TRIBUNE SUPPLEMENT J"CnsrE -4, 1891. SOME NEW LAWS. | Part of the Work Done at Harrisburg ! By the Dead Legislature. There were 414 bills passed by the re cent Legislature, but very few of them sire of general benefit. The most impor tant reforms asked for were thrown aside by orders of the Republican and corpora tion people, who held a powerful influ ence over both Houses, hut more so in the Senate than in the lower branch. Every measure looking toward the re lief of the laboring and farming elements was defeated or amended antagonistic ally in the Senate. A synopsis the most important bills follow : BALLOT KKFORM. The Ballot reform bill was amended by a conference committee of both branches of the 1 Legislature, and passed finally by that body on | Thursday morning. It is fur from being jier- ! feet ballot reform and has many disadvantages, | but It is as much as could lie expected from a • Legislature controlled by the Republican ma chine. The bill does not go into effect until March 1, i IHWS2. It provides for an official ballot to be printed and distributed by the County Commis- j sioners. A political party which polled three ler cent, of the lurgest entire vote east for any I offiee in the State at the preceding general clec- ; tion will be entitled to have its nominations ; printed on the officiul ballot for both State and ! local elections. New parties, or old ones which I do not poll three per cent, of the vote, and 1 independent nominations can receive recogni tion on the official ballot by filing what art? called "nomination papers." The number of signatures required for these ; papers is as follows: For State officers one-half ! of one per cent, of the largest vote for any officer elected in the State at the preceding 1 election, or about 2300 signatures; for district, | county, ward or township nominations 3 per cent, of the largest entire vote for uny officer ! elected in that district at the last preceding | election. Party nominations must lie sworn to ] by the convention officers, and nomination ; papers must be sworn to by five of the signers. A standard time is fixed within which ail nominations must be filed, as follows: For State, Congressional, Representative, Senatorial and Judicial nominations, fifty-six days before election for party candidates and forty-nine dayß before election for Indejiendent nomina tions; for city and county nominations, forty two and thirty-five days before election; and for borough and township officers and election officers and school directors in the same, ten and Bcvcn days respectively. The County Com missioners and township auditors will decide upon the validity of nominations. Those in valid canßot be printed on the official ballot. It is provided that in designating the party IHilicy of independent nominations no words shall be used "identical with or similar to the words used for a like purpose" on party nomi nations. It is thought this would prohibit the use of "Independent Republican" and Inde pendent Democrat" In printing the ballots party nominations will be arranged in groups, all the Democrats being kept together and all the Republicans being kept together. But Prohibitionists and Inde pendents will be arranged in the alphabetical order of candidates' names for each office. A cross mark (X) placed after the work "Repub lican" or "Democrat" at the head of the party nominations will indicate a vote for every candl- date on the party ticket, but for Independents the voter must indicate with u cross mark (X) each candidate he votes for. The machinery for carrying the law into effect is similar to that of all other States which have the Australian system. Booths, railing, voting In an open room, are all provided for. The count is conducted in the presence of the party watchers. The disability feature is very loosely drawn. It provides that any voter who shall declare to the election judge that by reason of disability he desires assistance in the preparation of his ballot the voter may select a qualitiod voter of the district to accompany him into the itooth. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. The constitutional convention bill provides tirst that the people shall decide next Novem ler whether they desire a convention. At the same time they will vote for delegates, and if the convention is to be held these (lelegate g will serve. The convention will consist of 177 delegates, of which 27 will be elected at large and 150 by districts. A voter can only vote for 18 delegates at large and two dis trict delegates. This would give the Republi cans 111 members of the convention and the Democrats t>o, busing the result on the present politicul complexion of the districts. Compen sation of members is fixed at SISOO with mileage and postage. The convention wiil meet in Harrisburg on the first TIM sday in December, and no limitation is put upon its work. It can frame un entire new constitution. REVENUE LAW. The Boyer revenue bill is expected to in crease the State's revenues about $3,000,000 a year It increases the personal property tax from 3 mills to 