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PENNSYLVANIA. 



of Atajo or Cerrito belongs to the Argentine 

 Republic, and the other islands either to Para- 

 guay or to the Argentine Kepublic according 

 to their contiguity to either country, the chan- 

 nel of the rivers being common for the naviga- 

 tion of both states. The territory between the 

 Pilcomayo River and Bahia Negra is divided 

 into two sections, the first, included between 

 Bahia Xegra and the Rio Verde, already be- 

 longing to Paraguay ; and the second section, 

 between the Rio Verde and the Pilcomayo, 

 long a subject of dispute between the Argen- 

 tine Republic and Paraguay, is finally declared 

 to belong to the latter, the question having 

 been submitted by the contracting parties to 

 arbitration by the President of the United 

 States of America, whose decision was pub- 

 lished toward the end of 1878. 



PENNSYLVANIA. After an unusually long 

 session of one hundred and fifty days, the Leg- 

 islature adjourned on May 24th. The compen- 

 sation of the members is ten dollars per diem 

 for one hundred and fifty- six days, when it 

 ceases. The session of 1871 lasted from Janu- 

 ary 3d to May 29th, being one hundred and 

 forty-four days. The session of 1835-'36 and 

 that of 1838-'39 each extended over two hun- 

 dred days. 



Much interesting business was transacted 

 during this session of 1878, although chiefly of 

 local importance. An opinion of the Attorney- 

 General was presented in the House on Janu- 

 ary 28th, showing the manner in which insti- 

 tutions were decided by the Executive to be 

 sectarian or not. He says : 



The prohibition in the Constitution against appro- 

 priating money to any denominational or sectarian 

 institution has reference to the management and not 

 to the objects of the corporation. The question is, 

 whether it is under sectarian control ? Although 

 the beneficiaries of the institution may embrace all 

 people without distinction of race, nationality, creed, 

 or color, if it be under the management or control of 

 a sect or religious denomination, it can receive no 

 appropriation from the State. 



The question was fully considered by the Gov- 

 ernor in the case of an appropriation to the Jewish 

 Hospital at the session of 1876. and his veto to that 

 bill expresses his conclusions alter much deliberation 

 and consultation. 



The management is the only safe test by which the 

 denominational or sectarian character of the insti- 

 tution can be determined. In fact, there is no such 

 thing as a charitable or educational institution which 

 confines its benefits exclusively to persons of a single 

 faith or denomination. 



The sum of $710,000 was appropriated to 

 pay the military and other expenses of the 

 riots at Pittsburg in the preceding year. One 

 million dollars was appropriated for the sup- 

 port of common schools, and the bill providing 

 for the compulsory education of children was 

 jleteated. A resolution was adopted authoriz- 

 ing and requesting the Governor to appoint 

 a committee of three whose duty it shall be to 

 communicate with the Governors of the ad- 



mmg States (and of such other States as they 

 may deem proper) on the advisability of rec- 

 ommending to the respective Legislatures of 



said States the enactment of uniform laws fix- 

 ing the rate of interest for the loan or advance 

 of money, and the penalty (if any) for charging 

 or taking usury. 



A communication was received from Gov- 

 ernor Hartranft directing the attention of the 

 Legislature to the rapid growth of the oil busi- 

 ness of the State during the past few years, 

 and the direct and vital interest of a large sec- 

 tion of the State and class of its citizens in the 

 production and transportation of that com- 

 modity. As the legislation proposed failed to 

 meet the views of the different parties or to 

 reconcile the different interests concerned, the 

 Governor suggested the propriety of the Legis- 

 lature authorizing a commission whose duty it 

 shall be during the legislative interim to give 

 the subject a thorough examination, collect 

 statistics, and prepare legislation acceptable to 

 all classes and just to all interests. In the 

 Governor's view the hazard of the proposed 

 changes in the existing laws of the carrying 

 system of the State under competition with 

 highways of traffic in other States, and the 

 apprehended effects upon the gigantic railway 

 enterprises, are of so complicated and far- 

 reaching a character that before any definite 

 action is taken it would be well to obtain all 

 the information possible, and endeavor to se- 

 cure such concurrent legislation in other States 

 as will prevent discrimination, and at the same 

 time do no injury to the highways and the 

 trade, commerce, and revenues of the Com- 

 monwealth. A resolution was passed in the 

 Senate, authorizing the Governor to appoint 

 three Commissioners for the purpose aforesaid, 

 but was lost in the House. 



A resolution was adopted instructing the 

 Representatives of the State in Congress to 

 oppose any reduction of the national army, 

 " as unwise and dangerous to the welfare, pros- 

 perity, and happiness of the people of the Unit- 

 ed States." 



An act was passed authorizing the payment 

 of the necessary expenses incident to the call- 

 ing out of militia during the riots of the pre- 

 ceding summer ; also another to facilitate the 

 transfer to the United States of the title to the 

 Antietam Cemetery. 



A bill was considered, but failed to pass, 

 relative to the payment of damages sustained 

 by the citizens of Pennsylvania during the late 

 civil war. The amount has been reexamined 

 by the Commissioners appointed for that pur- 

 pose, and the total was $3,452,525.90, distrib- 

 uted as follows: In York County, $216,366.15 ; 

 Adams, $489,438.99 ; Franklin, $2,471,488.85 ; 

 Fulton, $56,504.98; Cumberland and Perry, 

 $211,778.75; Bedford, $6,818.03; Somerset, 

 $120. Upon these losses the State of Pennsyl- 

 vania has heretofore paid $800,000, leaving an 

 unpaid balance of $2,652,515.95. The bill pro- 

 vided for the issue of certificates of loan to 

 cover this amount, at 5 per cent, interest to 

 be computed from January 1, 1878, and pay- 

 able semi-annually on the first day of July and 



