Even taking into account the increase claimed for Potter county since the census was taken, the aggregate population of the two counties barely exceeds the number which the Legislature has recently indicated as the proper one to entitle a county to one judge. The Constitution now makes that number forty thousand; the proposed amendment makes it sixty thousand. Whilst this amendment relates exclusively to the right of counties containing sixty thousand population to have a judge separate and apart from other counties, still the designation of that number gives an insight into the legislative mind as to the number of population that should be embraced in judicial districts, no matter how formed. This action indicates that the trend of popular thought is towards a decrease instead of an increase of the number of judges, and I am not disposed to quarrel with those who think so. That there are special inconveniences in this particular district, owing to the fact that the judge lives in the county seat of the smaller county and that the facilities for getting from one county seat to the other are not easy, I fully recognize. It is the misfortune of the people of the larger county that the judge does not reside there, but the same state of facts exists in other districts. The argument as to inconveniences in the matter of traveling from one county to the other applies equally to one other district at least, and perhaps to more. I am well aware that the view which I entertain against the increase of judges ought not to prescribe for myself an unbending rule. There might be circumstances arising from an extraordinary increase of population or business, or both, which would justify such an increase, but I am not convinced that the facts presented in this case call imperatively for another judge. I, therefore, withhold my signature from the bill. ROBT. E. PATTISON. No. 64. AN ACT For the relief of John Maxwell, late colonel of the Sixth regiment of the National Guard of Pennsylvania. WHEREAS, John Maxwell, of Philadelphia, late colonel commanding the Sixth regiment of the National Guard of the State, expended a large sum in the organization and equipment of that regiment; And whereas, In the re-organization or consolidation of the military force of the State it became necessary to disband the said Sixth regiment, and it was disbanded and mustered out of service on the twenty-eighth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight, a few days before the time fixed by law for the fall inspection of the National Guard of the State, upon which inspection each of the ten (10) companies of the said regiment would have received from the State seven hundred dollars, the amount al lotted to each for pay and armory rent, and which amount each of the said companies had duly and properly assigned to the said John Maxwell, colonel of the said regiment, to partially re-imburse him for moneys he had advanced for their equipment and maintenance, but which pay and armory rent the said companies never received from the State, and have there. fore been unable to repay the said Colonel John Maxwell the amounts which they owed him and which he had advanced for the benefit of the regiment; therefore, SECTION 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the sum of seven thousand dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated to John Maxwell, late colonel of the Sixth regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania, towards re-imbursing him for the amount expended in the organization, equipment, and maintenance of said regiment. JAMES L. GRAHAM, Speaker of the House of Representatives. CHAUNCEY F. BLACK, President of the Senate. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, OFFICE OF THE Governor, I herewith file, with my objections, in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, House bill No. 304, entitled "An act for the relief of John Maxwell, late colonel of the Sixth regiment of the National Guard of Pennsylvania." This bill appropriates seven thousand dollars to John Maxwell, late colonel of the Sixth regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania. The allegations in the preamble are that he expended a large sum of money in the organization and equipment of that regiment. That it became necessary to disband the regiment; that it was disbanded and mustered out of service on the 28th day of August, A. D. 1878; that this occurred a few days before the time fixed by law for the inspection of the National Guard of the State, when each of the ten companies of the regiment would have received from the State seven hundred dollars; that each of the said companies had assigned this amount to Maxwell to re-imburse him for the money expended by him; that these companies never received these moneys from the State, and were, therefore, unable to repay Maxwell the amount which he had advanced to the regiment, and the State Treasurer is, therefore, directed to pay him the sum named in the bill. I am again compelled to take note of the fact that no method of auditing the account of Maxwell is contained in the bill. It dispenses entirely with the services of the Auditor