The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-03-24
HARRISBURG LETTER.
Last Month Of Legislative Session
Grand Total of Appropriations
&S2, 900, ,OOO-The State Auto
mobile Road Gets a Black
Eye-Several Important
Bills Signed by the
Governor.

COmmlttee mas proNiueo 'oi ~
sions day for most OF the time' IN or
der to get away with the major part OF
the work ahead. OF the l, 600 bills in
troduced in both Houses, probably one
fourth will get through to the Governor,
and the most of them will be appropria-
ton bills.
The General Appropriation billwas read
for the first time this week, and will be
referred back to the Committee for the
purpose of amendment. 1t carries
total of 1927, ,46l, 1924, but will probably
be larger when it comes up for final
passage. A large part of the expense
of the Legislature has already been TAX
en- care of in special act, the first one
signed by the Governor. The State
Treasurer refused to advance the money
this year, SO an appropriation act be-
came a necessity early in the session.
The big appropriation bill carries $l5,-
600, 600 for the use of the public schools,
which means that there will be no in
crease over the amount given two years
ago. The Health Department gets over
S., ,OOO, 600, which is substantial in
crease, and brings this next to the
schools and charitable institutions as a
heavy charge on the States income.
The total amount asked for by the hos
pitfalls, homes, asyums, reformatories
and insane institutions, with the usual
items named in the general bill, made up
total of over $S2, 600, 900. AS the total
net income of the State is about $22,-
O0O, 900 there must be some pruning
done. This work will be begun by the
Appropriations Committee, carried for
ward by the Legislature and finished by
the Governor. When he is through with
the bills left in his hands, the expenses
of the State for the next two years will
about fit the revenue. And many worthy
causes must suffer because of the lack
of funds.
Some unworthy ones will fall by the
wayside also. There will be few in
creases in the number of office holders
in the State, by legislative enactment,
and fewer increases of salaries. This is
due to the firm stand taken by the
Governor on these matters. One must
give the Legislature some credit, how
ever, for it is doing some good work of
its own. A few days ago it nearly killed
the bill providing for the automobile
road from Philadelphia to Pittsburg,
Notwithstanding the plea made on the
floor of the house that it was the special
bill of the Governor. The only thing
that saved its life, even temporarily, was
motion to refer it back to committee,
where it will probably die.
Not much will be done for the rest OF
the session, except as to appropriations.
The school law finds hard shedding, the
mine act meets stumbling blocks, the
pension bills are nearly dead, acts tax
ing manufacturing companies have been
given dope to stupefy them and the
Capitol Park extension is gone past re-
surrection.
The osteopaths won victory this
week when the Governor signed bill
providing for State Board of Examin
ers for that school of doctors. A boar5
of five examiners will be appointed tc
license applicants desiring to practice
and the act will become:effective as soor
as an appropriation is made available
Another bill is on its way through tht
Legislature which will, if it passes, &C
as virtual repeater of the one the Gov
ernor has signed and leave the osteo
paths on the back seats. This act pro
vides for one board and prohibits an
ing
Among the bills recently signed by tn
Governor, which places them on tn
statute books are the following Allow
ing judges to enter non-suits when at
torneys of record are not present whel
case is called; Permitting changes O
venue in cases where the Court is salts
fled that local prejudice exists Regu
lating the sale of carbolic acid Requir
ing cemeteries to set aside One-tenth @
the proceeds of sale of lots for perpetua
care of the cemetery; Allowing super
visors of second class townships to lev
tax for the erection and maintenanc
of fire houses; Providing that in pre-
ceedings before justices of the peace
where it shall appear that action wa
brought with malicious intent, the MAG
istrate may discharge the prisoner an
divide the costs; Authorizing the Govel
nor to make such regulations for tn
National Guard as will make it conforr
to the U. s. Army Authorizing distriC
attorneys to employ assistants in HON