an sixteen, at four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) per annum, nine thousand dollars; for the payment of the salary of the assistant chief game protector, for the years one thousand nine hundred fifteen and one thousand nine hundred sixteen, at two thousand dollars per annum, four thousand dollars; for the payment of the salary of a clerk, who shall be a bookkeeper, stenographer, and typewriter, for the years one thousand nine hundred fifteen and one thousand nine hundred sixteen, at sixteen hundred dollars per annum, three thousand two hundred dollars; for the payment of the salary of one clerk, who shall be a stenographer and typewriter, for the years one thousand nine hundred fifteen and one thousand nine hundred sixteen, at fourteen hundred dollars per num, two thousand eight hundred dollars; for the payment of the salary of one game protector, to be known as a traveling game protector, two years, at one hundred dollars per month, the sum of two thousand four hundred dollars ($2,400); for the payment of salaries of fifty game protectors during the years one thousand nine hundred fifteen and one thousand nine hundred sixteen, at the rate of eighty dollars per month, ninety-six thousand dollars; for the payment of the traveling and all necessary expenses for the Board of Game Commissioners and the game protectors; for the payment of services rendered or expenses incurred by either deputy game protectors or special game protectors, under a specific and written order of the chief game protector; for the payment of incidental office expenses, attorneys' fees, and such other expenditures as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Game Commissioners, for the proper carrying out of the provision of an act creating the Board of Game Commissioners, during the years one thousand nine hundred fifteen and one thousand nine hundred sixteen, the sum of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. For the purpose of establishing additional game preserves, and the maintenance and protection of game preserves already established; the protection of game, feeding of game, and the propagation and the distribution of game throughout the State, as directed by the Board of Game Commissioners, including the leasing of lands for game preserves during the years one thousand nine hundred fifteen and one thousand nine hundred sixteen, the sum of seventy. thousand dollars. Moneys hereby appropriated shall be paid monthly to the secretary of the Board of Game Commissioners, upon the presentation of duly certified vouchers of the expenditures of money previously drawn, and satisfactory proof to the Auditor General that the expenditure is necessary for the enforcement of the laws of the Commonwealth relative to the protection of game, of song and insectivorous birds, or for the intelligent and necessary carrying into effect the purpose for which said Board of Game Commissioners was created. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Executive Chamber, Harrisburg, April 15, 1915. To the Honorable, the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Gentlemen: I return herewith, without my approval, House bill No. 516, entitled "An act making an appropriation to the Board of Game Commissioners for the payment of salaries, traveling expenses, establishment, maintenance, and protection of game preserves; feeding, propagation and distribution of game, leasing of land for game preserves, and various incidental expenses.' This bill purposes to use the funds derived from the Hunters' License Act of 1913 to increase salaries and officials in the Board of Game Commissioners of the Commonwealth. This is not a function to which the fees paid by hunters was dedicated in the above cited act. Moreover, it is a grave question whether this is an opportune time to increase salaries, and in this manner lessen the sum to be set aside for bounties and for restocking our game preserves. No convincing reason has been given me for such increases in the cost of administration. The wardens are, moreover, part of a general system of wardens, and the increase of salaries and agents in one department is likely to be a precedent for similar action in other departments. For these reasons, and in the hope that another bill may be speedily prepared appropriating the license fees as defined in the act of 1913, this bill is not approved. MARTIN G. BRUMBAUGH. No. 16. AN ACT Making a burgess of a borough eligible to the office for the next succeeding term. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That a burgess of a borough shall be eligible to the office for the next succeeding term. Section 2. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith be and the same are hereby repealed. To the Honorable, the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Gentlemen: I return herewith, without my approval, House bill No. 850, entitled "An act making a burgess of a borough eligible to the office for the next succeeding term." This bill proposes to make burgesses in boroughs eligible to succeed themselves. There may be and doubtless are many burgesses whose services are valuable and whose constituents would gladly re-elect them to office. The act of May 23, 1893, P. L. 113, renders such officers ineligible to succeed themselves. On the whole this has worked well. The people in the boroughs are accustomed to its provisions. The fear that immediate succession may in some cases work to the harm of our people, and the general trend of thought in favor of one term for executives, alike impel me to question the wisdom of this bill. For these reasons this bill is not approved. MARTIN G. BRUMBAUGH. No. 17. Relating to the administration of the estate of an intestate decedent. