The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-02-26

and they are threatening to make pO-
litical issues out of 1t If turned down.
1t is safe to predict that when these
bills are put on the calendar of the
house considerable time will be taken
up in debate, as nearly every member
from the coal mining sections has his
own views on these subjects, and they
are by no means of like nature; and
for this reason It is proposed to get
them out of committee at as early
date as possible, so that 1t cannot be
said that there is not enough time to
discuss them before the close of the
session.
One of the bills Of Importance pre-
sented last week was the one by Rep
resentatlve Mcconnell, of Lawrence
county, which IL passed will provide
for the granting of liquor licenses by
board of excise commissioners. The
bill provides that on the first Monday
Of January, 1904, an excise commission
shall be constituted in each county,
to be composed of three members, who
shall be county officers, elected by the
people and commissioned by the gov
ernor, and who shall have the sole
control for the granting of all licenses
for the sale of liquor. The term of
Office shall be three years and they are
to be compensated at the rate of 81
per annum for each one thousand and
a part of a thousand of the population
of the county as shown by the last
census. and 10 cents mileage The bill
fttrthnr prnuiIac hat
the decision of the excise commission
ers may be taken to the supreme or
superior courts, and that the manner
of application for license shall be the
same as now prevails.
The bill is said to have the backing
and support of some of the big leaders
OF the dominant party as well as large
brewing and whiskey interests through
out the state. and a determined effort
is to be made to pass 1t.
Representative Shern, of Philadel-
phia, declares 1t to be his intention
this week to present two measures
having for their object the modifying
of the right of the court to revoke
licenses, and prescribing the rules OF
evidence in remonstrance cases
against the granting of licenses.
Concerning the two legislative con-
tests there is much speculation and as
much uncertainty as to the outcome.
The efforts of Editor Mullen to unseat
Francis X. Blumle as member of the
house from Cameron county, and the
determination of ex-Sheriff Harvey to
replace F. f. Ferry in Luzerne, are
equally emphatic. The contestant in
each case, however, Republican though
he be. is confronted with the fact that
his party has votes to spare in the
house of representatives, and that
there is no crying necessity to swell
the number. Apart from this there Is
no indication that the Republican
leaders in the state have issued any
orders in either contest, and it is even
limited that Blumle and Ferry are
quite as persona grata with them as
Mullen or Harvey would be. 1t Is also
reported in Cameron county that Null
lens defeat was not altogether unfore-
seen by Pennsylvania Republicans
high in authority and influence at
Washington, and that in this particu-
lar district at least votes for Penny
| packer were considered by potential
| managers as of more Importance than
votes for legislative candidates. The
| impression prevails in Harrisburg that
while neither sitting member will be
disturbed, an arrangement will be eff
fected whereby the contestants will get
their expenses repaid and probably the
| $1,000 salary which would have been
theirs If elected. All the testimony
has been taken in the Mullen-Blumle
case, and the argument of counsel will
be heard by the committee at Harris
burg on Tuesday. March 3. Ex-Con-
| gresham Arnold. of Clearfeld, will
appear for Mullen, and ex-Representa-
| tive Dixon, of Elk county, for Blumle.
| The subcommittee in charge of the
Harvey-Ferry contest had its first ses-
sion of testimony taking at Hazleton
the latter part of last week and will
| probably close up that line of work
during next week.
| The advocates of new county at
the lower part of Luzerne point to the
alleged crookedness at the Hazleton
district election last November as a
! good reason why the new county
should be created They argue that
the Luzerne county seat, Wilkesbarre,
is so far removed from the southern
sections that election prosecutions are
frequently not entered upon or pressed
because of the expense and inconven-
ience of getting witnesses to Wilkes
barre. 1t had been arranged that del
egaton of busines men from Hazleton
and the surrounding district would be
in Harrisburg last Thursday to push
along the new county bill, but the in
clement weather kept them away.
They will be here, however, this week,
and will be in charge of Representa-
tive Ferry.
1t is intended. should the bill pass
and be approved by the governor, to
call the new section Halle county.
| The territory embraced is the same as