estimate there shall be a sum named, not to exceed five per centum of the amount drawn from the State during the preceding quarter, as a contingent fund, for which no minute detailed statement need be made. No expenditures shall be made from such contingent fund except in case of actual emergency, requiring immediate action, and which cannot be averted without loss or danger to the institution or the inmates thereof. The treasurer of such institution shall not pay accounts for goods furnished, and salaries of officers or employes, out of any moneys appropriated by the State, without the certificate of the Superintendent of such institution, and the approval of the Commissioner. Nor shall the treasurer of any such institution pay acounts for supplies furnished to officers or employes, out of such moneys, except on the certificate of the superintendent that the same are drawn from the ordinary supplies provided for the general use of the institution. No person other than patients, officers or employes of such institutions, and the families of the superintendent, medical officers or stewards, necessarily residing therein, shall be allowed rooms or maintenance in such institutions, except at a rate to be fixed by the Auditor General and the Commissioner, with the approval of the Governor.

Section 7. The treasurer of each charitable institution receiving State aid shall, on or before the fifteenth day of June, September, December and March, make to the Commissioner a full and perfect statement of all the receipts and expenditures of State moneys used, specifying the several items for the last preceding quarter, and such statement shall be verified by the affidavit of the treasurer, attached thereto, in the following form:

I..

treasurer of the

do solemnly swear that I have deposited in the bank all the moneys appropriated by the State, and received by me on acount of such .. during the last quarter, and I do further swear that the foregoing is a true abstract of all such moneys received and expenses incurred by me, or under my direction, as such treasurer, during the quarter ending on the day of ...... . ., 19. . . .

Section 8. There shall be attached to such treasurer's statement, of State moneys so received and expended, the affidavit of the superintendent, steward, or other officer having like powers, to the effect that the goods and other articles therein specified were purchased and received by him, or under his direction, at the institution; that the goods were purchased at a fair cash market price, and paid for; and that he, or any person in his behalf, had no pecuniary or other interest in the articles purchased; that he received no pecuniary or other benefit therefrom, in the way of commission, percentage, deductions or presents, or in any other manner, directly or indirectly. He shall state the name or names of the person or persons, or firm or corporation, from whom said articles were purchased, and that the articles contained in such bill were received at the institution; that they conform in all respects to the invoice of goods received and ordered by him, both in quantity and quality. Such statement shall be accompanied by a voucher showing the payment of the several items contained in the statement, the amount of such payments, and for what the payments were made. Such vouchers shall be examined by the Commissioner and, if found correct, shall be endorsed

and forwarded by the Commissioner, with the statement, to the Auditor General, who shall have the power of final audit. If any voucher is found objectionable, for any cause whatever, the Commissioner or the Auditor General shall endorse his disapproval thereon, with his reasons therefor, and return it to the treasurer of such institution, who shall present it to the board of managers or trustees for correction, and immediately return it. If it is then in correct form, and satisfactory to the Commissioner and the Auditor General, it shall be filed. In the event that it is still unsatisfactory, to either the Commissioner or the Auditor General, the amount thereof shall be disallowed. All vouchers and statements shall be filed in the office of the Auditor General.

Section 9. All purchases for the use of the State charitable institutions receiving State aid, and paid for with moneys appropriated by the State, shall be made for cash, and not on credit or time. Every voucher shall be duly filled up at the time it is taken; and with every abstract of vouchers paid there shall be proof, on oath, that the voucher was filled up and the money paid at the time it was taken. The board of managers or trustees shall make all needful rules and regulations to enforce the provisions of this section. The Commissioner, his deputy, any manager or officer, trustee or employee, of any such institution, shall not be interested, directly or indirectly, in the furnishing of any materials, labor or supplies for the use of any such institution; nor shall any manager or trustee act as attorney or counsel for the board of managers or trustees thereof. The Commissioner may arrange with the board of managers or trustees of any institution under his control, for the purchase, by contract, of such staple articles or supplies as may be found feasible to purchase for the use of such institution, or any of them. Such contracts shall be let only after advertisement has been made by the trustees, in accordance with the directions and subject to the approval of the Commissioner. The contracts shall be let to the lowest bidder, and executed by the president of the board of managers or trustees, subject to the approval of the Commissioner. Every bidder shall be required to file with the Commissioner a certified check, in the sum of five hundred dollars (500) as a guaranty of good faith and his willingness to execute the contract if it should be awarded to him. In the event of the successful bidder failing to qualify, in accordance with the provisions of this section, the amount of this check shall be forfeited to the Commonwealth, and the contract shall be awarded to the next highest bidder. The successful bidder shall give a bond to the Commonwealth, in a sum to be approved by the Attorney General, for the faithful performance of his contract. Each of such institutions may manufacture such supplies and materials, to be used in the institution, as can be economically and properly made therein, with the approval of the Commissioner. When requested by the Commissioner, the superintendents, managers or trustees of such institutions, or any of them, shall meet at the office of the Commissioner, at Harrisburg, for the purpose of considering the feasibility of joint contracts.

