The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-04-21

last Qay or bWD was mAEk0u ny tH0
usual disordeFly conditions attendant
upon the last hours and at one time It
became necessary for the speaker to re-
mind the House of desire ior order
and the TRANSACTION of the public busi-
ness. The presents to the presiding Of
ficers of the Senate and House we're
more costly than usual, and the clerks
were very generously remembered.
To the surprise of many who watched
the trend of legislation, quite number
of the measures appropriating large
sums of money were passed late in the
session. The Capitol Park bill went
through, providing the sum of $2,0Oo,-
600, divided into five parts, for the pur-
chase of the property lying betwee n the
present park and the Pennsylvania rail-
road. 1t is believed that this measure
will become law, as it requires only
$4OO, 600 year. ....
The school code, battered out of shape
and in again, finally got through, Since
it's passage the newspapers have both
commended and condemned it, though
all agree that it is not much of an inn
provement over the present law. Had
it been passed as the Commission nam
ed by the Governor originally prepared
it, we should have had good, compre-
hensive act, but it was made the foot
ball Of politicians and amended to meet
other requirements than the needs OF
the schools. The Governor has not in
timated what he will do with it.
The Pension bill received it's quietus
in the Senate Committee. 1t never got
% far as the floor of the Senate although
albelated effort was made to get it out
of committee
| Judges all over the. State are probably
anticipating an increase in salary after
June first, but the Governor should dis
appoint them in this. With an increase
in the price of the necessaries of life and
no complaint from the judiciary that
they are not adequately compensated
for their labors, it seems an inopportune
| tLlllC w NOluhbdlly lhNiOn6O Vic ooiotiOo
of class, most of whom are already
very we'll paid. Over $40O, 900 year ad-
ditional will be required to take care Of
this present to the Judges. To secure
this sum an equal amount must be de-
Quoted from the appropriations to hos
pitfalls and charitable institutions, for
this Legislature passed no new revenue
acts. In fact, every measure providing
for more revenue was ruthlessly slaugh-
tered.
What was known as the Governor 8
road bill got through, with rider. This
rider increases the salary of the State
Highway Commissioner from :.$5 900 to
SIC, 900 year, and that of the Deputy
from So, 800 to SIS 900. 1t will be re-
membeTed that bill that was introduced
providing fer that increase was killed in
the Senate, but evidently the hackers OF
the measure were old hands at the busi-
ness and secured the same result in an
other way. 1t is hinted that the Cover
nor may cut the appropriation for this
road, 80 that only half the amount will
be available. Not much more than that
amount can be utilized for the next two
years.
DR.. Dixon's Health Department gets
trifle over So 100000 for two years,
and no one who knows the Doctor will
doubt that he will make the fund do o
lot of good. A large part of this will be
used to fight tuberculosis, subject in
which all the states are taking great
interest. ....
Nearly two thousand bills were intro
duced in both houses, but less than hall
that number got to the Governor. So
far he has signed but go bills, vetoed
four and returned 10. Appropriation
bills aggregating nearly $62, ,000, 900 were
passed, which is falling off of about
$40, ,OOO, 900 AZ compared with 1907. To
meet this call for money the state will
have approximately $45 600, 900, SO the
Governor will have to reduce the gifts
by about $17, 100000. There are many
bills which the Governor will allow to
60 through without cutting off any of the
amount, such as the school appropria
ton of $15, ZOO, 900. To equalize and
keep the expenditures within the income
it will be necessary to reduce appropria
tions by from 20 to 80 per cent, some
, perhaps more, some less.
With over 700 bills dumped on hi
J desk at the closing of the session, Cover
nor Stuart is sentenced to hard labo
and solitary confinement for thirty days
, What is not disposed of by May 15tl
becomes law, the same as if it had beel
, regularly signed.
; Excepting the bill legalizing the US
of benzoate of soda, the Legislator
/ passed several bills in the interest of pur
food. Commissioner Foust is alread
Y hard at work enforcing them, compel
4 ing the furnishing of pure milk, egg
that are fresh, ice cream free from i'm
purity and canned goods that are wha