CALEB CONOVER RAILROADER fftltHO oi« TMt I A STORY o/ 1 LOVE .POLITICS, INTRIGUE; » •«!?' J OP A RICH POWERFUL BOSS AND AN INTREPID YOUNG REFORMER- S'- BY ALBERT PAYSGN TERHONE COPYRIGHT 1907 BV PAVSON TESHON^', One big farmer slapped him on the back, crying: "You're all right, Mr. Standish! If you can carry out all you've promised, I guess Wills County'll stand by you, nolid. But why on earth didn't you advertise you was coniin' to Wayne to-night? If it hadn't been for your agent that passed through here yes terday and told some of the boys at the hotel and the postoffice, you wouldn't 'a' had anyone to hear you. If we'd known what was coinin', this hall'd 'a' been packed." "But surely you read my advertise ments in your local papers!" ex claimed Clive, "I —" "We sure didn't read anything of the kind," retorted a dairyman. "I read everything in the Wayne Clarion, from editorials to soap ads., an' there hasn't been a line printed about your meetin'." "I sent my agent ahead to place paid advertisements with every paper along my route," said the puzzled Standish. "And you say he was in town here yesterday. So he couldn't have skipped Wayne. I'll drop in on the editor of the Clarion 011 my way to the station and ask him why the ad vertisement was overlooked." Accordingly, a half-hour later, en route for the midnight train, Standish sought out the Clarion office and de manded an interview with its editor in-chief. "I guess that's me," observed a fat, shirt-sleeved man, who looked from his task of tinkering with a linotype machine's inner mysteries. "I'm Mr. Gerrett, editor-in-chief, managing edi tor, city editor, too. My repertorial staff's out to supper, this being pay day and he being hungry. Were you ■wanting to subscribe or—? Take a chair, anyhow," he broke off, sweep ing a pile of proofs off a three-legged stool. "Now, what can I do for you?" "My name is Standish," began Clive, "and I called to find out why—" "Oh!" The staccato monosyllable served as clearing house for all Gerretts genial ity, for he froze —as much as a stout and perspirng man can into editorial super-dignity. Aware that the atmo sphere had congealed, but without un derstanding why, Clive continued: "My agent called here, did he not? And left an advertisement of —" "Yes," snapped Gerrett, "ho did. I was out. He left It with my foreman ■with the cash for It.l mailed a check for the amount this morning to your League headquarters at Granite." "But why? The advert—" "The ad.'s In my waste-basket. Now, as this is my busy night, maybe you'll clear out and let —" "Look here!" said Clive, sternly, and refusing to notice the opened door, "what does this mean?" "It means we don't want your ads. nor your money." "Were you too crowded for space and had to leave the advertisement out?" "No, we weren't. We don't want any dealings with you or the alleged 'League' you're running. That's all. Ain't that plain enough?" "No," answered Clive, trying to keep cool, "I want a reason." "You'll keep on wanting it, then. I'm boss of this office, and " "The real boss? I doubt it. If you were, what reason would you have fot turning away paid advertisements? 1 may do you an injustice, my friend but I think you're acting under or ders." "You're off!" shouted Gerrett, red dening. "I run this paper as I choose. And I don't take orders from any man. I—" "Nor passes? Nor freight rebates on paper rolls, and —" "D'ye mean to insult me?" "D'ye mean to Insult me?" bellowed Gerrett, wallowing forward, threaten ing as a fat black thundercloud. "I'll have you know —" "I don't think," replied Clive calm ly, and receding not a step, "I don't think you could be insulted, Mr. Ger rett. You are making rather a pitiful exhibition of yourself. Why not own up to it you are acting under orders (Jf the 'Machine,' whose tool you are? The 'Machine' which is so afraid of the truth that it takes pains to muz zle the press. The 'Machine' that Is bo well aware of its own rottenness, it dare not let the people whom it is defrauding hear the other side of the case. Why not admit you are bought?" Gerrett was sputtering unintelligible wrath. "Get out of my office!" he roared at last. "Certainly," assented Standish, "I've learned all 1 wanted to. You serve your masters well. I hope they pay you as adequately." He turned to the door. Before he reached It a thin youth with lnk smears on his fingers swung in. "Hard luck!" exclaimed the new comer. "That Standish meeting's raised a lot of Interest downtown. Pity we can't run anything on it! It'd make a dandy first-page spread." "Shut up!" bellowed Gerrett. "You young—" "Don't scold him," counselled Stand ish, walking out. "He didnt make any break. We're all three in the secret." CHAPTER IX. The Grafton Opera House List. TIHE next five days witnessed practical repetitions of the SBSjS foregoing experiences. In almost every town the local newspaper not only refused to re port a line of Standish's speeches, but would not accept his advertise ments. Nor, in most places, could he find a job office willing to print hand bills for him. His agent had nearly everywhere been able to engage a hall; but as no adequate preliminary notice of the meeting had been pub lished, audiences