The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-02

CuSS1on, the appended report IL re-
printed from The Tribune of July Z,
1899.
1t contains the findings of the special
committee of the Pennsylvania Bar as
sociation on the advisability of repeal
ing the constitutional provision against
local or special legislation. The report
was adopted at the annual meeting Of
the bar association, held in Wilkes
Barre, July 6 and Z. 1899, and 1t is like
ly to be laid before the coming legis-
lature. The committee which framed
the report was composed of James II.
Torrey, of this city, chairman; George
+. Baer, of Reading, anC NJ. w. Jacobs,
of Harrisburg. The report:
10 the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Tho Undersigned appointed committee at the
last meeting Of the association, in pursuance OF
the following resolution which was then adopted
(sce page 500 of report for 1888:
Resolved. That a special committee Of three
be appointed by the president TO consider and
report at ,he next meeting of the association
the advisability OF adopting an amendment to
the state constitution which shall effect the re-
peal OF so much of Arti lie III, section :, as
prohibits the passage of any local or special
law regulating the affairs of counties, cities
townships, wards, boroug'ls or school districts,
together with such amendatory provisions for
notice Of proposed local or special acts as shall
safeguard the communities affected from hasty or
ill.consdered legislation" respectfully report;
The importance OF the subject committed un.
der this resolution can hardly be exaggerated
As Introductory to the statement of the action
recommended by your committee it may he
well to briefly review the history of the consti
tutional and legislative enactments OF this conf.
rnonwealth on the subject Of local and special
legislation.
Prior to the constitutional convention OF 1873
there was practically no constitutional lmita.
tion upon the power OF the legislature to pass
local and special laws. At the time of the meet.
ing Of that convention it was generally rccng-
nzed throughout the state that the practice Of
passing local and special laws upon every variety
of subjects had grown 10 be abuse serious
as to be unbearable. 1t was stated in debate in
the convention that during seven years prdr to
1873 there had been passed S,755 private acts,
1t was frequently asserted during the proce( dings
of the convention, and never denied, tly the
determination Of the people TO root up tlN prac.
ticc was the controlling motive in the gathering
of the convention As in all human affairs, the
intensity of the feeling upon this subject led TO
the most sweeping, far-reaching and drastic meas
Wes. In no other country, and in no other state
o the union up to this time has thfrc been
enacted such complete and comprehensive pro.
hibition Of this character OF legislation
REASONS FOR TIE ACTION
,t,horrh ,ho ,,roooo,;rrs os ,bo oo,,,o,,;o,, or
o,ght Iarrc yol,m,os tbo ort;rc d;srnl .ion unnn
\,ticIo uI soc,;on : roI,t;nc 40 7Iao,I ,nI
.n,c;aI ioo;statio, o,o,,ics los ,Ian &C.. ,,,y,s
most of tbat bairc oc,rni,J with tLA d;,rssior
=, amendments 90 ,Lo cn,,,n;ttoo,s rono,, ,,hiL
were rejected. Your committee in considering
this matter, very naturally turned to the debates
oi the convention for the purpose of obtaining
.dnnton, of tbc ,,,rt ic,,Iar nrovsio,s ,h;o, oro
,,,hm;ttod 10 ,i THO crtiro nr,noodin,,s ma,
,hat s,hiect mis-, h, ;,cornorotnd IN ,his ro,'or,
yI,ho,t und,II ovto,d;no !, m. a,., a ,I
lnyys % Cnnstk, k,,,,on,I ncbatos 1oS,
,rho c,,irn, H.. Tho novt n,rlrr,,,b ain l.,
road
The clerk }cad as follows: Regulating the
ann,rS 0, con ues' cues townships wards Dor
. .uRnS pr ol districts me question Doing
nv, ". ifelSP' was "e.eeu To-
" w o'r'" ""s w" eN
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81 -, t''9' '.,''. 40 'o,iV"o' 80,
>, 10Y t"'s p''"s,"p" anu Tue sGv''oh "'i'
'o"e '"oSe 'nnss N',,'n " y
s.,S ".s's. u, ues'.oylns ,".S H.V"'
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-, nus ,Y ,o'.n 'na' snai' DC he'ea,tc,
1' "o1'. ''iy iu''! nahuieu
" '"s o'' He' us therefore pn, !, 'niougn
W ",s pace "ot" ior Wold ana hnf
, | n",' l'''' " a'N,nh's - necueu I" maze f"
M, ,',.'n 70 a'' ~ Iu''l'H s''u ,nee'iuiy'
e' e"e'Pihs III chaiac'er, aho
p'eu t. '"us" unu.' 'he i,"pu'se OF Preluuc,
snu ieSefnIncht' shou'd rot nave proven In at
{.a.si'e'o'y' Is naruiy TO De wondered
u',. s % surprising 'hat st
-. IL ~ ' n''"y oi 'he prohioi
49, L,uA,,t. .,.,S Na''u' as WINES
v ~ t'ioi's '"e ''F"''hs oi corporations OF
,., pns oi '',enuins inc chattef'
,",,rt,, -, trs .io' '"o'n'us 10 .ht'e
u'''' Vi "' 'ne spe''d' laws uhder 'he ola sys
u''u.i '"is prohlpi'on ana 'he spe'ia
,.,.n.1 ~ ~u ",iu'' e"e'' 'hat.erS were ln'
sIiai 'dsse u t'ie aiSeoh'ent theh ielt VIII
Wv P1"N u ''e "si'i"'ui''
. OPENED TIE DOOR
e,l. a.. ,,, =
ro,o,a, ie'i.,,,' 'ne 'o",'''"''o,
NV .; eoroora,io',' h,a upon ''' sun
!.'' "'s siauu'iS "Pehe'
.np ~ a. III "'uo ~. 'Nat. ~ "ot nov
,'' crn oornor,,i1,' oo0n " oe, '"1' re,so,"
'ah H." 'o'Po'a'""s ior any purpose anu WrI''
~ - N'V"' "i' H'''sSi.S ior III
IN ,al -, w ,'T " c'luo" ''Vi'
WIN M .,, i, p'i,'es,e 10 .,'eH ucsire u
'nJua | S ..,Pe anu ac'.ph o' inc CONVENTION
II Az . s,a'eu w 'ne present o'iet Jus
.cc oac "o Si'e"o eou'' !" AFres appeal IL
~, - ,.'. ,ue '',no'ous system oil speclal leg
'i"I,en' p.s', ~, ~, many year before ha'
pp'I."s So. "nu uIop ioo'eu' .ahu 'he ''ll
'sauI''"s 1', ~ s S'.i'nns mat tle peoll
VI " i -. ~" '''''''''u 10 Apply lW
on'S ie1 '"'' P'o'"Seu any nope OF Ieltl
t,,.I " ~" p'Vpe' appreciation Oh th
"'a1''. u ''eF e'i's rs Hluei. Us aiSu'h'
e.se '"a. sa'e" 'u'o eN'S''h'e 'he h'eh'io'
tnaI Ua'eu ~" y we piesen' constitution ana IN
40 I,l. aVp''0" ~ an Overwhelming vote ol
o' tne "'a'.s' ooIee,s o' 'nat instrument wa