The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-04-12
PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE
fiouse.

The general appropriation bill was
reported to the house Tuesday by
Chairman Marshall The bill carries
with II an appropriation OF SIS, 800, 900.
OF which s11 900 900 Is for the support
of the public schools.
The Keator ballot reform bill was
taken UP for third reading and was
passed finally by n vote of 1903 to so.
The measure was drafted by the
Pennsylvania Ballot Reform assocla-
ton and provides absolute secrecy In
voting. Under the proposed law no
voter shall have helper unless he Is
incapacitated or unable to read. His
helper must first declare under oath.
subscribed to, that he will not attempt
To influence the voter, but will give him
the help he desires, and that he will
not disclose the contents OF the ballot
except In n legal proceeding The bill
does away with the circle, and the
name OF the candidate shall be printed
but once on the ballot and enables the
voter to avoid risk or mistake In vot-
Ing. There Is only one way to mark n
ballot. according to this bill. by put
ting mark opposite the name OF ea IN
candidate the candidates being in
groups with party names and appelia-
tions following them.
The Woodruff amendment to the
"
also passed finally.
The surprise In the bribery investi-
cation Wednesday was the disclosure
by Representative Wilson of West
moreland of the name of the man al
legged to have Offered him $4,000 to vote
for Quay He reluctantly named Hon.
John r.. Byrne. Byrne resides at Ever
son, Fayette county. but Is business
man In the adjoining town of Scott
dale. Westmoreland county. He has
been prominent In Fayette county poll
tics having been chairman of the Re-
publican county committee. rcpresen-
tative to the Legislature. and at last
fails election n candidate for senator
from the Fayette-Gr district.
Byrne is to be summoned as wit
ness.
The Shaw bill empowering the
county commissioners TO borrow money
and issue bonds for the purpose of
building, improving and repairing pub
lie roads and highways" by a vote of
1903 to is, passed finally In the house
Wednesday.
These bills passed finally: Appro-
priatng sf0S,50o to the Morganza re-
form school, si2i 900 to the Eastern
penitentiary; s149,0O0 to the feeble
minded institution of Western Penn
sylvania Institution for the Deaf and
Dumb.
The Baldwin direct inheritance tax
bill was taken up I'm the house Thurs
day and amended, after which It was
laid aside for printing and final pas
sage. The bill levies a tax of 2 per
cent on direct inheritances consisting
OF personal property only and Is slmi-
lar to the bill passed by the last legls-
lature with the exception OF the retro
active and exemption clauses.
Among the bills passed finally by the
house were
To authorize boroughs to provide n
supply of water for the use of the in
habitants. to make all needful regula-
tions for the protection of the pipes,
reservoirs and other constructions and
apparatus and to prevent the waste Of
water so supplied.
To amend the act to provide for the
licensing of buildings and other places
In which theatrical. operate or circus
performances are held and menageres
or museums are exhibited and fixing
the price to be paid for said licenses
exemptlng buildings used for such pur-
poses In boroughs and townships hav-
ing population of less than 1,500
people.
The general appropriation bill passed
third reading in the House Friday and
was laid aside for printing and final
passage. The section relating to the
public school appropriation. as
amended provides that IL there Is sur
flcient money I'm the state treasury the
appropriation shall be paid on Decem-
Der, 1900. and March 1, 1901, in four
payments. TO be equal.
The senate bill regulating the publi-
cation and preservation OF legal notices
in Dauphin county and fixing the
compensation therefor passed second
reading.