Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-11-16
THE EXTRA SESSION.

Senator Knox and Gov Pennypacker
have had their heads together OF late
and, apparently. without consuming
Senator Penrose have agreed upon an
extra session of the Legislature as the
proper panacea for the ills OF the state
The Governor in his proclamation
;ssued last Saturday. enumerates seven
subjects for consideration by the Legls-
latnre. 10 the consolidation of cities;
the interest on and disposition OF the
the states moneys: re e-apportionment OF
the state into Representative and Sena'
torial districts; personal registration;
government of cities os the first class;
expenditure for county bridges, ana
abolishing the fee system in the oihces
Of the Secretary Of the Commonwealth
and Insurance Commissioner.
These seven subjects, and they alone
can be considered at the coming extra
session. The first subject means the
massage of an act to consolidate Pitts
burg and Allegheny, this act to take
Mace of the one that was declared un-
constitutional by the Supreme court; !;
tbe second is needed. the wrecking or
the Enterprise bank showed that; the
third, the reapportionment OF the state
will probably make no difference 10
this county, as we will continue 10 nave
two members in the Legislature, but 1T
will make a difference in Allegheny
county whose increase in popuiatioh
will entitle her to eight more mem moers
or "a in all, while several agricultural
counties like Indiana, Clarion, CraW-
ford. Huntingdon, etc. will lose one
Philadelphia, Luzerne and Lackawanna
counties will each gain two and west
moreland end two or three otner
counties one. The combined Allegheny
county and Philadelphia county dele
pat,ons would number 81, an uncom-
Portable bunch to go up against. Phila-
delphia will have Al members OF more
than one. fifth of the whole, while its
Senatorial representation is Limited py
the Constitution TO one-sixth. Inc
fonrth Personal Registration - mas
been sat down upon by the gang at
Harrisburg for years.
The fifth is supposed to mean the re-
peal of the Philadelphia ripper Dill
which does not become effective until
next year. The sixth, regarding tne
nr;ces paid for county (and presumably
state) bridges is needed as the pridge
companies have combined and are max
ING the counties and states pay from
two to four prices for their bridges.
The seventh, to abolish fees in the
two big State offices at Harrisburg and
substitute salaries is also needed as the
aggregates have become immense. AN
object lesson in the fee or percentage
system is found in the Office OF Deiin-
ouent Tax Collector of Pittsourg'
whose percentages add up about
$50, 900 year.
This program as prepared by tne
Governor is a large dish OF Crow
for Mr.. Penrose, who may not relish II,
and who with his adherents may put up
q fight on it.
The Governor is said to be consider
ing a supplementary proclamation
which, if correct, should include the
press mueller act, now dead letter on
the statute books; and the state con-
stabulary act, which will put the
state to an entirely useless and extra ex-
pense of about half a million yearly
both pet measures Of his. The Govern
OF is not blameless for last winters
legislation ard he should include al
little 'crow" for himself.
The legislature is to meet in the new
.apitol at Harrisburg, on the third Mon
Law Of January next, the 18th. presum-
.bly with the same officers, clerks and
the session will cost the !
tate the best part ola million dollars,
md it is to be hoped that enough OF the
inns of the previous session will be ex-
plated to make it worth that to the
people of the state.