General. No vouchers for payments or expenditures made are exhibited. The sum of money expended is not mentioned. The only information on this point given is that Maxwell “ expended a large sum of money in the organization and equipment of that regiment." Whether the sum was more or less than seven thousand dollars does not appear. The amounts that the several companies were to receive were assigned to him, but whether absolutely or as collateral security for the payment of the sums owing by them does not appear. The recital of the assignment makes no disclosure as to the amount expended. Certainly this is the kind of a case which should undergo the examination and scrutiny of the Auditor General. But the State was not in any way, or is it, under any circumstances, ever bound for moneys that a company or its officers may agree to pay. They could not enter into any contract which would be obligatory upon it. Besides, they were not entitled to the moneys if disbanded before the time fixed by law for their inspection. This officer, therefore, made these expenditures at his own risk as to whether or not these companies would be entitled to this money, and also as to receiving payment out of any moneys they might receive. 11 VETOES. It appears, however, from information derived from the Adjutant General's Department, that two of these companies were disbanded long after the date fixed in the preamble to this bill. That date is recited as August 28, 1878. Company "H" was disbanded August 7, 1879, and company "C," April 27, 1880. Each of these two companies received, seven hundred dollars for the year 1878, and company "C" received for the year 1879, seven hundred dollars, less the amount of material furnished for uniforms. The State has once paid the sums named for the two companies, and there is no reason apparent to me why they should be paid the second time to Maxwell. For these reasons, I decline to approve this bill. ROBT. E. PATTISON. No. 65. To provide for the selection of sites and the erection of State hospitals thereon for injured persons, to be located within the bituminous and semi-bituminous coal regions of this Commonwealth, to be called the State Hospitals for Injured Persons within the Bituminous and Semi-bituminous Coal Regions of Pennsylvania, and for the management of the same, and making appropriations therefor. SECTION 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the Governor and Auditor General shall, as soon as practicable after the passage of this act, appoint six commissioners, one of said commissioners to be appointed from each of the six existing inspection districts of the bituminous and semi-bituminous coal regions of the State, whose duty it shall be to select sites and erect hospitals thereon for injured persons, to be located at some points within the bituminous and semi bituminous coal regions of the State, comprising the counties of Allegheny, Bedford, Fayette, Greene, Somerset, Washington, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana, Westmoreland, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Venango, Warren, Blair, Bradford, Cambria, Centre, Sullivan, Clinton, Huntingdon, Potter, Lycoming, and Tioga, who shall serve without compensation, other than their necessary traveling expenses incurred while in discharge of the duties herein prescribed and set forth. SECTION 2. Said commissioners shall, within four months after the date of their appointment, select tracts of land of suitable area and character for the purpose named in section first, within the said described region. SECTION 3. Said tracts of land so selected shall be approved by the Governor and Auditor General in writing, and the deed for the same shall be taken in the name of the Commonwealth in fee for any land donated for the purpose aforesaid. SECTION 4. The said commissioners shall adopt such plans for said hospitals as shall involve expenditures, exclusive of the land, of not over sixty thousand dollars, or twenty thousand each when completed: Provided, That the plans of the buildings shall be approved by the Board of Public Charities: Provided further, That the land, before provided for, shall be donated. SECTION 5. The said commissioners shall have power to fix the salary of the superintendents of construction, and of such other persons as they may think necessary to employ, in order to secure the proper and economical construction of the buildings: Provided, That the total expense of said buildings shall not exceed sixty thousand dollars. SECTION 6. To enable the commissioners to make necessary preparations for the erection and completion of the buildings herein provided for, the sum of thirty thousand dollars is hereby appropriated annually for the years one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five and one thousand eight hundred and eighty-six, to be drawn from the State treasury as may be re quired in the erection of buildings hereinbefore described, on warrants signed by the chairman of the commission and countersigned by the presi dent or general agent of the Board of Public Charities. SECTION 7. Said commissioners shall proceed to erect said buildings and complete