Section 10. The Governor, Auditor General, and Commissioner of State Charitable Institutions, or a majority of such officers shall approve or reject all plans and specifications for any new buildings,

or for any unusual repairs or improvements for any State charitable institution, out of State moneys appropriated therefor, and no such building shall be erected, or such repairs or improvements made, until the plans and specifications therefor have been so approved. The contracts for such erection, repairs or improvements may be let by the board of managers or trustees to the lowest responsible bidder, after thirty days advertisement in two newspapers of general circulation in the county wherein said institution is located; but such contracts must be approved by the Governor, Auditor General, and the Commissioner, or a majority of them; and, subject to such approval, such contracts may be sublet. A certified check, drawn upon some legally incorporated bank or trust company of this State, shall, in all cases, be required as an evidence of good faith, upon all proposals for buildings, repairs or improvements, to be deposited with the Commissioner, and in an amount to be determined by him. All contracts for the erection, repairs or improvements to said charitable institutions shall contain a clause that the contract shall be deemed executory only to the extent of the moneys available, and no liabilities shall be incurred by the State beyond the moneys available for the purpose.

Section 11. The board of managers or trustees of each of the State charitable institutions receiving State aid, in addition to their other duties now required by law, shall visit and inspect the insti tution, for which it is appointed, at least monthly, and shall make a written report, in duplicate, to the Governor and the Commissioner, within ten days of each such visitation, to be signed by each member making such visitation. Such report shall state, in detail, the financial condition of the institution visited, and such other matters appertaining to the management and affairs thereof as, in the opinion of the board, should be brought to the attention of the Governor or the Commissioners, and may contain recommendations as to needed improvements or changes in the institution or its management.

Section 12. No money shall be paid on any contract for repairs, improvements or new buildings for any State charitable institution receiving State aid, until the voucher for the same shall be approved by the board of managers or trustees, and forwarded to the Commissioner, who shall, if he approve the same, endorse his approval thereon, and present the same to the Auditor General for his approval. If the account be approved, the Auditor General shall draw his warrant to the order of the contractor, who shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of moneys appropriated for the repair and improvement of such institution.

Section 13. It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of State Charitable Institutions to direct one of the traveling examiners, provided for in this act, to visit each institution under the control of this Department at least once during every three calendar months, and to make a thorough investigation into the financial condition of the institution, and thereupon prepare and send to the Commissioner a written statement relative thereto, including such recommendations as the condition seems to warrant.

Section 14. No warrant shall be issued by the Auditor General, and no money shall be paid by the State Treasurer, to the trustees

or managers of any State charitable institution except upon a voucher signed by the treasurer of said institution, and duly approved by the Commissioner of State Charitable Institutions.

Section 15. The sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and the same is hereby specifically appropriated for the purpose of paying the salaries and expenses provided herein, the same to be on warrant drawn by the Auditor General on the State Treasurer, out of moneys not otherwise appropriated by law.

Section 16. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,

Executive Department, Harrisburg, May 11, 1905.

I file herewith, in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, with my objections, Senate bill No. 316, entitled "An act creating the Department of State Charitable Institutions; providing for the appointment of a Commissioner, who shall be the head thereof, defining his duties, fixing his compensation, designating the number and salaries of his assistants, and making an appropriation therefor."

The purpose of this bill is to create a Department of State Charitable Institutions, and the system elaborated in it would probably, if it became a law, be of benefit to the Commonwealth, and enable the Governor and the General Assembly to secure much important information concerning the condition of the institutions which the State either supports, or to which it makes appropriations. Unfortunately, there is no provision in the bill either for entrusting the work to the Board of Public Charities or for the repeal of the act creating that Board, and of the subsequent acts imposing duties upon it. Should the present bill become a law the Commonwealth would have a Department of State Charitable Institutions and a Board of Public Charities, both engaged in substantially the same work, and both exercising supervision and a certain control over the charitable institutions. This State of affairs would necessarily lead to expense, trouble and confusion. Each is required to make report to the Legislature, and in all probability, at times, their respective recommendations would be in conflict. The institutions are required to permit at all times an examination of their books and records, and a duplication of this visatorial authority would impose unnecessary burdens upon them. The expenses attendant upon both would have to be provided, and at the present session of the Assembly bills have been passed making appropriations to each of them. In addition, under the terms of the joint resolution, approved April 18, 1905, a commission was appointed "to make a full and complete investigation" into the condition of the various charitable institutions, and an appropriation has been made for the purpose. There would then be three different bodies authorized to make like inquiries. The report of the Commission, when made, may furnish important information and enable the General Assem

bly at a subsequent session to create a Department or Charities, having all the light that can be thrown upon the subject. For these reasons the bill is not approved.

SAML. W. PENNYPACKER.

No. 118.

AN ACT

Making an appropriation to the Consumptives Hospital, of the city of Scranton. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the sum of twelve thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and the same is hereby specifically appropriated to the Consumptives Hospital, carried on by the Scranton Society for the Prevention and Cure of Consumption, for maintenance, for the two fiscal years beginning June first, one thousand nine hundred and five.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,

Executive Department, Harrisburg, May 11, 1905.

I file herewith, in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, with my objections, Senate bill No. 569, entitled "An act making an appropriation to the Consumptives Hospital, of the City of Scranton."

I withhold my approval from this bill, for the reason that the condition of the State revenue does not justify the appropriation at this time. SAML. W. PENNYPACKER.

No. 119.

AN ACT

To make an appropriation to the United Charities, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and the same is hereby appropriated to the United Charities, of Hazleton, for the two fiscal years beginning June first, nineteen hundred and five, for the following purposes, namely:

The sum of one thousand five hundred dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for maintenance; and the sum of one thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for improvements.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,

Executive Department,
Harrisburg, May 11, 1905.

I file herewith, in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, with my objection, Senate bill No. 600, entitled "An act to