were pitiably slim. In one or two towns, where the papers did not belong to the "Machine," it was discovered that every hall, loage room or other available meetlng-pl;;ce had been engaged in advance by some mysterious competitor. Clive, at such settlements, was forced to speak In open air. Even then the police at one town dispersed the gathering under excuse of fearing a riot; at two others the mayor refused a license to hold an outdoor meeting, and at a fourth, a gang of toughs, at long range, pelted the audience with stones and elderly eggs, the police refusing to Interfere. At length Clive's advance agent re turned to the candidate In abject des pair. "I've been doing this sort of work eight years," the man reported, "but this time I'm cleaned stumped. I can't make any headway. The papers, the city authorities, the opera-house and-hall-proprtetors and the police are all under Conover's thumb. It's got so that as soon as I reach a town I can find out right away who Is and who isn't In the 'Machine's' pay. Where the papers aren't muzzled - and there are precious few such places —the halls are closed to us, and either the mayor or the police will stop the meeting. Where the papers are work ing for Conover, we can get all the halls we want, because the Boss knows the news of your speech can't circulate except by word of mouth. "Oh, they've got us whipsawed in grand shape! I'm wondering what'll happen at Grafton Monday night. That's the biggest city next to Gran ite, and there's always been more or less of a kick there against Conover rule. They've got a square man for mayor, and one of their three news papers Is strong for you. I was able to get the opera house, too. It's your big chanco of the campaign, and your last chance on this tour. The rest of the towns on your route I can't do anything with. I'm waiting to see what dirty game Conover will play at Grafton, now that he can't work his usual tricks there. He'll be sure to try something." Billy Shevlln, who had also acted (unsuspectedly as unofficially) as ad vance agent of Clive Standish's tour, had in three respects excelled the au thorized agent: In the first place, he had been as successful as the other had been a failure. In the second, he had not turned back. Third, and last, he was not In the very least discour« aged. Nor had he need to be. Yet even to him Grafton presented the first serious problem. And to It he devoted much of his time and more of his cleverness. At last M formed a plan and saw that his plan was good. Clive reached Grafton at noon of the day he was scheduled to speak. This was the second largest city in the Mountain State. Here, next to Granite, must the chief battle of the campaign be waged. On the effect of his speech here hung a great per centage of Clive's hopes for the com ing State convention as Grafton went, so would Matawan County, whose contre it was. And Grafton, wavering in fealty to Conover, might yet be won to the Standish ranks by the right sort of speech. So with the glow of approaching struggle upon him Clive awaited the night. All he asked was a fair hearing. This, pre sumably, was for once to bo accorded him. At the hotel on his arrival he found Karl Ansel waiting. The big, lean New Englander was in a state of white-hot wrath. "You got my telegram and the no tice of the caucuses, I suppose!" he growled as Clive met him. "No. I ordered all mall forwarded here, and telegrams, too. I broke away from my route Saturday, when I found I couldn't get a hall at Smith field. I cancelled my date there and went over to IJeene, leaving word for everything to be sent onto Grafton. Then, yesterday—" "Never mind that. We're done! Beat! Tricked!" "What do you mean?" "The county conventions —the cau cuses! In every -nearly every one of the eight counties Conover worked some blackguardism. To some he sent telegrams that you backed out. In others his chairman tried the 'back door' act. And I wrote you how they'd 'snapped' the dates and caught us un ready. Then—" Cllvo recalled the anonymous letter which later events had driven from his memory. If only he had been able to lower himself to his opponent's level and take advantage of it -of the treachery in the Conover ranks! If But Ansel was still pouring out the flood of his 111-temper. "Whipsawed us, right and left," he declared. "Beat us at every point as easy as taking candy from a baby. What are we doing In politics? We're a lot of silly amateurs against—" "We're a lot of honest men against a gang of crooks. And In the long run we'll win. We—" "The long run, eh? Well, the run has begun, anil they've got us on It. We're beat!" "Poor old Ansel," laughed Clive, "how many times during the past fort night have 1 heard you say that? And every time you pick yourself up again and goon with the fight. Just as you'll do now." "Not on your life! I —oh, well, I suppose I will, if It comes to that! But It's a burning, blazing shame." "If it wasn't for Just such 'burning, blazing shames,' there'd be no need for our campaign. It's to crush such 'shames' that we're working. Cheer up! I've great hopes for to-night's meeting." Tersely he described his trip, the drawbacks he had encountered, and the better