Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-07-02
HARRISBURG LETTER
Legislators Cannot Adjourn Thurs
day, As Agreed Upon.
MAY FINISH UP BY SATURDAY.


Meantime There VIII BE some Lively
discussions over the Exorbitant
Bilis Presented bx Members Of va
rious Investigating Committees.
(speciai Correspondence)
Harrisburg, June 29--Thursday next
is the date fixed for the final adjourn
ment OF the legislature, but the con-
4 dltioh Of the calendars of both senate
and house Is such that II viii be i'm
possible TO get away before next SAT-
ufday, II Ahen. All the efforts Of the
leaders Of the two branches Of the leg
| islature are being directed toward final
adjournment because they realize that
every day adds to the danger Of the
| party In power Not only the minority,
| but very considerable number Of Re-
publicans are making 1t unpleasant for
| the organization. There Is danger Of a
revolt In the Republican ranks, and
not few thoughtful men predict that
a split In the Republican party viii
follow the controversies In the legis-
lature
Since the opening Of the session last
January the Seventy-six, or anti-Quay
| Republicans have been accumulating
trouble for the faction In power. These
men have consistently pursued a course
of opposition TO the plans Of the lead
ers IN the senate and house, and wher-
ever possible they have made II un-
pleasant for the Quay men While in
the minority, they have maintained
their organization SO well as to de-
moralize the faction which organized
the legislature. Not a point was lost
throughout the session. Anything that
! a 90 40 t.f fbn
other side was promptly taken ad-
vantage Of, and the situation has de-
veloped a singular state of facts In
stead Of the Quay men running the
Legislature in these latter days. they
are in reality following the Seventy
sixers Many things have contributed
to this peculiar condition, the leading
factor being the utter absence of lead
ership on the part Of the Quay or
ganlzation.
Opposition to the reform Measures.
owing to the opposition of many Re
publicans TO the ultra reform measures
that were looked upon as the party
bills 1t was difficult for the Quay lead
ers to force them to final passage with
out material amendment. These amend
ments have given the Seventy-six an
opportunity to hold up the Quay
men as insincere and hypOcritical. OF
course, the Democratic minority was
willing to help along in this work, and
the result has been disastrous FOR the
leaders in the Legislature. At this stage
OF the proceedings 1t is almost impos-
slble for the leaders to map out any
plan looking to united action on any
measure
The Seventy-six have also added to
the discomfort of their opponents by
pointing out and emphasizing the ex-
travagence Of the various investigat-
ing committees, whose bills of expense
have been the scandal of the present
legislature. If the legislature does not
get away this week Il will be largely
because many members of that body
viii not permit these bills to get
through without a stubborn fight. AL
ready the opposition has developed.
Some Of the bills introduced have
opened the eyes of the older members
to the danger of permitting the ex-
travagent legislators to make UP the
expense account of investigating com,
mittees. Many of these bills will be
thoroughly ventilated on the floor OF
the house, where the principal battle
will take place this week. Thousands
4
travagant measures. and 1t is difficult
to understand how It is possible to pad
the blHs In the way that it has been
done Hundreds of dollars are includ-
ed for items that are claimed to be
fraudulent. In one election contest the
bill was several thousand dollars and a
member of the committee, Mr. Rice, OF
Bucks county. made a statement to the
house which caused a sensation. In
this bill he was allowed $42 for "caI
fare, kilograms, ETC." and moved to
strike out the item. saying that he had
never had any such expenses. Other
committeeman had similar items OF
expense. So il goes all through the list
Of the various committees An old leg
islator said to me the other day that
In view Of the fact that every member
rides on a pass II was absurd to charge
thousands of dollars for mileage OF
the railroad He further intimated that
unless this sort of extravagence was
stopped the Republican party would
suffer at the polls
Disgusted Over Investigation Expense
Many loyal Quay men are disgusteC
/ with the way In which the investigat
ing committees have piled up the ex
pense account. In the house a member
of a committee which arranged for tht
trips of the legislature to the Grant
monument ceremonies asked that tn,
bill be sent back to committee FOL
investigation and proper amendment.
He thought that he ought to have AT
opportunity. as a member Of the com
! mittee, TO sean the items Of expense
: Those who were with the legislator,
at New York cannot fathom the ex
/ pense account for that trip II Is sait
that the caterer Ia to have 5000. Thil
: Is a sample Of the general makeup o
the bills. About 81, 700 is wanted by tn
Z committee which investigated tn
origin Of the capitol fire. When Il CAM
up in the house last Saturday Mr.
Phillips, OF Chester, declared that 1
should be wiped from the calendar
+ without further consideration; that 4
was impossible for this committee I,
have expended any such sum OF money
because 1t never sat outside Of Harris
burg. Mr.. Miller OF Somerset, tn
chairman OF the fire investigating com
mittee. said that there had been SOM
mistake and asked that further con
sideration Of the bill be postponed
This saved the measure for the tim
being The story of one lnvestigatinl
4 committee is the story OF all, and be
3 fore the week Is ended there will b.
/ some sensational scenes on the floor O
5 the house.
Up to this time the consideration o
the ordinary appropriation bills ha