The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-07
MACHINES nhLCY0.
SESSION or 1905
BOaS Mansion Converted Into q
"AOuSe OF MIrih" in
Harrisburg.
PARTY BOSSES PLAN lN|QUITy

can Candidates, Supported All the
Vicious Legislation That Made the
Session of 1905 Infamous.
The legislature of 1905 was hal
cyon and vociferous" affair. In imta
ton of the Albany House of Mirth,
the Boas mansion in Harrisburg was
generously contributing to the gay
ETY. of nations" during that session.
Under the control of the insurance
commissioner it was a sort of kennel
of yellow dogs" of all sorts and con
ditions. Each night the gang assem-
bled within its hospitable walls and
planned and schemed the looting oper
ations of the immediate future 1t was
the seat of revelry and fountain OF
corruption.
The Legislature of 1905 has gone in
to history as the most wanton and
venal in the history OF the state Its
work was so bad that Governor Pen.
nypacker felt constrained to call it
back to repeal most of its measures,
and the men responsible for its iniqui.
ties obeyed orders to thus stultify
themselves with the same serviity
that they accepted orders to pass the
bills at the regular session. This fea.
ture of the Legislature of 1905 has no
parallel. No other legislature within
the memory of man has such a record.
The legislature of 1905 was as eager
to defeat good legislation as it was
jealous in promoting bad. Few good
bills got out of committee, and such
as did were allowed to die on the cal.
endar. Early in the session Senator
Goehrlng. of Pittsburg, introduced a
bill providing for civil service tests in
the selection of state officers, but il
was stiled in the committee. Mr. Ed
miston, of Bradford introduced a bill
requiring that anthracite coal offered
for sale in the state be 90 per cent
pure, and it met the same fate.
There were a good many other
measures which would have conserved
the interests of the people if they had
been enacted into laws. But they
were all killed before that stage, at
which a roll call is in order, was
reached. Under such conditions the
action of a particular senator upon
such bills is left to conjecture But
the managers of the dominant party
were against such legislation or it
would have passed. Senators Sisson
and Stober invariably voted as the
machine manager directed, and it is
safe to say that they were against the
bills that failed.
No Uncertainty on Vicious Bills.
But there is no uncertainty as to
how the Republican candidates for au-
ditor general and state treasurer voted
on the vicious legislation projected and
promoted by the machine The bill to
increase the number of bank eXamin.
ers, for example, was supported by
both of them. Senate Journal, 1905,
page 3OS.
One of the principal jobs of the ses-
sion was the "act to amend an act
relating to the board of public grounds
and buildings" Upon this measure Mr..
Sisson and Mr.. Stober voted in the af-
firmative. . Senate Journal, 1905, page
S42. In vetoing this bill Governor
Pennypacker said: THE effect of this
Dill, if it became a law, would be to
authorize the board of public grounds
and buildings to engage the services
OF 1872 new employees. The amount of
their salary and compensation, togeth-
er with the increases of salaries and
compensations of persons now en-
ployed, would amount to the sum of
S2l6,9GO for the ensuing two years.
Vetoes by the governor, 1905, page
1853.
A bill to increase the number of
courts in Allegheny county was voted
for by both Ssson and Stober. Senate
Journal, 1905, page 35S, This measure
was also vetoed by Governor Penny.
packer, who said in his message: The
effect of this bill would be to increase
the number of judges in Allegheny
county from nine to fifteen and to lead
10 an expenditure in salaries alone of
the annual sum of $1,000" Vetoes by
the governor, 1905, page IS.
Bills were passed providing for ad.
ditional law judges in Cambria county,
Senate Journal, 1905, page SSS, and in
Erie county, Senate Journal 1905, page
492, Sisson and Stober voting for both
af them
The machine majority in the legis-
lature is always open-handed with the
judges, but during the session of 1905
1t was liberal with everybody. A bill
providing for stenographers and as
sistant stenographers for courts was
passed finally on Feb, 23, Sisson and
Stober voting in the affirmative, Sen
ate Journal, 1905, pages 556-557. 1t
was subsequently vetoed by Governor
Pennypacker on the ground that "it
would be an attempt upon the part of
the legislature and the governor to ex-
ercise control over the courts" Vetoes
Ivy the governor, 1905, page "a.
Corporations Favored Freely.
An act declaring valid and inde
feasible as to any right of escheat in
this commonwealth was voted for by