. IIartranft in the
front of the capitol. $500 for payment
Of expenses incurred by the Gettys-
burg Battlefield Monumental associa-
tion In the dedication of the equestrian
statues of Generals Meade and Han
cock. $1,000.
In the general bin among the items
approved was one making an appro-
priation Of $3.50 for the salary of the
chief of bureau Of mines for two years
also 1854 for assistant chief of this
bureau for two years, and $575 for mes
senBer of the bureau, and $4,000 for
contingent expenses thereof. This is
the new bureau created by the last
| Legislature and Governor Hastings will
have the appointment of the chief. 1t
Is said that Robert Brownlee, super
intendent Of the Red Run coal mines,
| located near Ralston, in Lycoming
| county, a personal friend Of Attorney
! General Mccormick. is his selection.
No name has yet been announced in
( connection with the Office of assistant.
Attorney General Mccormick has
/ handed down an OpiniOn I'm the matter
of publishing mercantile appraisers
lists. In York county some of the
newspaper owners held that selectne
newspapers for printing the list was
a subject for the auditor general to de-
termine, rather than the county com
missioners. and some Of the newspapers
/ printed the list without authority to
| do SO and sent in bills accordingly
1 The attorney general held that the
matter was one for the commissioners
/ only TO decide
No Bird Day IN the Public schools.
The late Legislature passed a bill tc
/ establish Bird day" in the publ,
schools and providing for a proclama-
/ tion OF the same by the superintendent
/ OF public instruction. This bill has sci
/ apart one day in each school year on
/ which the schools would have exercises
! Ia the form OF lectures upon birds. read
( ings from bird literature and essay,
! containing results Of the observations
1 OF birds by the pupils. the singing OF
4 songs about birds and the recountine
Of personal experiences with them
/ Governor Hastings vetoed the bill Oh
the ground that the school children
could flnd more profitable employment