Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-04-02
HARRISBURG LETTER
The Changes in the Legislative
Districts Of the State.
AGREEMENT ON THE NEW CAPITOL.
Danger Of = Clash Between the Governor
and the Legislature Now Bemosed
House Opposition to the Reform Meas

AAaii iAebu'sf MditH ov,-ine governor
has thus far received IL bills, four Of
which he has approved The last one
he signed was an act in reference to
prison officials. visitors, etc. He still
has in his hands seven to which he has
not attached his signature, viz: To
pay mileage of coroners viewing dead
bodies; creation and regulation Of mu-
nicipal liens and the proceedings in the
collection thereof in the several bor-
oughs of the state; making constables
OF townships ex-ofIicio fire wardens in
the extinguishment of forest fires and
reporting to the courts violations of
laws protecting forests. etc; regulating
standard weight of a bushel of oats;
establishment of public libraries in the
several school districts, excepting In
cities, and the purchase of unseated
lands by the commonwealth for nom
payment of taxes for the purpose Of
establishing a state forest reservation.
Both houses have succeeded in the
dispatch OF very considerable business,
but the senate is much ahead Of the
house in their work, and in conse-
quence of this have adjourned over un-
til April.
The New Legislative Districts.
A bill was offered in the house a few
days ago which makes a decided
change in the legislative districts of
the state. By the provisions of this
bill the Third and Fourth wards Of
Philadelphia are made one district, and
with 1 member, and the Fifth and
/ Sixth wards comprise one district, with
l member 1t entities the Seventh ward
to members, and the Elgth and Ninth
wards are consolidated, with / mem
| Der, The Tenth gets / member. The
/ Eleventh and Twentieth are united,
| with 1 member. The Sixteenth and
/ Seventeenth together are entitled to 1
| member while 4 members are given to
/ the Nineteenth and Thirty-first wards.
/ The Twenty-second ward gets 2
members The TWenty-fourth and
| Thirty-fourth are consolidated and
/ get 3 members, instead of 3 The
| Twenty and Thirty are
given 2 members. The Thirty second
ward, which was formerly in that dis
trict, is made a separate district with
member. These constitute the
changes in Philadelphia
Adams county gets 1 member. Ale
gheny county will have 20 members
Bedford county gets 1 member while
Blair is entitled to members. Cam
bria county is given 3. Chester 9, Clar-
ion /, Crawford 2, Ciearfeld 8, Colum
bia /, Huntingdon T. jefferson 2, Lam
caster 5, Lawrence /, Luzerne Z, Lack
awanna 8, Mercer ?, Schuyllgil 8
Somerset l and Wayne l. while West
moreland gets 4. All other counties
will be the same as under the present
apportionment.
Among the bills that met with de-
feat recently, and which are not likely
to be resurrected again during this
session. were the anH-treatlpg. bin and
their death on final passage. The lat
ter bill, It was understood, was going
to be knocked into smithereens by the
house any way, and 1t was thought
best to not give them the opportunity
The libel bill drafted by the Pennsyl-
vania Editorial association was also
practically killed in the house when II
came up for second reading.
Agreement on the New Capitol Assured.
There is no doubt that an agreement
VIII be reached in a short time be-
tween the governor and the legislature
on plan for new capitol, and the
structure viii be on about the same
economic lines as recommended by the
executive in his message. This is
about what was agreed upon by the
committees on public buildings and
grounds of the house and senate, who
had a conference with the governor of
about two hours duration, and the
plans were received as TO the group
ing Of the various buildings in archi-
teotural effect, of which there viii be
four in ALL This will include the ex-
ecutive building. The style adopted
will in all probability be the rennais-
sance, which win include a slight touch
of the colonial, the object being to i'm
prove on the old state house.
The governor in his statement before
the committee, remarked that the con-
tract should be let Aug. /, the build
ing COMPLETED by Nov l. 1898. and if
the work is not done in that time he
would take all the blame. He also
stated that his estimate Of the ex-
pense for the erection Of the new build
ing at the cost of $3.50, 600 was based on
the fact that the lighting heating and
sewerage We're provided for. and that
about 250O.0OO brick were in the old
building that could be used. He also
stated that the amount he named Is
not intended to cover the interior dec
orations and that the walls would not
be in a condition to ornament when
the next legislature meets, and this
cost would be extra, and must be pro-
vided for by appropriation. This esti-
mate also does not include the furnish
ings, so that by the time the building
was completed the total cost would ag-
gregate about 81 900 000 There seemed
TO be very satisfactory feeling among
the members composing the commit
tee, and IL Is now certain that any
danger Of a clash between the goyer-
nor and legislature has been removed.
Opposition TO the Reform Measures
The house does not seem TO take
kindly to the reform measures. as was
evidenced by the way they cut and
slashed until they could be scarcely
recognized, and eventually passed the
Stewart bill. which is one of the re-
form bills for Philadelphia, after adj
ding several amendments. which great
ly changes its character The bin re-
qulrlng state repositories to pay inter-
est on state funds passed second read
ing, but not until after a dozen amend
ments were offered and defeated. TWO
amendments, however prevailed in the
end. They We're a clause providing thai
the bond TO be furnished by hanks
having state deposits shall have ap-
proved securities. with warrant Of at
torney to confess judgment in favor
OF the commonwealth. and a clause
which states that banks known as
active repositories shall pay ~ per
cent interest per annum on the daily
balances. BY this latter amendment
the state VIII derive, should II become
a law. interest on al500. 900 al u per