The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-02-25

passed thursday Is largely technical
and supplements the Assistance"
bill passed Wednesday by providing
penalties for election officers who d.
vulge how men vote.
Other Bills Passed Are.
Senate bill providing for resentenc-
| ing of convicts who have been sem
| fenced under law declared uncon-
stitutional; senate bill appropriating
| $4,000 to state quarantine board;
senate bill appropriating $9,327 to
pay bills in connection with the fur
! nishing of Shamokin state hospital;
exempting certain buildings from
provisions relating to fire towers and
outside fire escapes; directing publ
cation of 10000 copies of game,
fish and forestry laws; amending
trespass so that it shall not apply
to private factories, mills or
churches.
"A system of state parks is provid-
ed for in a bill introduced by North,
of Jefferson, these to be under the
supervision of a state park commits
sion of five.
Other new bills introduced in the
house, are:
Bigger, llegheny-Creating bur-
eau of public morals in second class
cities.
Neely, Allegheny Appropriating
$1,170,000 to University of Pitts
burg.
Ewing, Philadelphia-Fin and
Imprisonment for railroad trespass-
ing.
Glenn, Venango - Prohibiting
shooting woodcock for six years.
Roney, Philadelphia-$4,0 700 sal
ary for deputy prothonotary of east
ern supreme court district.
Kern, Montgomery-County as
SCISSORS to be paid S. a day.
Ramsey, Delaware-Ten thousand
dollars for monument to John Nor
ton, signer of the declaration of in
dependence.
The bill requiring boroughs and
first class townships to pay expenses
of operations of state health depart
ment in their limis was sent back to
committee.
Young, of Philadelphia, introduce
ed bill making the Philadelphia
civil service commission elective.
Thomas, Luzerne, amending sec
ond class city act by providing that
contracts for official advertising
shall be made with not less than two
or more than five daily newspapers.
The lower house redeemed last
week the promise of all the political
state conventions of 1911 in Pennsyl-
vania, that the ballot law should be
| reformed and improved so as to cur
tail the evils which flow from un-
limited power to "assist" voters to
mark their ballots.
in of
two hours duration were John r. K.
j. Baldwin of Delaware, the Tener
floor leader. There were other able
| participants, but these two stood out
most prominently because of their
different interpretations as to the de-
sire of the people for honest cleo
tions.
The bill was passed by 144 yeas to
81 nays. 1t provides that the only
disability that can Justify a voter in
asking or getting Assistance" in the
marking of his ballot is real physi-
cal disability, such as blindness, or
being armless, or some other in
capacitating affliction just as appar-
ent to the election board. Illiteracy
gives a man under this bill no right
| to assistance" If he cannot read
or write he must have a specimen
ballot marked for him outside the
, booth, and he can take this into the
| booth with him and use it in mark
ing his regular ballot. If he should
be unable to do this he does not get
to vote. The house made it's senti-
ment quite clear in this matter of
| illiteracy, which is that while every
man has the right to vote, it is his
own duty to qualify himself to use
that right by learning to read and
write. If he does not do this his
loss of the voting privilege is due to
himself alone.
Woman Suffragists Aroused.
Advocates of woman's suffrage are
inclined to believe that the Senate
Committee having their referendum
bill in its keeping are not much dis
posed to report it out until too late
to pass it. They report Chairman
Mc1lhenny as stating that their meas
ure cannot be reached for a little
while because of the congested state
OF the committees work. Now the
women propose to do a little investi-
eating on their own account to learn
for themselves just how many i'm
portant measures are now in the Gus
tody of this committee. Anyone
laboring under the impression that
the woman's suffrage workers have
lost interest in their fight on this
question should pay a visit to Har-
risburg and they will learn other
wise.
Work of the House.
The House has fixed March 18th as
the last day for Introduction of new
bills, except local bills requiring ad-
yertisements in county papers. More
than 1000 bills have been offered
since the legislature convened on
January 7th. On account of the in
augural ceremonies at Washington on
March 4th, the Assembly after ad-
journment last week, will not recon-
vene until March 5, and the Senate
not until March 10. House Commit
tees are working hard these days,