The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-22
Pennsylvania NeWs.

OF Iayettc, presented an amendment
making February IL, Lincolns birth
day, holiday. The motion was
adopted after a long speech in its favor
by Mr.. Hopwocd
A bill amending the act of June 2,
1891, authorizing service in the war Of
the rebellion to be counted as double
in computing the fifteen years retire
ment period of officers of the National
Gard was dropped from the calendar
with the understanding that similar
bill passed by the senate should be sub
stituted.
BILLS PASSED FINALLY.
Allowing licensed dealers and their
employees to give testimony in cases
relating to the furnishing of intoxicat-
ing liquor to minors; relating to pro-
ceedings where goods or chattels have
been levied upon or seized by the sher-
if and claimed to belong to others
than the defendant in the execution
or process; providing for the taking,
filing and reviewing of the testimony
taken before sheriffs' juries in inquisi-
tions of lunacy; giving priority in the
trial of lunacy cases traversing the in
quistions of sherlffs' juries in courts;
for the reservation of forests and par
TALLY relieving forest lands from tax
alton; authorizing state banks to pay
interest upon demand deposits; senate
bill to regulate the distribution of the
assets of certain insolvent partner
ship banks and defining the rights of
partners therein relating to the edu-
cational rights of school districts in
the election of supervisory principals.
a bill repeating the act of March 81,
1864, relating to the protection of sheep
and the taxing of dogs in Warren and
Luzerne counties; far as 1t relates to
Luzcrne and Lacawanna counties, was
introduced by Mr.. Mackey, Of Lack
awanna. Mr.. Piollet, of Bradford,
presented a bill increasing the number
of copies of the annual report of the
Pennsylvania State college to 2S,560
and providing for the printing of the
college bulletins and for furnishing
wrappers for such reports and bule-
tins to members of the legislature free
of cost.
ECHO OF THE CHURCH WAR.
When the Dempsey bill providing
that school houses be allowed, at the
discretion of the directors, to be used
for purposes of SABBATH schools and re-
ligious services, came up for third
reading, it met with disfavor and was
defeated by a vote of 101 to 49, The
question was evidently misunderstood
and a motion was made by Mr.. Stew
art of Philadelphia, for the reCOnsid-
Grafton of the bill. which prevailed,
followed by a discussion led by Rep
resentative Focht, of Union, who ia
vOred the measure. He claimed that If
there was ever the need or demand for
such a bill It was now; that under a
decision of the Supreme court what are
known in the Evangelical church of
Pennsylvania as the Dubsites had on
legal technicality, been driven from
their altars of worship into the streets
by the faction known as the Bowman
Esherites, perseCted and robbed of
their property: that a more creditable
act could not be performed than to
pass the bill and offer to those op-
pressed, devoted Christian people a
place where they might worship their
Master. Mr. Focht raked the Bow
man Esherites for their injustice and
narrowing persecution of people who
were the victims of legal teChnicality
He was supported in the debate in fa-
vor of the bill by Mr.. Bare and others.
The bill passed finally by a vote of
l27 to 26.