The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-05-21
Legislature This Year
Appropriated $685.
100000. $15.OOO.-
900 Less Than l 913
BOTH BRANCHES
PARED DOWN
Important Measures Passed Include
Workmens Compensation and
Child Labor Laws-Most Notable
Defeat That of Local Option

Probably the most important legis-
lation enacted by the 1915 session of
the General Assembly of Pennsylvania
which came to an end yesterday, was
that providing a system of workmen 5
compensation.
The subject was contained in six
| bills and joint resolution proposing
g constitutional amendment empower
ing the Legisla ture to make the work.
men 6 compensation law compulsory
instead of elective to which it is now
restricted by constitutional provision.
The six bills, which provide for the
law, its administration and several
forms of insurance including a State
insurance fund, were passed finally
yesterday and are now in the hands
of the Governor who is in favor of
placing them on the statute books.
One of the six bills exempts domestic
servants and agricultural workers from
the operations Of the law.
Workmen's Compensation Law
The enactment of the workmen s
compensation law is the result of four
| years of effort and the system to be
! State is declared to compare favorablv
with any similar law in this country.
Another important measure passed
and which is now law and Will be-
come effective on January |, next, is
the child labor act which had the
backing of the State administration
along with the workmen s compensa-
| tlon bills. The child labor act was
| strongly opposed but the administra-
| tlon succeeded in having it enacted by
| both houses without material change.
This law fixes the hours of labor tor
children between IA and 16 years at
not more than . | q week nor more than
8 day. Each minor under 16 years
| VINO is employed must attend a voca-
| tlonal school at least eight hours a
week which time must come out of
| the 51 hours allowed by law. No minor
under II years of age is permitted to
sell newspapers and all messengers en-
/ ployed by telegraph, telephone or mes
! senSer companies after s o'clock at
night must be ri years old or over.
The Legislature also provided for vo-
cational schools to make the provisions
of the child labor law effective.
NSoheJ -OSa1 SplAOu otltdJtQ
The most notable piece of legisla-
ton defeated was the county local
option bill which had the uncompromis-
ing support of Governor Brumbaugh.
This bill failed to pass the House after
the Governor had made a sharp fight
for it.
While no definite figures are vet
obtainable as to the total amount of
money appropriated it as estimated
that the General Assembly provided
for the expenditure of more than $685.
100000. As the estimated revenues
Tor the next two years will be about
S64 100000, it Will be necessary for
Governor Brumbaugh to exercise his
constitutional right and cut appropria-
tlons to meet the revenues. tic has
I thlrty days in which to do this. In his
inaugural address the Governor point
ed out that the chief executive should
not have imposed upon him the duty
of cutting bills to meet the revenues
but that this duty should be performed
by the Legislature
The total appropriations this scs-
sion were about 5,000,G0O under
those of the 1913 Legislature. Govern
or Iener was compelled to reduce them
to s6I,O0O,000. The pairing down this
session by the Senate and House ap.
preparation committees was made nee
cssary by the fact that the State
estimated revenues for the next two
years are about ) 1-2 millions less
than for the last two years.
OF the money appropriated this ses-
sion for the next two years, $15,0O0,-
GOO go to the public schools; 81 1,000,-
GOO TO the vocational schools; s425,-
OOO to continuation schools; sS,40e,-
geo to public roads; about $4,000
for the maintenance of. the state s
tuberculosis sanitoria. The expenses
of the Department of Labor ani Indus
try are increased about 100000 by