4 mills, increases the tux on om nibuses from 3 mills to 4, increases the tux on capitul stock of corporations from 3 mills to 5 mills, and changes the method of computing the tax from the dividend basis to the actual value-basis. This change of system will iu it self greatly increase the revenue. It will re turn to the counties three-fourths of the per sonal property tax collected from such counties instead of one-third, as at present. The tax on bank stock is increased from 0 to 8 mills for such institutions as elect to pay State taxes in lieu of local taxes. Banks that do not so elect will pay 4 mills on the actuul value of their stock. The new registration law strikes ut the root of ballot-box stuffing and repeating, as it will prevent pudded assessors' lists. In the first place, an assessor will lie required to muke an original canvass instead of taking the list of the previous year and attempting to correct it. As a matter of fact many assessors never struck off the names of persons who had died or moved away, and it was thus possible for repeaters to vote upon these false numos. A second pre caution is to require assessors to arrange the nnuies upon the list that is exposed for public inspection at the polling places according to street numbers. Thus it can be seen at a glance where colonization Is attempted. The assessments will be made io May and December, with opportunity for changes of residence to be corrected In September. I.IQUOR LEGISLATION. A measure, known as the Brooks wholesale liquor bill, provides that the license fee in first and seeond-elftss cities shall be SIOOO, In third class cities SSOO, in other cities S3OO. in boroughs S2OO, and in townships SIOO. This relates only to wholesale. The money will go to the State. Deli very-wagons must be plainly marked with the name of the dealer. Distillers and manu facturers must not sell less than one gallon < f spirltous liquor; wholesale dealers and store keepers must not sell less than one quart spirii- OUB, or malt liquors less than twelve i int bot tles. Brewers or distillers need not show the necessity fer their places of business. The Court must hear evidence for and ugainst an applicant, and has discretion ns to whether the license is neoess&Jy for the accommodation of the public and as to the character of the appl - eant. Among the other bills paased finally were the following, some of which may he of local interest : Making Saturday afternoon, from June 15 to September 15, a legal half holiday. It is optional with banks whether they shall close at noon, that question being left to their director?. Notes or drafts falling due on Saturday cannot be protested until the next business day if not paid before noon of Saturday. Making an appropriation for the expens< s of the Factory Inspectors for the years 1800 and 1831, which was overlooked by the lust Legis lature. An act providing for the appointment of a commission consisting of eight miners, three operators, three mining engineers and two inspectors, to revise the anthracite mine and ventilation laws Supplementary to the act to prevent voxr - tious attachments by providiug that a conns* 1 fee of at least $lO shall be taxed as pail of tl c costs which the defendant shall be entitled to recover from u plaintiff whose action sha 1 have been discontinued liecausc brought for the purpose of annoying a defendant. Permitting all soldiers who cannot obtuin a livelihood otherwise to peddle by procuring a license for which no fee shall be charged. To authorize boroughs to manufacture elec tricity for commercial purposes. Providing that sheriff's sales may lie adver tised in newspapers printed in the German language. Authorizing the assessment of an annual poor tax upon unnaturalized persons. Amending the borough tax system so that taxes can be levied for electric lights Appropriating $300,000 for the Columbian World's Fair, and authorizing a Commission of thirty persons to be appointed by the Governor to mauage Pennsylvania's exhibit. Providing that the law of 1820 against horse racing shall"not apply to horses used in trotting by regularly organized associations. Providing for a uniform form of contract or policy of fire insurance for till compunics taking fire risks within the Commonwealth. Under its provisions all fire policies will bo alike in form, conditions and exemptions allow ed insurers. Amcnding the law of June 1, 18851, allowing liens for wages so that clerks and laborers of all kinds shall have preferred claim against insolvent debtors. Such claims can only cover six months services. Amending the act prescribing the manner in which municipalities may arrange for an in crease of their indebtedness. Requiring children between the ages of 8 and 12 years to attend a public, parochial or private school for ut least sixteen weeks a year. Fail ure to comply with the law is punishable by a fine of $5. To prevent persons from unlawfully wear ing the insignia of the Loyal Legion and badges of the Grand Army and the shield of the Veteran Union Legion.
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