chances that seemed to at tend the Grafton rally, Ansel inter spurslng the tale with a volley of queries and expletives. "I'd heard of this press-muzzling," said he as Standish ended, "and I have oiic way of blocking it. I've arranged for your speeches and 'ads.' and ad viu-.i:e notices to be printed In the big gost paper In the next State, and scat ter rfd all through the Mountain Stato aB campaign documents. I dont' think Conover can block that move." "Splendid!" cried Standlsh. "Old man, you're a genius!" ' No, I'm not,' contradicted Ansel, rather ruefully, "but someone else is. I don't know who." "I don't understand." "Why, the Idea was sent to me three days ago, anonymously. Typewritten on foolscap. No signature. What d'you think of that?" "Anonymously?" "Yes. I wonder why. The Idea's so good, one would think the orlgln ator'd claim It. Unless —" "Unless It came from the Conover camp?" "Just what occurred to me. Any how I've adopted the suggestion. I suppose you'd have refused to accept anonymous help, eh?" "Every man to his own folly. It's done now." "It sure Is. And with a few more such tips, Conover would be 'done,' too. He's carried matters high handedly for years, but now maybe someone he's ridden rough-shod ovei 4 has turned on him." The great night had come. Clive and Ansel, arrtvlng at the Opera House, found that gaudy, gayly llghted auditorium full to the doors. On the stage sat the mayor, the pro prietor of one of the papers, a half dozen clergymen and a score of civic dignitaries. The boxes were filled with well-dressed women. Evening suits blended with the less conspicu ous costumes of the spectators who stretched from stage to entrance, from orchestra to roof. A band below the stage played popular and national airs. (To Be Continued.) The Flirting Widow. Jock Anderson was Industriously wooing a wealthy widow, who was fair, fat, and forty, with every prospect of a successful Issue, for his affections were abundantly returned. But in an evil moment one of Jock's chums mentioned that a gentle hint, suggest ing flirtation on the part of the lady, would constitute a piece of Irresistible flattery. This Idea Jock put immedi ately Into practice by writing a lons amorous letter which, no doubt, would have captured both the widow and her money had he punctuated properly. This Is the sentence that settled poor Jock's chance: "I consider you brutal and jealous though you may fancy me a little ad dicted to flirting." On perusing the above sentence the widow Immediately visited Jock; she stormed at him, swore at him, and eventually swooned. Jock explained, and punctuated the objectionable sen tence with tadpoles, making It read: "I consider you, brutal and Jealous though you may fancy me, a little ad dicted to flirting." But nothing could Induce the widow to see aught but a slight on herself and her stoutness, punctuate as he would. The widow Is no longer a widow, but, alu! Jock la not her husband. rEDDY TURNED DOWN BERRY MEN Keystone Political Game That Failed to Work. ROOSEVELT JOLTED BOLTERS Former President, Instead of Aiding Insurgents, Lauded Administration by Pennsylvania Republicans. Probably the most disappointing in cident of the stato campaign to the managers of the Keystone Party was the failure of Roosevelt to comply with their request and make some ref erence In his Pittsburg speech to Pennsylvania political conditions that would aid the Berry candidacy for governor. A special committee of Keystoners was delegated to get in touch with the j ex-president as soon as he arrived and urge him to directly or Indirectly help their cause in his speech. The com mittee got a complete turn down. They quickly learned that Uoose-velt was not going to be a party In any way to help along the campaign of a Democrat for governor of the stalwart Republican Keystone State. He was perfectly familiar with Berry's free silver and Bryanlte rec ord before the Keystone committee men broached the subject, and not only did they get absolutely no en couragement from Teddy, but, iie gave them a body blow when he ifid make his speech by lauding the record of the Republican party in this state. Mayor William A. Magee, who is at j the head of the Republican organiza- j tlon of Allegheny, and upon whom devolved the duty of making the speech of presentation to the great Pittsburg audience, was, with other stalwart Republicans upon the plat form, greatly elated over the utter ances of Roosevelt upon that occa sion. In touching upon Pennsylvania con ditions, the former president in part said: "And now, friends, in closing, I want to call your attention to the fact that . there Is not anything at all to be de pressed about In present conditions in America. We have got lots of good to our credit. "Yon have some admirable laws on the statute books here in Pennsylva nia. Take tho way that you care for your schools—your compulsory law — your appropriations for the schools — your appropriations for school books, so that every boy and girl in Pennsyl vania can get an education. And now, you are administering that law so that their parents and nobody else can cheat them out of the education. You have on the statute books the eight hour law as regards t!