690 



PENNSYLVANIA. 



with the senatorial contest, and the passage of 

 the so-called McCarrell jury bill. This measure 

 was for limiting the power of the prosecution to 

 challenge jurors, and the charge was made that 

 it was pushed at this time in order to aid in the 

 acquittal of Mr. Quay in the trial that was about 

 to come on. It was eventually defeated. The 

 investigating committee brought in a majority 

 and a minority report. The majority report re- 

 cited at considerable length the testimony taken 

 by the committee, and said the evidence disclosed 

 that undue means were taken by many persons 

 corruptly to solicit members of the House, both 

 for the purpose of influencing their official action 

 in reference to the McCarrell jury bill and in refer- 

 ence to their official action to the election of a 

 United States Senator. This corrupt solicitation, 

 the report said, consisted of offers of money, posi- 

 tion, advantage, and political preferment. Nine 

 persons were named against whom the committee 

 recommended that legal action be brought. Some 

 of those named are Republicans and some 

 Democrats. The minority report was substan- 

 tially in accord with the majority report. A 

 committee was appointed to. bring criminal pro- 

 ceedings; the Governor cut from the appropria- 

 tion bill the $5,000 designated for the expense 

 of the prosecution. Several indictments were 

 found after the close of the session, and the date 

 of trial was fixed for January, 1900. 



After the acquittal of Senator Quay in the trial 

 for conspiracy with his son and ex-State Treas- 

 urer Haywood and J. S. Hopkins, for alleged 

 misuse of State funds on deposit in the People's 

 Bank of Philadelphia, he was appointed United 

 States Senator by the Governor the same day, 

 April 21. 



Bills were introduced for increasing the rev- 

 enues, with a view to providing for payment of 

 the deficiency of $3,500,000 in the State treasury, 

 but most of them failed. One that became a law 

 was the mercantile tax bill, which goes into effect 

 in 1900. The former law called for taxes only on 

 sales amounting to $1,000 or over; under this 

 there are no exemptions. Retail dealers must 

 pay annually $2 and 1 mill on their gross 

 receipts ; wholesale dealers $3 and 0.5 mill ; ex- 

 change and board of trade dealers, 2.5 mills. 

 Mercantile appraisers are to be appointed in cities 

 and counties. In addition to the present tax on 

 their capital stock, express companies must pay 

 8 mills on their gross receipts. 



Amendments were made to the laws on trial 

 of contests. A committee of five members were 

 appointed to confer with committees from other 

 States with a view to securing an amendment to 

 the Constitution allowing the election of the Presi- 

 dent, Vice-President, and Senators by direct vote 

 of the people. 



A commission was appointed to investigate 

 plans for good roads legislation and report to the 

 next Legislature. Provision was made for ac- 

 quiring toll roads and bridges by local authori- 

 ties, and for construction of side paths by town- 

 ships. Bicycles may not be taxed more than $1 

 annually. 



A general law was made for reorganizing and 

 regulating the National Guard. 



Provision was made for inspection of fruit 

 trees, vines, etc., and the destruction of those 

 found to be diseased. An appropriation was 

 made to enable the live stock sanitary commis- 

 sion to investigate the causes, treatment, etc., of 

 diseases of domestic animals. 



Among appropriations not noted elsewhere in 

 this article were: For the Fish Commission, $35.- 

 000; National Guard, $775,000; reuniforming and 



equipping the National Guard, $98,000; for inves- 

 timting diseases of domestic animals, $(i.OOO; 

 Hoard of Health and Vital Statistics, $12,000; 

 Game Commissioners, $HOO: Supreme Court li- 

 brary, $4,000; salaries of officers and employees, 

 of the Legislature, $72,078. Other measures w it- 

 Making it unlawful for one not admitted to 

 the practice of law to advertise himself as a 

 lawyer. 



Allowing a wife to testify against her husband 

 in certain cases. 



Establishing civil service rules for employees of 

 police and fire department in cities of 100,000 to 

 1,000,000. 



Authorizing the State Board of Health to take 

 measures for preventing contamination of water 

 supplies of cities of 1.000.000. 



Giving officers of charitable institutions power 

 to bind out children. 



Prohibiting goods, except beer, mineral water, 

 and milk, from sale in second-hand bottles. 



Creating a bureau of building inspection, and 

 establishing a law regulating the construction of 

 buildings in cities of 1,000,000. 



For adding to forestry reservation; increasing 

 the power of the Forestry Commissioner to buy 

 unseated lands. 



Providing for license to manufacturers of ami 

 dealers in oleomargarine, butterine, and similar 

 products, and requiring process butter to be 

 plainly labeled as such. 



Establishing a board of examiners of account- 

 ants, and requiring public accountants to be cer- 

 tified. 



Providing for the appointment of 30 commis- 

 sioners to the Paris Exposition. 



Making appropriation for a commission to co- 

 operate with the United States Geological Sur- 

 vey in a survey of the State. 



Requiring that in counties of 500.000 or more 

 transfers of real estate be registered with the 

 county commissioners before recording. 



Regulating the forming of partnership- <>t 

 limited liability. 



Providing that real estate may be sold on judg- 

 ment to collect dower interest due to widows. 



Making it a misdemeanor for candidates for 

 the office of county superintendent to pa\ 

 penses of delegates to conventions for electing,, 

 and making provision for their exprn-. < 



Establishing a library commission of five mem- 

 bers, to be appointed by the Governor for torn- 

 of five years. They are to have general supervi- 

 sion and establish traveling libraries. 



Requiring insurance risks to be approved in 

 writing by licensed resident agents. 



Two constitutional amendments were pas-e<l. 

 but the Governor did not approve them. The 

 Philadelphia Municipal League brought pro,l 

 ings to compel the Secretary of State to advert i-e 

 them, as required, sixty days before election on 

 the ground that the Governor's approval \\a- not 

 necessary. The judge refused the mandamus, 

 holding that the approval of the Governor i- re- 

 quired, as for any other act of the "Legislature. 

 One of the amendments proposed was to regulate 

 the registration of electors, and the oilier pm- 

 vided for greater secrecy in voting, allowing tin 1 

 introduction of voting machines. 



The law of 1897 providing for a direct inherit- 

 ance tax of 2 per cent, on personal property above 

 $5,000 was declared unconstitutional, on the 

 ground that the exemption violates the provision 

 that taxes must be uniform on the same cla-~ of 

 property. The law providing that partie- to civil 

 suits, except those acting in a fiduciary capa 

 may dispense with jury trial, and submit to de- 



