Middletown transcript., 1909-01-30
LEGISLATIVE RECORD
Brief Summary of the DOings Of the Gen
eraI Assembly During Past Week

Both branches OF the General Assembly
got down to work in real earnest this week
and considerable business has been trans
acted.
Although no bill has vet come up for
final passage, several House bills have
passed that branch and are now in the
Senate.
The House passed the House bill in
creasing. the penalty for carrying con-
cealed deadly weapon from the maxi.
mum fine of 500 to $500, and maximum
imprisonment from 80 days to 6 months.
This bill caused considerable discussion,
as some thought that the penalty was Sc
we're enough.
There will be an observance Of some
kind on LincoIn's Birthday, February
18th, by the General Assembly, as House
concurrent resolution was adopted provid-
ing for such. A joint committee was ap-
pointed to arrange for proper observance
OF the day, and the committee viii arrange
program.
At the instance Of Capital Grange, Pa
irons Of Husbaudry,o of Dover,a movement
was started in the legislature looking to-
wards excluding gypsies from the state,
the House receiving and referring to the
committee on revenue and taxation reso-
luton adopted by the grange, petitiouing
the legislature to enact a law keeping
these fortune tellers out OF the state.
Members of the General Assembly will
not attend the launching of the battleship
Delaware at Newport News on February
9Th, and they may not attend the inaugu-
ration of President-elect Taft on March
4.h. The governor and staff will be pres
ent on both occasions, and the state
militia will be sent to the Inauguration.
Representative Soper has retained R. R.
Kenney to draw for him the sweeping
good roads bill which he proposes to in
troduce in the pursuance OF the notice he
has already given in the House. Sew
eral of the Republican members have
already pledged their assistance in getting
this measure through the legislature.
The House passed the House bill to re.
fund about So, 600 in overpaid license fees
paid by liquors dealers.
Anti-railroad bills have made their ap-
pearance before the legislature. One
making employers liable for injury to or
death of employees, regardless of any slight
contributory negligence, has been placed
in committee.
No-License Fight Resumed
While the temperance fight, go far as
providing for a vote in rural New Castle
county is concerned, appears to have been
won, the petition for the vote having been
signed by the requisite number Of mem.
bers in each house of the General Assem-.
bly,, and the petition and bill having been
started through the House, there are in.
dications of breakers ahead, according ia
various rumors which are afoat, notWith.
standing the fact the constitution makes
it mandatory on the legislature to pass q
bill providing for the taking of the vote
in rural New Castle county at the next
biennial election. The presence OF thiF
petition and bill has revived the whole
subject and there is now talk of state
resubmission bill; or, if this cannot GO
through, of Sussex county bill, which il
desired by some Of the license men. Iii
said that enough signatures can be OBJ.
tanned to a Sussex resubmission bill, il
one is circulated, but so far as can be
learned, no such petition is yet in evi.
dence. The membership Of the legisla
ture, it is understood, is beiEg sounded
generally by license as well as no license
men, and the liquor lobby is daily in evi.
dence and as busy as can be, which ia
also true Of the anti-license lobby, but nc
material move has yet been made by the
license men, so far as an attempt at iegis.
Iation is concerned.
Tax Commission Continued
By divided vote, the House Tues.
day passed the House bill providing
for continuation Of the State Board Of
Revenue and Taxation, and the passage
precipitated the first debate Of the session.
The present membership Of the board is
to bp continued, and the vacancy caus-
ed by the death Of Representative Paradee
is to be filed by appointment by the
Speaker of the House. In view of the
! fact thai the bill does not state clearly
whether il proposes permanent com
mission or limits the life OF the body TO
two years. Representatives Janvier and
Bruckson made inquiries as to its intent
10 This respect Representative Connolly
eaid II vas intended 10 continue the com
mission only two years, and Speaker
Cooper. . member q the present COM
mission, vacated the chair and made q
Al