*' employes of the government. You have laws pro hibiting child labor avd minimizing the nnmber of hours'*?nd regulating the labor of women—laws that have not In the past been always executed as they should be, but which I think are steadily being better executed, from all that I can hear. "You have made excellent forestry laws, oxcollent conservation laws, in connection with your forests and wu ters. It Is a great sum of positive achievement of which you should be proud. But it is better not to be proud of It than to feel that, because you have done pretty well, you are there fore to be excused from doing any thing more. Do not forget that you won't stand still. If you do not go forward you will slip backward. Now, so It is about America as a whole " These words of recognition of the splendid administration of the affairs of the commonwealth under Republi can officials were sincerely and earn estly spoken. "There is no reason whatever why Mr. Berry should receive a single Re publican voto In this campaign," says the Scranton Truth."He was an oager seeker for the Democratic nomination and Is now a candidate because he didn't get it. In the dispute between William J. Bryan and Colonel Uuffey, when tho Nebraskan tried to eliminate the latter from Pennsylvania control, Berry sided with Bryan and showed himself an enthusiastic supporter ol the Bryan brand of national Demo cratic politics, although it Is now well known that ho should have stood by Guffey In that contest. "At no time has Mr. Berry manifest ed any friendship for Republican prin ciples or policies instate or nation, and he is not, therefore, entitled to Republican support, however zealously he may masquerade as an "Independ ent.' He must not be permitted to sail under false colors. He is a Democratic bolter from the Allentown convention and a candidate because he failed tc secure the nomination of that conven tion for governor. "Mr. Berry's presence in the field can have no other result than the elec- j tlon of John K. Tener by the largest majority ever received by a Republi can candidate for governor of Penn ■ylvania." Citizens of Pennsylvania with a knowledge of what has been done by the Republican party and with the pledges of John K. Tener, the Repub lican nominee for governor, that !i6 will seek to follow the policies and the methods of Edwin S. Stuart, it if predicted, are going to show their con fldence and faith in the Republican party and Its standard bearer by roll ; lng up a great Republican majority at the election on Nov. 8. NEWS PLEASES HKKKY. I Ki-oin patfi* dhv. ( earner o! the Keystone State were safeguarded by the two Republican United States senators and all of tho Republican members of the lower house from Pennsylvania. Berry's admission at a public meet ing here "that there was not a dollar in the treasury of the Keystone Party" simply emphasized the fact that sub stantial men, men of affai. s, property \ owners and business men, to whom 1 the Importance ol electing a safe and sane man to the governorship appeals most strongly, will have nothing to do with his candidacy or the hybrid com bination of disappointed and cast-off politicians back of the Keystone Party. 1 Desertions on Every Side. Berry talks and acts like a man who knows lie has not got a chance to win the governorship. He admitted in his West Philadelphia speech last week that when he accepted the nomination he had no idea of being elected. Developments since tile Keystone ticket was putin the field all show that his candidacy has been con stantly getting weaker rather than stronger. Desertions of independent Republi cans and Democrats from the Berry movoment are noted every day, Resig nations from Keystone Party commit tees are being announced on every hand, and newspapers which gave en couragement to his cause at the out set have since either turned in for Tenor, the Republican, or Grim, the regular Democratic nominee. While Berry still declares he is a Democrat, there are not a half dozen j Democratic newspapers in the state now favoring his election, and there, are about a like numtxv oi so-c;>l,< I independent newsnnne- FOUND DEAD IN CHURCH Wilkes-Barre Lawyer Expired In Edi fice He Went to Insoect. Thomas .1. Chase, a lawyer ol Wilkes-Barre, Pa., was found dead in a pew at the Universalist church. He had been missing all niglit, and evidently bad gone into the church of which he was a trustee, to inspect some repair work, and fell dead Heart disease was probably the cause. Infantile Paralysis Spreads. The case of little Howard Brad shaw, Jr., of Cambridge, Md., whe was recently stricken with infantile paralysis, is attracting much attention] among the physicians all over the j lower peninsula. Two more cases have developed in the vicinity of the Brad I shaw home, and residents of that sec tlon of the city are becoming more l and more alarmed over tho conditions | Methodist Preacher a Suicide. Rev. Dr. Lundy H. Harris, husband of Mrs. Cora Harris, who wrote the story of "A Circuit Rider's Wife," re cently published in the Saturday Even ing Post, committed suicide at Pine log, a health resort near Cartersville Ga. Dr. Harris, who held a responsi ble position