Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-28
LEGISLATURE IN
ITS SHIRT SLEEVES
Daylight Streaming Through
Chambers Windows When
Session Closes

Shlft sleeves were the Order OF
! the night in the closing working
/ session of the House of Representa-
tives of the session of 1917 and the
members from Speaker Baldwin
ing to keep cool. The closing ses-
sion was not as tumultuous as some
which have taken place in the last
| few years. The House showed a
! disposition to clear its calendar
| early and in rather decided manner
by dropping bills and everything
was cleared up before o'clock in
the morning. Then recess had to
be taken and finally at AIS a. m. u
recess until 10 a. m. was taken.
Daylight was streaming through the
windows when the gavel fell.
When not engaged in wrangling
over the Philadelphia transit bill or
killing Senate bills the members of
the lower branch sang and threw
| paper. There was not as much
hilarity as in former sessions and a
couple of parades were held but the
| vaudeville features were lacking.
The windup began late yesterday
afternoon when the House settled
down to a long list of Senate bills
after passing the $50,00O,00O bond
issue constitutional amendment reso-
luton.
The House passed the Baldwin
| Senate bill to allow the Depart
ment of Forestry to lease small
tracts for farming at the late after
noon session. Mr.. Williams, Tioga,
said thara = mn whirh h
could be used for agriculture to bet
ter advantage than for forestry.
The bill to modify the women's
employment law so that hours shall
not apply to hotels, state and chari-
table institutions and boarding
houses was dropped from the calen-
dar.
The Evening Session
The House passed the Senate bill
creating the offices of deputy state
treasurer and law clerk in the Treas
ury by a vote of 130 to Al. There
was no discussion either on this bill
or that reorganizing the depart
ment of the Secretary of the Com
monwealth which was passed by
126 to 80.
Three important banking bills
presented by Senator Sproul were
passed finally. One provided for a
SouiIlCdllOH ol All state DanhlnB
laws.
The others authorize state banks
or trust companies to become mem
bers of Federal Reserve banks and
regulating reserves of such mem
bers.
Another banking bill passed au-
/ thorizes selection of two more ac-
tive repositories for state money.
These Senate bills were passed
finally:
Establishing a commission to
study and revise the state insurance
laws.
Fixing salary of assistant director
of Legislative Reference Bureau.
Making hunters license revenue
available as soon as paid into the
Treasury.
Authorizing publication of legal
advertisements in foreign language
newspapers.
Providing for disposal of coal
mining leases by trustees on appro-
val OF court.
Compensating agents for sale of
state stock stamps.
Giving electric light, heat and
power companies right of eminent
domain.
Providing for construction of pub
lie works by units.
Authorizing construction of
branch railroads.
Establishing prison farms.
Permitting addition of water to
vinegar.
Creating war garden commissions
in cities.
Clearing the Decks
The House started to clear the
calendar by drastic methods about
1880 p. m. The bills dropped in
cluded: The Buckman motor We
hicle license, providing for payment
of consequential damages from talk
ing or injury of property by munich
palities for public works; providing
for the change of venue in certain
cases; repeating the return of taxes
on seated land act of 1918; regulat-
ing assessment of costs by magis-
trates, and the Mcconnell bounty
bill.
Toward midnight so many bills
were dropped from the calendar that
senators came over from the north
wing to see how things were going
and the space in front of the Speak
er's desk was filled with legislators
seeking recognition to discuss bills.
The confusion became so great that
Speaker Baldwin ordered a recess
and the members paraded through
the hall with state flags. The Speak
er led with the national flag.
A mock session was then held
with Mir. McNichol, Philadelphia
presiding.
The House passed finally the Cat
lin bill regulating admission of bor-
oughs to cities and the Hindman bill
regulating insurance stock sales.
New Day Begun
At midnight the House formally
adjourned the Wednesday session
and at 1906 began the Thursday
session. Although members were in
shirt sleeves and crowded about the
space in front of the Speakers desk,
the proceedings incident to opening
| a new day were followed. The
Speaker called the House to order.
prayer was offered and the journal
read.
The amendment to the fire mar
shall law then came up and in the
midst of the discussion a recess was
taken until l a. m.
Immediately after recess the
| House passed finally the bill reor-
! ganizing the state fire marshaTs
| force. There was an extended de-
bate. The House then dropped a
dozen bills, including a constabIe's
fec bill.
Bills passed as of Thursday were:
Enabling building and loan assoc
Citations to invest in national and
state bonds.
Providing for a commission to
codify lunacy laws.
Forbidding distribution of dis
eliminating matter against any reIi-
gious sect or nationality.
Between 1 and o'clock the
House passed finally bills providing