The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-02-12
No CHANGE IN BALLUI'
Begins to Look AS If Legislature
Will Take No Action.
cHlL-LABoR LAW AMENDMENTS
VIII Be Introduced at Request of Mine
Workers and Coal Operatore--New
Corporation Law Proposed--othes
Items of Interest.
Especial Correspondence !


Harrisburg, Feb. 8. - Early in the
session there was considerable
talk regarding ballot reform leg
islation, personal registration, and va
! rious other subjects affecting the ex-
ercise of the franchise of the voters.
While there will doubtless be some
thing done making election machinery
less cumbersome and clearing away
some of the more Objectionable fea-
lures regarding the voting qualifica-
tions, it begins to look as If little if
any change will be made in the ballot
! itself. This conclusion is suggested
by the fact that State Senator Focht, of
| Union county, has decided not to rein
| troduce his ballot bill of two years
| ago-at any rate he has made up his
mind that If those in search of ballot
reform refrain from approaching the
| legislature, he too will let the matter
lie in allegiance. 1t was his intention
| to introduce his bill in two or three
! weeks no matter what other legisla-
| tion on that line was projected. To-
| day he is inclined to let the existing
order of things in relation to the ballot
| remain as it is.
The senator says that he is impelled
| to this negative course by reason of the
| fact that the proposed Quay bill to be
prepared by the Republican state COM
mittee is not likely to be presented this
session. But should he be in error in
this supposition, he adds, and a bill be
introduced eliminating the circle from
the top of the column and making
other drastic changes, then his own
| measure will see the light again and
he will push it for all he is worth. In
doing this, he states, he will be aided
by Durham and the other Philadelphia
leaders, by the Elxinites, by Senator
Penrose, and by leading organization
men throughout the state. But he does
not anticipate that anything of this
nature will be necessary, except the
defeat of a ballot-reform measure
which he is advised will be introduced
by the Democrats.
In connection with this general sub
ject much interest is manifested in
bill presented by Senator Herbst, Of
Berks, in relation to convention dele
gates who violate their constituents
instructions, and upon which there will
be some spirited discussion as soon as
it is reported, which will probably be
some day this week.
Corporation Laws.
Corporations are vastly concerned, 1t
is understood in the concurrent reso-
luton introduced by Mr.. Bliss and re-
ferred to the committee on corpora
tions, providing for commission to
codify the corporation laws of the state
and report bill making changes
where necessary. That the bill is of
evidenced by the heated discussion on
the floor Of the house before it was
committed
Chairman McClain of the committee
on corporations, speaking on the sub
ject to-day said: "The corporation
laws of the commonwealth are so
many and of such variety as to confuse
anyone. l am informed of this by
those competent to speak, both bench
and bar. The present controversy be-
tween the governor on one side and the
law officer of the commonwealth and
the legal profession almost unani-
mously on the other side. is an illus.
tration of this. The effect of Mr.. Bliss
resolution, If passed, would be a codifi-
cation of all the statutes affecting the
organization and operations of corpo-
rations."
Inasmuch as the right of eminent
domain is subject specifically men
toned in the resolution as demanding
attention, the various railroad inter-
ests are specially alert as to its fate.
And while on the subject of eminent
domain, the bill presented to the SEN
ate by Mr.. Grady last week, which,
generally speaking, denied "any cor
poration chartered as a common car
rier for hire under the laws of any
other state" the right of eminent do
main in Pennsylvania, is openly re-
garded as intended to halt the Wabash,
and this imputation has been directly
made to the senator. He, however,
d-humoredly denies it. Meanwhile
the councils of Pittsburg have passed
an ordinance permitting the Wabash
to enter that city.
Election Contests.
After making preliminary arrange
ments at Emporium last Friday, sub
committee Of the house committee on
elections will sit two or three days at
that place this week to hear testimony
in the Mullen-Blumle legislative con-
test. The committee conducting the
investigation is composed of Messrs.
Mccarthy, Ripp, Gallagher and Laugh
lin, of Philadelphia; Cope, of Chester;
McLane, of Crawford; Weller of Bed
ford; Hover, of Lycoming and Place.
of Monroe. The contest turns upon 70
votes which Mullen charges were ille-
gally cast for Blumle. The Harvey
Ferry contest, of Hazleton, will also
be taken up this week by sub-commit-
tee consisting of Messrs. Plummer, of
Blair; Maclay, of Franklin; Davis, of
Fayette; Esler, of Allegheny; Kepler,
of Centre; Enright, of Northampton,
and Turner and Sheeran of Philadel-