The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-07-14

And provided further, That 1t shall ap-
ply only 70 pupils that have a greater
distance 10 travel or are placed at greater
Inconvenience than before such schools
were closed: And provided further, That
the cost of transportation per pupil shall
not exceed the cost of maintaining per
pupil the schools thus closed.
Section = The expense incurred pro-
viding for transportation OF school chill
dren under this act, and tuition for eda-
cation " hen admitted TO the schools Of
other districts, shall be paid by the treas
urer of the district in which the children
have their place OF residence, upon the
order of the school board of directors;
and no member of the board or other Of
fetal of the township, borough OF school
distric; shall be party TO any contract
or agreement with the board, or receive
any remuneration for services rendered
TO the district in conveying children 10
or from any school.
Approyed-The ri day Of June, a. d.
1856. DANIEL ii. HASTINGS.
other educational bills that have be-
come laws require every public school 10
be supplied with a copy OF each edition
of Smulrs legislative handbook, author
ize boroaghs To establish free public IL
brsries, permit the employment Of teach
ers OF iypewriting and stenography in
the public schools without certificates.
authorize school directors TO establish
free kindergauens. allow school children
to use the books during vacation.
To ENCOURAGE FORESTRY
An ACT
TALLY relieving forest lands from taxa
tion-
Section l. Be it enacted. &c. That in
consideration OF the public benefit 10 be
derived from the retention of forest or
timber trees, the owner or owners of land
in this Commonwealth, having on il for
ct or timber trees Of no; less than fifty
trees to the acre. AMI Of said trees To
measure at lessf eight inches in dame
ter at height Of six fee; al-oVe the sur
face of the ground, with no portion Of the
said land absolutely cleared OF the said
trees. shall on making due proof thereof,
be entitled 70 receive annually from the
commissioners Of their respective coun-
ties during the period that the said trees
are maintained in sound condition upon
the said land, sum equal 10 eighty per
eentum Of all taxes annually assessed
and paid upon the said land, or 50 much
Of the said eighty per eentum as shall not
exceed the sum Of forty-five cents per
acre: Provided however, That no one
property owner shall be entitled TO re-
oeiye said sam on more than fifty acres
Section , All acts or parts Of acts in-
consistent herewith are hereby repealed.
Approved-The 25th day Of May. 4. D..
1886. DANIEL II. HAsrIxos-
TINE OF TAKING THE TRIENSIAL ASSES
One Of the new laws will change the
time OF making the triennial assessment,
next fall IL is as follows:
ASAcr
To designate a uniform date when the
commissioners of the several COUNTIES
shall issue their precep;s TO ASSESSORS 10
make the trienniai ssessment Of prop
erty, and liking a time for the return
thereof
Section /. Be il enacted, ISc., That the
commissioners of the several counties of
this Commonwealth shall issue their pre-
cepis to make the iriennial assessment Of
property Of the assessors of their respec
tive townships, bOroughs. wards and dis
tricss on or before the second Monday of
September; and the said assessors are
hereby required 10 complete the said as
sessment and 10 make their return there
of not later than the thirty-first day Of
Der. Ammo Domini one Thousand
eight hundred and ninety-seven, and
trieunially thereafter Provided, That
the commissioners Of the several ooun-
ties of the Commonwealth may, at the
time of issuing their preeepts a.
aforesaid. direct the return thereof 10 be
AZ any time before the said thirty first
day Of December.
Section = That all laws or parts Of
laws, general or local. in conflict here
with are hereby repealed.
Approved-The 10Th day Of April A. D.,
IsG. DANIEL II. HASTINGS.
MERCANTILE TAX Law.
The new Mercantile Tax bill is in the
nature Of an equalization of a former in
equitable law. The small merchants in
the cities have been complaining for years
that the mercantile tax was not imposed
in way that WAS fair TO them. They
claimed that the big dealer was not paying
his fair proportion Of the tax. The first
law of this character was passed in lsi4
II made fourteen classes, the smallest Of
which was for business of sIooo, and the
largest for a business Of Sen0e0- In
1866 II was extended 80 a. to take in a
business Of s5.Oo00o0.
In the last twenty years the volume Of
business has increased 50 and :he oonsoli
ia;iou Of interests have become - preva-
lent that scores Of establishments in the
state have been doing a basiness not only
Of s, 600 90 but OF sl0.Oel.0S and some
over that The new Law l. intended TO
cove this class Up = the sua Of SJ0.0D0
there = no difference frJm the rate paid al
the present time. The changes or increas-
- on tSosc doing more than that amOuBt
OF business The grades are equitable
and a. they go higher the rate Is made
slightly lower in proportion. II il uni
form grade. and in the end Is likely to
commend itself to those who are called
upon to pay the tax. One thing Is certain.
it IS in the interest OF the smaller deal
ers.