Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-02-26
HARRISBURG LETTER.
The Proposition to Erect Several
New State Buildings.
A MILLION DOLLAR CAPITOL.
It Is Believed That Sum WIN be Ample for
the Purpose-The oonstitution should
Not be ''strctched"-The Proposed New
Law to Protect the Fish supply.


members that Governor Hastings plan
Of erecting several buildings for the
legislature and departments is a most
wise one. It is generally recognized
that there should be 1--WE different
buildings: one for the department of
internal affairs; one to provide ade-
/ quate quarters for the auditor general
and state treasurer; capitol or leg
/ islative building; structure for use of
agriculture, education, forestry bank
/ ing insurance and other sub divisions,
and the fifth might be used in the ma
/ ture of a musewm to contain battle
flags, ornithological and other collec-
tions. a representation of the mineral
elements Of the various counties and
part Of which might be ueed as cham
bers for supreme and S perior courts
and the state boards Which are re-
| quired to meet here. This could be
made to harmonize with each other
| by being grouped in architectural ef-
/ feet. The buildings which remain are
not fire proof, but are largely con-
structed of combustible material and
are inadequate to the requirements Of
the departments now in use, so that it
| WOulu Dt ttOnOHlN III tlit emu u COn-
struct number of buildings, and this
done in reference to the demands of
| the state for the next century.
A million should Build the Capitol.
The adoption of this plan would en-
able the state to begin in the early
spring to construct capitol building,
and thus have ample time for it's COM
pletion for the use of the legislature
mi.
could be erected after the capitol build
ing was finished in the order of their
| greatest necessitv. For the capitol
building It is thought considering that
it is to be used for no other purpose
and hence a large building is unneces-
sary, that $1,00O,O0O would be ample to
expend for that purpose. Despite the
opinion given by Attorney General Nc
Cormick, declaring it to be unconsti-
tutional to bond the state to raise
funds with which to erect the new
buildings, there are some who favor
stretching the constitution at this
juncture and refer to JeffersoE's decla-
ration, that he had stretched the con-
stitution in an emergency until it had
| cracked and the people had approved
of the act, and 1t is thought that in
this movement the people viii also ap-
prove the act.
1t would be a great disgrace, how
ever, for the state of Pennsylvania to
attempt to adopt measures that would
violate the constitution in the least.
1t has too many resources sufficient to
construct the new capitol without a
resort to violating the constitution to
accomplish what is necessary. The
agitating of this subject within the
last few days has brought the Bliss
bill, recently introduced, into great
favor, imposing n tax on all ale, beer
or porter brewed in the state during
the ensuing three years, and also put
ting a tax of one mill on each dollar
of the actual value of the capital stock,
one mill on each dollar of all gross re-
ceipts subjected to taxation. One mill on
each dollar on the value of all personal
property. Two per cent upon the gross
premium collected by insurance COM
panies, etc. 1t is thought that this
measure win be passed, and if enacted
will enable the state to greatly aug
ment its revenues.
To Protect the Fish Supply.
The special features that character
lied the session of the house at it's
last meeting was the introduction of a
number of bills, among the most inn
portant of which was one to define
which are game fish and fish CONNER
cially valuable for food and regu-
lates their catching and encourages
their propagation. 1t also protects the
waters from wasteful and improper
fishing. This act will wipe out all
the existing fish laws of the state. The
fish that would receive protection are
salmon, brook, rainbow, California,
brown, lake and salmon trout, and all
other forms of salmon, of food fishes,
black rock, strawberry. striped. calico,
grass, green and white bass, sunfish.
pike, perch, walleyed pike, pickerel
muscolange, designated as game fish;
also shad, white fish, lake herring,
sturgeon, classified as food fish
Henceforth 1t shall be unlawful to
catch with outlines or setlines. or fish
for any game fish except with rod
hook or line A resolution which was
reported to the house from the federal
relations committee and unanimously
adopted requests the senators and rep
resentatives in congress from Penn
sylvania to earnestly forward any
movement toward a speedy end to the
conflict I'm Cuba, and I'm remembrance
OF the generous aid and support
we received more than a century ago
70 urge the light Of the people of Cuba
a government by and for themselves
This was passed and has since beer
approved by the governor.
The final passage Of bills was reach.
ed for the first time prior to adjourn
ment, and the first one to pass wal
: the first one introduced at this ses
sion, which provides that coroners shaI
have the same fee and mileage wher
they have been called and viewed Z
body, but decide that no inquest I;
necessary, as when an inquest is held
The Anti-Theater Hat Bill.
The bill prohibiting the wearing O.
hats, bonnets or other coverings fol
the head which win obstruct the view
of any public entertainment to which
an admission fee is charged passed sec
ond reading, and is likely to be one o
the first to become a law.
The dairy and food commission ar,
by no means disturbed over the in
vestigatlon Of their department, grow
: ing out OF the charges made by Mr.
Hosaek, OF Allegheny charging 500. 90
pounds Of oleomargarine is sold month
ly In Pittsburg, and that certain ON
GERS Of the department neglect and re
fuse TO prosecute viOlat0rs of the oleo
margarine act claiming also that GER
tain dealers in this product pay Il
officers ana agents Of others for this de
partment one cent per pound for al
: they are permitted to sell in violation
) Of the oleomargarine act, which wa
referred to an investigating COMMITTEES
The officers OF this department fee
that an investigation viii enable then
TO show the importance OF this branch