Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-08
FIX LEGISLATURE
END FOR MAY Is
Adjournment Date Tenta.
lively Agreed Upon by
Leaders
APPROPRIATIONS PARED
Methods of Retaining Saloon
Revenue Are Being Worked
Out

Oul
Republican leaders have begun 10 ar
range plans FOR the adjournment Of the
Legislature in May. The leaders have
tentatively agreed upon May 10 as date
for adjournment, but their plan may not
go through, II the committees find II mn
possible to finish up by that time.
The appropriations committee is hard
ct work pairing down departments esti-
mates for the next two years. Senator
Augustus +. DaiN Jr.. chairman, has
expressed the opinion that II will take
some time yet for the Senate committee
TO complete its work.
Any adjournment date Will depend
largely on this. and the ways and
Means Committee, as il is these which
plan the states income and oxpeudl-
lures. Other committees can finish up
important work quickly and let the
remainder go by default.
Little Business Pending
Pennsylvania's Legislature will enter
Monday upon its eighth week of sessions
with fewer bills than usual on hand q
this stage Of the biennial meeting In
the House the number is not much more
than 500, including Senate bills passed
on to the lower branch. The Senate
list Is not long
ing week to have the bulk Of the re-
. naming appropriation bills for charities
presented SO that the officers may know
how 10 figure on the appropriations for
such institutions. II is understood that
some OF the state administration bills
also will be ready for presentation neat
week
Before the session OF the House be-
gins on Monday evening the members
NJ Ia -srr, 1sf1f .r1t
20 Frank b. McClain. former Lieutenant
Governor. Lieutenant Governor Beidlg-
man will make the presentation.
So far the work OF the Legislature nas
been somewhat uouotouous and Eag
not been marked by any Of the verbal
fireworks which accompanied the days
OF factonal rows Even the iutrodgc-
tlon of the Philadelphia charter bills
last week failed to arouse more than
passing interest among the members
The Senate Municipal Affairs COM
mittee. which has charge OF the charter
bills, is expected TO arrange for hear
ing in the near future. As soon az il
Is disposed OF the committee will get
down to work on the bills. There is
general belief that the measures will be
altered considerably before they are
reported
House Appropriation Bill
Two bills Of Importance made their
appearance in the House last week. one
was the regular general appropriation
Dill and the other measure to regulat .
state appropriations 10 charitable insti-
tutions on the basis Of free service rem
dered.
Such a measure has been advocated
by charity organizations for many years.
because 1t would give the deserving in
stitutions just share Of money. APP
propriations for charitable institutions
2 frequently have been subjected to much
iog-rolling and in the old days institu-
tions in districts which showed a ten
dency to be independent were frequently
disciplined by a cut in the amount al
lotted
The measure, however is certain Ia
meet with bitter opposition and the
hight against IL in all probability will
be carried to the floor of the House
Governor Sproul some time ago advo-
Gated the plan Of making service the
basis for determining appropriations to
institutions which receive state aid and
he will probably lend his influence in be-
half Of the bill
House committees have begun to show
more activity in reporting bills Their
activity is due 10 a request from Speaker
Spangler TO keep the legislat tive ma
chinery working fast enough TO provide
a well-flled calendar each week. House
members became so engrossed in their
work last week that the Speaker had 10
call attention to the fact that the sal
AIRY allowance OF many Of the members
had not been claimed.
Fee Measure Bill Ready
Bills to curb the fee-grabbing propen-
sities of registers of Wills i'm the sixty,
seven counties of the state will be re-
ported to the House next week. These
Cd Of ba a,.S
and Means Committee Wednesday
They provide a graduated scale ot
fees for registers, which decrease the
amount of direct inheritance taxes col
lected in the various counties increase
No register under the terms OF the bills
can take more than $4,000 in fees from
the state in one year.
That would make the compensation o.
the Register in Philadelphia $4,000, o.
which $4,000 would be salary from the
county and $1,000 in fees The bill
which was declared unconstitutional by
the Supreme Court provided a straight
$4,000 salary.
Some revenue raisers will likely b'
devised by the Ways and Means Com
rnittee. While more close collection
of the mercantile tax is executed 10 make
up what will be lost from liquor license;
when prohibition goes into effect. NOR
moneys likely will have TO be garnereC
in by the state to meet its mounting
expenses.
Representative Matthew Patterson
who represents the Nineteenth Ward
has called a meeting of members whit
have sat in former sessions for mex
Tuesday. An organization is TO be per
fected and there is feeling that &
may work counter to the Legislativ,
League. which is comprised OF member
from the rural districts.