the same at as early a period as possible compatible with the economical, substantial, and skillful execution of the work, and shall make report to the Board of Public Charities of the amount of money expended by them and of the progress made in the erection of the buildings semi-anually at least, and oftener if so required by said Board. SECTION 8. The said commissioners upon the completion of said hospital shall surrender their trust to boards of managers, to consist of nine members for each hospital, to be appointed by the Governor and Auditor General from the counties named in the first section of this act. Said managers or trustees shall be a body politic or corporate, by the name and style of the Trustees of the Cottage State Hospitals for Injured Persons of the Bituminous and Semi-Bituminous Coal Regions of Pennsylvania, for which they are appointed. They shall serve without compensation other than necessary traveling expenses incurred in the discharge of the duties pertaining to the above-named institutions, and such expen es shall be paid out of moneys in State treasury not otherwise appropriated, and shall manage and direct the concerns of the said institutions and make all ne cessary by-laws and regulations not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth. SECTION 9. That these hospitals shall be specially devoted to the recep tion, care, and treatment of injured persons, and that in the order of admission this class shall have precedence over paying patients. SECTION 10. That the Governor, judges of the several courts of record of this Commonwealth, inspectors of mines for the region, and members of the Legislature shall be ex-officio visitors of the institution. JAMES L. GRAHAM, Speaker of the House of Representatives. AMOS H. MYLIN, President pro tem. of the Senate. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, COMMONWEALTH OF PEnnsylvania, OFFICE OF THE Governor, I herewith file, with my objections, in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, House bill No. 500, entitled "An act to provide for the selection of sites and the erection of State hospitals thereon for injured persons, to be located within the bituminous and semi bituminous coal regions of this Commonwealth, to be called the State Hospitals for Injured Persons within the Bituminous and Semi-Bituminous Coal Regions of Pennsylvania, and for the management of the same, and making appropriations therefor." This bill is intended to organize a new charitable enterprise to be sup ported by the State. For the purpose of beginning the enterprise the bill appropriates sixty thousand dollars. It is unnecessary for me to discuss the merits of this measure, or inquire whether the establishment of the hospitals contemplated is needful or desirable. I am willing to admit that it would be a very beneficial charity. All such schemes, if properly conducted, are beneficial and do a certain amount of good; and I suppose it is proper to say that the multiplication of charitable institutions is honorable to a community, and is an addition to the means of alleviating human misery. There is a limit, however, to the extent to which the State can go in donating its money for such purposes, and that limit has been reached in this Commonwealth. The State Treasurer, (as I have shown in the paper filed in the Secretary's office in disapproving certain appropriation bills, July 8, 1885,) will not have the money in the treasury to pay all the charitable appropriations made by the Legislature. He certifies that if all the appropriation bills passed should become laws, there will occur a deficit in the treasury. Some of them, therefore, must be denied enactment; and it seems to me it is bad policy to vote money to begin new charitable enterprises when we have not the means to maintain those already established. For these reasons, and because this bill is for the creation of a new hospital organization, for which the State does not possess the money to use for that purpose, I decline to give it my approval. ROBT. E. PATTISON. THE FOLLOWING BILLS ARE INCLUDED IN ONE VETO MESSAGE. No. 66. Making an appropriation to the Wilkes-Barre City Hospital. SECTION 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the sum of twenty thousand dollars be and the same is hereby specifically appropriated to the Wilkes-Barre City Hospital of the city of Wilkes-Barre, for the purpose of improving the premises and supporting and maintaining the same. The said appropriation to be paid on the warrant of the Auditor General, on a settlement made by him and the State Treasurer, but no warrant shall be drawn on settlement made until the directors or managers of said institution shall have made, under oath to the Auditor General, a report containing an itemized statement of the expenses of said institution during the previous quarter, and the same is approved by him and the State Treasurer, nor until the treasurer shall have sufficient money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated to pay the quarterly installment due said institution. JAMES L. GRAHAM, Speaker of the House of Representatives. CHAUNCEY F. BLACK, President of the Senate. |