The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-05-23

read at length on three different days
in each House; all amendments made
thereto shall be printed for the use of
/ the members before the final vote is
taken on the bill, and no bill shall be-
come law, unless on its final passage
the vote be taken by yeas and nays
the names Of the persons voting for
and against the same be entered on the
journal, and a majority of the MEM
bers elected to each House be recorded
thereon as voting in its favor"
These requirements were not compli-
ed with and protests against the in
fraction of the provision were unavail-
ing. At the first session after the
adoption of the fundamental law it was
literally construed and scrupulously
obeyed by the legislature. For con-
siderable period the conditions were
met. But gradually, under the lax
morals Of the machine, the constitu-
tional restrictions were lost sight of un-
til now nobody appears to "do them
reverence" The Legislature of 1872,
which is an ineflaceable stain upon the
record of the Commonwealth was
scarcely more culpable in this respect
than that which has just ended. 1t
would be no use to try to correct the
evil by legislation or even constitution
al amendment. The correction must
come from an aroused public conscience
set against such forms of iniquity. 1t
can only be brought about by an I'M
provement in the public life of the
commonwealth. 1t must be shown
that majority of the Senators and
Representatives care more for con-
science than party and that a protest
against a palpable violation of the con-
stitution will be treated with respect
rather than ridicule.
BETTER BUT STILL DISAPPOINTING.
The Legislature of 1907 was better
than some of its predecessors, but it
was disappointing, Notwithstanding.
1t started out with great promise of inn
provement and ended in absolute fail
ure of tangible reforms. From the be-
ginning the majority was insincere. 1t
would have been coed if it had been
obliged to. 1t had made preparations
to legislate in the interest of reform if
the Philadelphia municipal election
made it necessary. But the people of
Philadelphia gave the other tip They
instructed, not only their own repre-
sentatives in the Legislature, but the
faithful elsewhere, that the reform inn
pulse had spent itself and there was no
further reason for pretending,
And there was no further pretending
either. From the moment of the re-
assembling after the recess for the
Spring election the machine asserted
itself in behalf of bad legislation. The
old ringsters took command at once
and the advance order was sounded
The admonitory notes from the Cover
nor's office were somewhat disturbing
but not actually dismaying. The two
cent mile fare bill was hamstrung
and the trolley freight bill crippled in
various ways. Greasy was able to save
that measure from absolute destruction
by little parliamentary sharp practice
which was justifiable. The bill as it
was scheduled to pass left the carrying
of freight to the option of the trolley
companies. Everybody knows what
would have been the result of that.
The steam roads would have made it
an advantage to the trolley, companies
to refuse freight and there would have
been no remedy. Creasy's amendment
declared trolley railroads common
carriers" and as such they are obliged