The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-07

0E COLUMBIAN.
was the bill increasing the salary OF
the deputy insurance commissioner
Mr.. Durham was insurance commits
soner at the time, but he was so busy
managing the politics and milking
the people of that city that he couldn't
get to Harrisburg oftcner than once in
two or three months The warrants
for his salary had actually to be sent
to him by mail. This absentcesm de
volved a good deal of additional labor
on the deputy, and Mr.. Durham's ser.
vile slaves in the legislature naturally
concluded that his recompcnse ought
to be increased in the ratio that his
burdens were multiplied. Sisson and
Stober voted for the bill. Senate Jom
nal 1905, page 1859.
The Quay statue bill was "the apple
of the eye" of the machine at the time
and ever since has been the burden
its grief and an abomination. Sisson
and Stober both voted for it. Senat,
Journal, 1905 page 1889.
The act authorizing street railway,
electric light and power. hotel and
park companies to merge or consoi
date, was a sort of tub to the smaller
corporation whale. There are a mum.
Der of men in the cities, tin-horn gam
blers, thimble-riggers and other sorts.
who go to the Legislature or ply theiI
tp hA ipt 4
that such a combination of powers
would afford them splendid opportuni.
ties in the summer. These gentlemen
proposed to legislate themselves into
the chance The bill was introduced
and passed. Sisson and Stober voting
in the affirmative. Senate Journal,
1905, page 1890. Pcnnypackcr vetoed
the bill.
Snakes In the Legislative Grass.
Another snake in the legislative
grass was the bill authorizing manu-
featuring corporations to deal in goods
and materials manufactured by others.
1t was in direct violation of the con.
stitution, the spirit OF the common
law and the traditions of the country.
Sisson and Stobcr voted for it. Senate
Journal, 1905, page S95. The bill was
vetoed.
The bill to rebate taxes on forest
lands, enacted during the session of
1905, was what the old-timors wouli
call "a little thing for the timber and
tanncry trusts. 1t provided for a re.
bate Of 50 per cent Of the taxes on
scrub timber tracts for period OF
thirty-fve years. Before it was intro.
duced the trusts had bought up prac.
ticaly all that kind of land in the
state with a view Of holding it until
another crop got ripe and ready for
the axe. Paying taxes on land during
the Period in which they were waiting
would be expensive, and the always
ed the plan expressed in this law to
escape the burden. These facts were
pointed out clearly, but the trust
agents stick together, and the bill was
passed. SissOn and Stober voting for
it. Senate Journal, 1905, page 1916.
The bill to increase the salary of the
harbor master of Philadelphia was the
payment of another installment of the
machine obligation for the acquittal of
Sam Salter. The then harbor master
swore to all kinds Of alibis and other
things to justify the packed jury in
voting to acQuit the champion ballot
box suffer, and the easiest way to
reward him 70? his crimes was to in
crease his salary. The bill passed
finally, SissCn and Stober voting for
it. Senate Journal, 1905, page 1859. The
acquittal OF Salter has cost the state
more than any other crime ever com.
mitted within its borders.
The number and salaries of EN-.
plOyes of the state treasury were in
creased Senate Journal, 1905 page
110G, and the number and salaries of
the employees of the state library were
increased during the session of 1905
Senate Journal, page III Sisson dodg-
ed the vote on the treasury increase,
but voted for the library increase.
Stober voted for both.
Pennypacker Provokes Foolish Bill.
In his veto messages Pennypacker
was in the habit of poking fun at the
Legislature on account of the wretched
grammar and other delinQuencies in
form and expression of the bills sent
to him for approval. Finally the legis-
lature passed a law providing for the
appointment of man to edit the bills
and whip them into some sort OF
shape, Really the purpose was to pro.
vide fat and eminently respectable
job for some favorite political lame
duck" and Pennypackers criticism in,
spired the idea and furnished the ex.
cuse. Both Sisson and Stober voted for
the bill. Senate Journal, 1905, page
ISL. Another office Of similar char.
acter was created during the session
of 1909, both Sisson and Stober voting
for it,
The LAWYERS of Pennsylvania are