The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-01-29
TO KEEP SOLONS
AT THEIR DESKS
Speaker Alter Doesn't Want
Long Drawn Out Session
finn BILLS ARE PRESENTED
Many Of the Progressive Measures
Will Have to Do Battle With Legis.
latlon Along Same Lines Supported
by Governor-Nonpartisan Ballot
Law More Drastic Than Present
Statute Introduced by SchuylkilI
Member.
BY ROBERT HAlGHT.

Member.
BY ROBERT HAlGHT.
Harrisburg, Pa.-The legislative
mill for the session of 1913 has started
on its actual grind and unless there
is some abatement in its labors every
thing now points to a record breaking
session at which many corrective laws
are to be enacted. The various parties
and factions constituting the member
ship seem to be trying to outrival
each other in the presentation of bills
to cover almost every known defect
in our form of government and others
that are calculated to strengthen
those laws already in force.
Immediately after the election of
the clerks and various attaches of the
house last week Speaker Alter made
the request of the different commit
tee chairmen that they perfect an or
ganization Of their committees and en-
| deavor to handle the bills referred to
them with as much expedition as pos
| sible so that the calendars can be
brought up to a working point. 1t is
the hope Of the speaker that he can
so arrange matters this session that
the members can stay right at their
work until Thursday Of each week.
He is opposed to the habit which the
last session got into of meeting on
Monday night and then forcing an ad-
ournment on Tuesday night or We'd
nesday morning because of lack Of
work He figures that the members
would rather spend more time here
each week than to stretch the session
out into the months of May and June,
which will have to be done this year
unless expedition is used.
The much heralded Finn or Pro
gressive bills have made their appear
ance and as these will lead to bitter
antagonisms the members are pleased
that they are before the various com
mittees ready for threshing out the
good and bad features. Many of these
bills will meet with the antagonism
of Governor Teners friends in both
branches, as they have prepared legis-
Iation touching on these points that
they regard as serving the purpose
wanted with the drastic features
eliminated. II is expected that the |
measures advocated by the chief eX-
ecutive will make their appearance at |
an early date so as to put them under
way in the committees at the same |
time that the Finn bills are being |
given consideration.
Much time will undoubtedly be con-
utilities bill at this session. The sup
porters OF Governor Tener maintain
that the bill which was presented last
session by Speaker Alter contains all
the corrective features of this ques-
ton which are necessary while not
entaiing any particular hardships on
the public service corporations Of the
state and this combination will strive
to have their measure enacted into a
law over the one advocated by the
Flinn.Wasson combination.
While the Tener bill has not yet
made its appearance the governor
maintains that it a better and broader
measure than the one now before the
house committee on judiciary general
which is backed by the Finn support
ers One feature of the bill which it
is claimed makes II more attractive
to genuine Progressives is the pro-
vision for the stringent regulation of
the issue OF stocks and bonds, a sub
iect which is purposely omitted from
the Finn measure. Under the Tener
bill the utilities commission will be
given the power to supervise the issue
of stocks and bonds and one provision
compels companies desiring to in
crease their obligations to file with
the commission a statement of the
form in which the securities are to he
issued and the specific purposes for
which the money obtained from their
sale is to be used.
Provision will be made that where
the proceeds are to be used for bona
fide improvements and materials
which will strengthen the concern
without unduly burdening the traffic
or other business to be accommodated
the commission is authorized to per-
init the floating of the loan or the
increase of the capital. The only test
to he applied is the question whether
the loan or increase of capital is to be
used for the purpose OF upbuiding the
concern and would It he favorable to
good service at reasonable rates and
further provision is made that after
The money is spent the corporations
would be compelled to make an ac-
for the use OF the funds.
Redeemlng Platform Pledges.
Other bills which the Finn follow
srs are pledged by their state conyen-
lion platform to push for passage have
also been given to the appropriate
for consideration and re- ,
port. Among these are the resolu-
lions to ratfy the income tax and di-
rect election of United States sena.
tors, amendments to the federal con.
Btitution. The Joint resolution regard
.u5 ,le elCGLiOn of United States SEN