Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-18

| Poseu amendment for two sections
! Appropriations for charitable.
educational or benevolent pur-
poses may be made to corpo-
| ration or association not under
the control of the Common
wealth but engaged in work or
! service deemed by the General
Assembly to be for the public
| good, provided, that such work
| or service conforms to the stand
ards OF excellence prescribed by
| general law or by an executive
agency established by general
law, and provided that the bene-
| hts of such work or service are
In no way dependent upon re-
hglous beliefs or denominational
connection, and provided fur
ther, that every such appropria-
tlon snail be made by a vote of
two-thirds of the members elect
ed TO each house. No such ap-
preparation shall be made to
any person or community, but
This prohibition shall not affect
appropriations for pensions or
rewards for military service, or
for the retirement of judges,
or of employees of the State, of
a state institution or of the pub
lie school system.
Amendment Rejected
The amendment was referred
back to committee, as were amend
| ments relative to special commits
| sions, the limitations of investment
! of trust funds and regulation of
State ownership of bonds.
Judge Gordon objected to the
| proposed amendment giving power
to the Governor, after calling a spe-
cial session, to send to the Legisla-
ture matters not specified in the
original call. He said it would be
"negation to the fundamental idea
of the biennial session." and would
leave the door open for frequent ses-
sions and unlimited subjects to be
disclosed from time to. time. Hamp-
ton l.. Carson, Philadelphia, sup
ported Judge Gordon, saying that it
would bring danger of general
Legislative session when special
session was all that was needed.
Other members of the committee
held that present requirements are
sufficient, and the section will stand
as it exists.
Commission Powers
James H. Reed, Allegheny, raised
the question on the section relative
to powers of special commissions in
advisory and municipal affairs,
whether it would not interfere with
the Carnegie Library bequests in
Pittsburgh, and Mayer Sulzberger,
Philadelphia, asked what the effect
might be on the Philadelphia Board
of City Trusts. Chairman Schaffer
said that the idea was to make free
from challenge such commissions as
the State and Philadelphia Art Com
missions, remarking that the ques-
ton had been raised once in regard
to the Public Service Commission.
This amendment was also referred
back.
Another proposition referred back
was to eliminate the section rela-
tive to limitations on power of in
vestment of trust funds. Judge Reed
held that investments in stocks
should not be permitted, but that
investments in bonds might be con-
sidered desirable. George e. Alter,
Allegheny, held that the control
should be by act and not by consti-
tutional provision. Judge Reed said
he was against any special act for
purchase of specific securities, and
Judge Sulzberger suggested that the
committee consider that for the
next twenty-five years there would
be no lack of United States bonds
for investments.
New Section Eliminated
Elimination of the section relative
to special inspection of merchandise
was agreed to and a dozen more sec
tions of Article III were then ac-
cepted as they stand.
Referred to Committees
When the proposed new section
for classification of counties and
municipalities came up it was sent
back to committee for further con-
sideration of the clause relative to
general laws.
The first section of Article 6 per-
tanning to the executive caused u
discussion because of inclusion in
executive department of heads of
departments created by the Legisla-
ture, but it was finally adopted.
All sections relative to the office
of Secretary of Internal Affairs were
| referred back to committee after
| Messrs. Carson, Alter and Fisher
| had expressed views as to the neces-
sity of continuing the secretary as
an elective officer, summarizing re-
cent legislative proposals on the
subject.
When the section relative to
gubernatorial messages to the Leg
anu the tNOCullNe pOWcE
over appropriations came up they
were referred back TO committee to
consider in connection with the
budget plan. Judge Reed said that
he did not know the minds of the
members on the subject, but thought
that it should be discussed, while
Clifford Pinchot. Pike, moved that
the drafts pertaining to the budget
system in the proposed New York
constitution be prepared for the
members to study.
The Commission adjourned until
noon of January 6. 1t has finished
preliminary action on the first four
articles, a number of sections hav-
ing been referred back, while sew
| eral recommended to be changed
will remain as they are.
First steps to provide the counties,
cities and boroughs of the State
with a greater measure of the home
rule" which they have been seek
ing at successive sessions of the Leg
islature, will probably be taken be-
fore the State Constitutional Com
mission rises for the Christmas va
| cation to-day. Several sections of
| the Constitution bearing upon muni-
cipal government will be discussed
| and the proposed new classification
of cities and counties into seven and
horoughs and other divisions into