with the Southern Mcth odist Publishing house, at Nashville Tenn., was at Pinelog for his health. Cat's Bite Poiscrs Young Girl. Miss Elizabeth Wright, of New Cns tie, Del., who was bitten on the left ankle by i 1 pet cat, lias developer blood poisoning. The yoitnt; womat has suffered great agony and serious results are feared. The cat has beei killed. Five Shct Down From Ambush. Five persons, three whites and tw< .negroes, were shot from ambush whil< driving on the Sweet Home pike, foul miles south of Little Rock. Ark. Otic of them, an unidentified negro, was killed. Mrs. Charles Diehl, of I.lttli | Rock, was seriously wounded. Were Drifting to Sea In Disabled Boat Harry Brant and Miss Margare Eckhart, believed to have been drown ed during a gale, were picked up t mile and a half out at sea off Kenne buekport. Me., drifting in their dis abled craft. IJROPOSEU AMKNPMMNT9 TO THE 1 CONSTITUTION St'UMITTED TO THE CITIZENS OK THIS COMMON WEALTH FOR THEIR APPROVAL OR REJECTION, 11V THE GENERAL AS SEMBLY OE THE COMMONWEALTH HE PENNSYLVANIA, AND PIHLISII - BY ORDER OP THE SECRETARY HE THE COMMONWEALTH, IN PER MEANCE OE ARTICLE XVlll OF THE CONSTITUTION. Number One. A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to section twen ty six of article five of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. , Resolved (It' the Senate concur), That the following amendment to section twen- j ty-slx of article Ave of the Constitution of Pennsylvania he, and the same is here by, proposed, in accordance with tho 1 eighteenth article thereof:— That section 2G of Article V., which ] reads as follows: "Section 20. All laws re lating to courts shall be general and of uniform operation, and the organization, Jurisdiction, and powers of all courts of the same class or grade, so far as regu- j lated by law, and the force and effect of j the process and judgments of such courts, shall be uniform; and the (general Assem bly is hereby prohibited from creating other courts to exercise the powers vested by this Constitution in the Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas and Orphans' Courts," be amended so that the same shall read as follows: Section 26. All laws relating to courts shall be general and of uniform opera tion, and the organization, Jurisdiction, and powers of all courts of the same class or grade, so far as regulated by law, and the force and efTect of the process and judgments of such courts, shall be uni form; but. notwithstanding any provi sions of this Constitution, the General Assembly shall have full power to estab lish new courts, from time to time, as the same may be needed in any city or coun ty, and to prescribe the powers and Ju visdiction thereof, and to Increase the number of Judges in any courts now ex isting or hereaffer created, or to reorgan ize the same, or to vest in other courts the jurisdiction theretofore exercised by courts not of record, and to abolish the lame wherever it may be deemed neces sary for the orderly and efficient adminis tration of Justice. A true copy of Resolution No. 1. ROBERT McAPEE, Secretary of the Commonwealth. Number Two. RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Consti tution of the Commonwealth of Penn sylvania, so as to eliminate the require ment of payment of taxes as a qualifi cation of the right to vote. Resolved (if the House of Representa tives concur), That the following amend ment to the Constitution of the Common wealth of Pennsylvania be, and the same Is hereby, proposed, In accordance with the eighteenth article thereof: That section ono of article eight be amended, by striking out the fourth numbered paragraph thereof, so that the said section shall read as follows: Section 1. Every male citizen twenty one years of age, possessing tho follow ing qualifications, shall be entitled to vote at all elections, subject however to such laws requiring and regulating tho registration of electors as tho General Assembly may enact. First. He shall have been a citizen of the United States nt least one month. Second. He shall have resided In the Stato ono year (or if. having previously been a qualified elector or native-born citizen of the State, he shall have re moved therefrom and returned, then six months), Immediately preceding the elec tion. Third. He shall have resided in tho election district where he shall offer to vote at least two months Immediately preceding the election. A true copy of Resolution No. 2. ROBERT McAFEE, Secretary of tho Commonwealth. Number Three. A JOINT RESOLUTION Proposing nn amendment to the Constl* tutlon of the Commonwealth of Penn sylvania, so as to consolidate tho courts of common pleas of Allegheny County. Section 1. Hp It resolved by tho Senate and House of Representatives of tho Commonwealth of Pennsylvania In Gen eral Assembly met, That the following amendment to the Constitution of Penn sylvania be, and the same Is hereby, pro posed, In accordance with tho eighteenth article thereof:— That section six of article flve be amended, by striking out the said sec tion. and inserting in place thereof tho following: Section In the county of Philadel phia all the Jurisdiction and powers now vested in the district courts