Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-04-27
ms ADJoUESED sisE DiE.
Session Of the General Assembly of Penpsy
yauIa Concluded at I2 O'Clock Ihursday.

ssnIa Concluded at IL O'Clock 1hursday.
Harrisburg. Pa, April 20. The ses-
sion Of the General Assembly Of 1888
adjourned finally at noon today, after
having been in session a little over
three and one-half months. The session
was one Of the shortest in the States
history. and was fraught with interest
throughout, by reason of the spirited
contest for United States Senator. 1t
closed without the election of a success
sor 10 Matthew Stanley Quay, and,
unless Gov. Stone calls an extra session,
at which there should be an election,
Pennsylvania will have only one Repre-
sentative in the United States Senate
the next two years. On account Of the
failure Of the Legislature TO pass such
legislation as would have wiped out
the deficiency Of e. 500. 900 in the State
treasury and covered the estimated
ordinary expenses Of the State govern
ment for the next two years, it is not
! improbable that an extra session will
be called.
The Mercantile Tax bill was the most
| important Of the numerous schemes
| for raising revenue that passed both
4 branches and went to the governor for
| his action The bills taxing foreign
and domestic beer and manufacturing
corporations were defeated. the former
| in the Senate and the latter in the
House, as was also the Revenue bill
framed by the Pennsylvania State Tax
| Conference. The Tax Conference bill
was before every session in the last
eight years, and it always failed in
the Senate in the closing hours of the
session. The Legislature left multi
tude of the bills with the governor for
I - aaf f.N kor
being appropriations for private chari
ties.
The session waf remarkable, aside
from the long senatorial deadlock, in
that it passed few bills OF general in
terest. The various schemes for the
betterment Of the election system of the
| Commonwealth, as the Keator and
Martin Ballot Reform bills and the
Fow Personal Registration bill, were
defeated, as was alsu the numerous
propositions for the completion of the
Capitol Building. Politics were in
jected into tine bills having for their
purpose the completion OF a structure
for which the State has already ex-
pended half million dollars, and it is
not likely that any work will be done
on the building the next two years.
The Democrats and anti-Quay Repub-
licans advocated the Hasson bill,
abollshing the present commission and
constituting new commission, and
the Quay Republicans stood for the
bill retaining the present commission.
Tne joint legislative assembly, to
ballot for United States Senator, ad
iourned at noon yesterday, after having
taken 10 futile ballots. The three ele-
, ments in the senatorial contest wero
| .t,,n ,fa1
those Senators and members who at.
tended the caucus on January I'd, al
which Col. Quay was nominated; the
, anti-Quay Republicans, who refused tC
/ enter the caucus and voted on the yari
Gus ballots for several candidates fol
Senator, and the Democrats who stood
, by Greoge A. jerks, their caucus noini
nee, through the contest. On the fina
a ballot the vote stood Quay, 93 jerks
So; b. j. Jones, 60; paired or not vot
/, ing, 6. These figures represent tbs
: strength Of the three elements in tn,
contest.
Gov. Stone has 30 days in which t,
dispose of the bills left with him b,
!, the Legislature. He has been working
= = day and night the past week, and will
. probably take q short vacation befort
u taking up these measures. Except TO
. tne usual disorder and - horse play, ,
u u the closing hight of the session was de
y void Of interest Both branches wer,
~ practically in session from 10 o'clocl
y yesterday morning until the final ad
4 iournment. The House started In yes
," torday on tho calendar of Senate bill
on third reading and final passage, AM
I, disposed Of 80 Of the 100 on the calen
N dar. During the calling Of the roll, tn
!" members chatted. smoked and had
II good time generally, and, except littl
~ furry on road bill, there was no de
:, bate. Tho conference committee re
~ port on the General ppropriation bi
"a went to the printer at midnight, and
- after waiting for it until j. 80 o'cloc
I. this morning, the House took reces
40 for three hours. The bill came up whe
~ the House reconvened, and was consic
cred and disposed of in short order.
A recess was taken at midnight fc
- two hours, in which time tho member
W. partook Of luncheon provided Il
"s them at the Capitol Ey Chief Cler
81. Rex. After the intermission, the men
~ bers started in on the calendar OF Sci
u ate Eills.