Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-03-26
HARRISBURG LETTER
Measures Which Have Passed
Both Houses.
FIGHT AGAINST THE POOL BILL
should II Pass the Senate It wni Prob.
ably Meet Death In the House-some
Of the New Measures Introduced-A
Record Breaking Session Probable.
Especial Correspondence.)

cOmmittee ana on the calendar, ana 2O9
bills have reached the governor, and
three of the house bills have been
signed by him and become a law.
one Of these is known as house bill
No. 70. which provides for the classi-
fication Of real estate and other prop
erty for purposes of taxation and cleo
tion of assessors in cities Of second
class for not more than five nor less
than three assessors: also house bill
No. 4. providing for the election Of
prothonotaries, recorders and registers
and the manner of filling such offices
in case Of death or vacancy, and house
bill No. 20. authorizing the burgess and
town council of the borough of Sharps-
burg, Allegheny county, to levy a tax
not exceeding 15 mills on the dollar on
the assessed county valuation for the
year. Among those now in the hands
Of the governor which have not
been approved. as they but recently
came into his hands, is an act author
izing the courts OF quarter sessions to
declare the seats of counclmen va
cant when they fail to organize for ten
days. A number of bills which have
passed the house and senate have been
sent to the governor this week.
There has been verv considerable
work done during the past week, and
the majority of the bills on the cal
endar have been disposed Of on second
and third reading, and with the same
industry expended during this week
they will have a number Of bills ready
for the governors consideration
right Against the Pooi Bill.
What is known as the pool bill, which
time ago and reported from commit
tee. was pushed forward last week, so
as to pass third reading by a vote OF
20 to 13. 1t gives six months license
to the race track gamblers, to inaugu-
rate a feature that will, according to
its opponents, be productive Of more
evil and do more to demoralize society
than almost anything else that could
be named. If it should pass the senate
the house will, by a good majority, kill
1t. 1t Is, they say, a bill that should
be protested against by all good think
ing people. to prevent. if possible, the
Inauguration of pool racing and other
forms of gambling in Pennsylvania.
Among the resolutions offered dur
ing tho week was one asking for an
investigation of the repairing of Grace
both branches of the legislature In
this resolution it was charged that the
state paid for thousands of feet Of
lumber that was never used, and that
in some Instances the price charged
for the lumber was $55 per thousand,
when 1t is claimed that the same lum-
ber could be purchased at SIS per
thousand. Investigations have become
so frequent and unpopular that the
house decided to dispose of this case
by referring 1t to the public buildings
and grounds committee. This will be
taken up during this week, and an ef-
fort made to ascertain If there has
been any fraud perpetrated.
Among the features that have de-
veioped since my last letter in legis-
lative circles were the introduction of
three more reform bills in the house
and senate. These prohibit city Off
cials and corporations from interfer-
ing in politics, prevent political assess
ments and compel every man to pay
his own taxes. The punishment in
the political assessment bill is fine
Of $500 or one year in prison, and in
that in relation to the payment of
taxes for another person than the cleo
tor against whom the tax has been
assessed the punishment is a fine Of
5000 OF six months Imprisonment.
The civil service reform bill. which
applies only to the counties of Phila-
delphia. Allegheny. Schuylkill and Lu-
zerne, passed the senate within the
past few days This bill viii meet with
considerable opposition in the house.
as It is denounced by those who are
opposed to It as unjust and unfair.
and capable OF being manipulated by
the bosses.
The house bill authorizing the SUI
perintendent of public instruction to
furnish every school in Pennsylvania
with a copy of Smulls Legislative
Handbook. after spirited debate.
passed finally by a vote OF 10S to 90
The Amended Capitol Bill.
The house bill providing that the
material used the construction of
the proposed capitol building shall be
furnished by Pennsylvania firms and
corporations and that none but citi-
zens OF Pennsylvania be employed In
the construction OF the building. was
amended by striking out the word
Pennsylvania and substituting in its
stead United States" and will now
no doubt pass both houses in it's pres
ent form. In the discussion Of this
measure the opposition to Governor
Hastings plan to construct a new
capitol building at a cost Of S550,0O0
took advantage Of this occasion to de-
nounce the absurdity Of his estimate,
There seems TO be a disposition to pro-
long the settlement OF the construction
Of a new capitol building, although
resolution was offered recently to
that effect. Something should be done
very soon to pass a bill designating
the kind Of a capitol to be built and
the cost, so as TO have it completed
and ready for use by the next legis-
lature.
Among the bills that passed the
house finally was one for the protec-
I tion OF public school houses and other
buildings used and occupied for public
school purposes. outbuildings thereof
and public property authorizing
courts Of common pleas to direct and
decree the sale Of real estate Of in
solvent debtors by their assignees for
the payment of debt and the dis
charge by such sales Of the right Of
dover by which such real estate is or
may be Charged OF encumbered; n
prevent the adulteration OF vinegar;
endowing the trustees OF hospitals
and asylums under the control OF the
commonwealth with corporate powers
The bill introduced to legislate the
state board Of agriculture out Of ex-
istence met with overwhelming defeat
IN the house. II was contended by the
very few friends Of the measure that
as the state had a department OF agri-
culture state board was unnecessary
Among the bills which passed finally
IN the senate recently We're: Prevent
Ing employers OF labor from discrimi'
mating against any employees because
they are members OF any labor uniOnsi