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That whenever an oath is required in the administration of the estate of an intestate decedent, such oath may be administered by any notary public or justice of the peace or alderman of the county, in any of the following cases: (a) Proof of death of decedent and averment as to intestacy; (b) The renunciation of right to administration; (d) (e) Agreement relative to the right of administration; Section 2. The register of wills shall cause to be prepared, at the expense of the county, suitable blank forms necessary in the administration of the estate of an intestate decedent. Such blank forms shall be furnished, upon request, to any person interested in the estate of any such decedent. Section 3. This act shall apply only to counties having a population of less than one hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Executive Chamber, Harrisburg, April 16, 1915. To the Honorable, the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Gentlemen: I return herewith, without my approval, House bill No. 432, entitled "An act relating to the administration of the estate of an intestate decedent." This bill defines a method of procedure in the administration of the estate of an intestate decedent. The oath of office should be administered by the register of wills. The register should see the individual he appoints. See act of March 15, 1832, section 32. Section 3 of this act makes a classification that is of doubtful constitutionality. For these reasons this bill is not approved. MARTIN G. BRUMBAUGH. No. 18. AN ACT Authorizing municipalities to purchase the entire capital stock of bridge companies owning bridges situated wholly or partly within the limits of such municipalities, and exempting the capital stock and bonds of such companies from State taxation. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the municipalities of this Commonwealth are hereby authorized to purchase the entire capital stock of bridge companies owning bridges situated wholly or partly within the limits of such municipalities, provided the municipality shall purchase and own, or control, all of the capital stock of the said company. Section 2. Where all of the capital stock of any bridge company has been heretofore or may hereafter be purchased by any municipality of this Commonwealth, and is owned or controlled by said municipality, the capital stock and bonds of said bridge company shall be, and the same are hereby, exempted from State taxation. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Executive Chamber, Harrisburg, April 16, 1915. To the Honorable, the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Gentlemen: I return herewith, without my approval, House bill No. 737, entitled "An act authorizing municipalities to purchase the entire capital stock of bridge companies owning bridges situated wholly or partly within the limits of such municipalities, and exempting the capital stock and bonds of such companies from State taxation." This bill contemplates the exemption of the capital stock and bonds of certain bridges from State taxation. The Constitution (Article IX, Section I) requires all taxes to be uniform upon the same class of subjects, within the territorial limits of the authority levying the tax. This exemption of said power is of uncertain propriety within the meaning of the Constitution. If there are to be exemptions of securities held by municipalities, these exemptions should be general and not special. For these reasons this bill is not approved. MARTIN G. BRUMBAUGH. No. 19. To repeal an act, approved the first day of June, one thousand nine hundred and eleven, entitled "An act to tax traction-engines, and providing that the same shall be assessed by the several assessors of the counties of this Commonwealth, in the same manner as other articles of personal estate liable for taxation are assessed." Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the act, approved the first day of June, one thousand nine hundred and eleven, entitled "An act to tax traction-engines, and providing that the same shall be assessed by the several assessors of the counties of this Commonwealth, in the same manner as other articles of personal estate liable for taxation are assessed," is hereby repealed. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Executive Chamber, Harrisburg, April 21, 1915. To the Honorable, the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Gentlemen: I return herewith, without my approval, House bill No. 800, entitled "An act to repeal an act, approved the first day of June, one thousand nine hundred and eleven, entitled 'An act to tax traction-engines, and providing that the same shall be assessed by the several assessors of the counties of this Commonwealth in the same manner as other articles of personal estate liable for taxation are assessed.'" This bill proposes to exempt from taxation traction-engines. The act of 1911 (Pamphlet Laws 542) makes these subjects of taxation. These engines use our highways and are as much a subject of taxation as a horse or any other personal property. For these reasons the bill is not approved. MARTIN G. BRUMBAUGH. No. 20. Requiring all public printing, and the processes used in doing such printing, to be done within the territorial limits of this Commonwealth. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That from and after the approval of this act, all public printing, whether for State, county, municipal, school, or other public purposes, shall be done within the territorial limits of this Commonwealth; and all said printing shall be done from or with type set within said territorial limits, either by hand or by the aid of any kind of type-setting machine, or from plates made within said territorial limits from type set therein; or, if said printing be done by lithographic process or photoengraving process, then by a process wholly performed within said territorial limits; or, if said printing be done from hand-engraved plates or dies, then from plates or dies made within said territorial limits. No contract or order for such printing shall be valid unless such contract or order shall contain a provision that the printing, typesetting, lithographing, engraving, or any printing process used and to be done thereunder, shall be wholly done within the said territorial limits. This act shall not apply to contracts or orders for public printing entered into or given before the date of the approval of this act, nor shall this act prevent the use of plates heretofore made. |