and courts of common pleas, subject to such changes ns may be made by this Constitution or by law, shall be in Philadelphia vested in five distinct and separate courts of equal and co-ordinate Jurisdiction, composed of three judges each. The said courts in Philadelphia shall be designated respect ively as the court of common pleas num ber one. number two, number three, number four, and number live, but tho number of said courts may be by law Increased, from time to time, and shall bo In like manner designated by successive numbers. The number of Judges In any of said courts, or In any county where the establishment of an additional court may be authorized by law. may bo in creased, from time to time, and when ever such lrvroase shall amount In tho whole to three, such three Judges shall compose a distinct and separate court as aforesaid, which shall be numbered as aforesaid. In Philadelphia all stilts shall be Instituted In the said courts of com mon pleas without designating the num ber of the said court, and the several courts shall distribute and apportion tho business among them In such manner as shall be provided by rules of court, and each court, to which any suit shall bo thus assigned, shall have exclusive Juris diction thereof, subject to chango of venue, as shall be provided by law. In the county of Allegheny all tho Jurisdiction and powers now vested in the several numbered courts of common pleas shall be vested In one court of com mon pleas, composed of all tho judges In commission In said courts. Such Juris diction and powers shall extend to all proceedings at law and In equity which shall have been Instituted in the several numbered courts, and shall be subject to such changes as may be made by law, and subject to change of vonue as pro vided by law. The president judge of said court shall be selected as provided bv law. The number of judges In said court may be by law increased from time to time. This amendment shall take effect on the first day of January suc ceeding Its adoption. A true copy of Resolution No. 3. ROBERT McAFEE, Secretary of the Commonwealth. Number Four. A JOINT RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to section eight, article nine, of the Constitution of Penn sylvania. Section 1. Be It resolved by the Senato and House of Representatives of the Com monwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, That the following is pro posed as an amendment to the Constitu tion of the Common wealth of Pennsylva nia. in accordance with the provisions of the eighteenth article thereof:— Amendment to Article Nine, Section Eight Section 2. Amend section eight, article nine, of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, which reads as follows: "Section 8. The debt of any county, city, borough, township, school district, or j other municipality or lncori>oratod dls- I trict, except as heroin provided, shall nev er exceed seven per centum upon the as j sessed value of the taxable property there | In. nor shall any such municipality or I district incur any new debt, or increase ; its Indebtedness to an amount exceeding ; two per centum upon such assessed val uation of property, without the assent of the electors thereof at a t«» bile election in such manner as shall be provided by law; but any city, the debt of which now ex ceeds seven per centum of such assessed i valuation, may be authorized by law to ! Increase the same three per centum, In ! the aggregate, at any one time, upon such valuation," so as to read as follows: Section 8. The debt of any county, city, borough, township, school district, or oth er municipality or incorporated district, except as herein provided, shall never ex ceed seven per centum upon the assessed value of the taxable property therein, nor shall any such municipality or district in cur any new debt, or increase its indebt edness to an amount exceeding two per centum upon such assessed valuation of property, without the assent of the elec tors thereof at a public election in such manner as shall be provided by law; but any city, the debt of which now exceeds seven per centum of such assessed val uation, may be authorized by law to in crease the same three per centum, in the aggregate, at any one time, upon such valuation, except that any debt or debts hereinafter incurred by the city and coun ty of Philadelphia for the construction and development of subways for transit purposes, or for the construction of wharves and docks, or the reclamation of land to bo used In the construction of a system of wharves and docks, as publlo Improvements, owned or to be owrved by said city and county of Philadelphia, and which shall yield to the city and countv of Philadelphia current net revenue in ex cess of the Interest on said debt or debts and of the annual Installments necessary for the cancellation of said debt or debts, may be excluded In ascertaining the pow er of the city and county of Philadelphia to become otherwise indebted: Provided. That a sinking fund for their cancellatlc shall be established and maintained. A true copy of Joint Resolution No. 4. ROBERT McAFEE, Secretary of the Commonwealth.
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