Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-01-01
STATE POLITICS.
The democrats to Make an Attempt to
Wipe Them out of Existence-How Re
form May be Acaumnllahed

The democrats to Make an Attempt to
Wipe Them out of Existence-How Re
form May bs accomplished.
Harrisburg Dispatch tc the Times
MIR. Hensel, chairman OF the Democratic
state committee, is in the city and will re-
main until after the organization OF the
House, in which he disclaims any other
interest than that it shall be to justify the
pledges made by the party during the
campaign. Hensel says that between the
personal rivalry of candidates cOntending
for places he will make 10 interference,
but to the many members, especially new
meu and representatives from doubtful or
Republican counties, who made inquiries
of him rs to what plan he suggested for
the abolition of useless offices and the en-
forcement of the promised economies, he
makes answer that the party caucus
should at the outset resolve to name can
didates only for such offices as are abso
lutcly necessary to the legal organization
of the House and then take time to con
slider how many of the others can be dis
pensed with.
The act of 1874, fixing the officers of the
House, prescribes that the chief clerk,
reading, resident, journal and two tran
scribing clerks, folding superintendent
sergeant alarms and doorkeeper tiremen,
messenger and postmaster of the last
House shall return at tho beginning OF
the session and act until their successors
are qualified. Manifestly these officers
and the speaker must be elected at once.
and therefore it is suggested that the eau
Gus stop with these and carefully consider
how many of the others are Indispensable.
Hensel insists that most of the pastors
and folders. half the pages, assistant
sergeants- alarms, mesSeu,ers and door
keepers, and probably all the .anitoIs,
tiremen and speakers clerk can be dis,
pensed with. The abolition of the Legis-
lattice Record and the restriction of the
publication of tho proceedings to the jour
nal would save to the state some $lO, 900
per session which it now costs to print,
paste and fold this unpopular publication.
There is contract made with Hastings,
of Punxsutawny, to print tho Record tor
the next four years, but as he is willing to
relinquish it for fair compensation for
his outlay thus far incurred this will not
obstruct the proposed reform. Even if
the Record is continued it is maintained
that the pasting, folding and forwarding
of documents, which have cost as much
as nearly $40, 600 per session, can he done
by contract for, at the most One-icurth
this amount. He1sel says that many
members and most of the candidates for
the leading offices having expressed ap-
probation OF these reforms, and a desire
for action by the caucus looking to their
accomplishments, he will prepare for sub
mission to it a resolution declaring that
for the present the caucus will nominate
only such officers as are necessary to legal
organization of tho House and will pro
vide means to carefully investigat and
determine what others designated by the
act of 1874 are needful.
There is, moreover, a determination that
these candidates shall be voted for by the
whole caucus, and their selection in part
not be let out to slate committee for
tho few members on it to huckster over.
Before the caucus gets down to the work
of making nominations therefore, it will
be compelled to meet and decide what re-
ductions in the number shall be made
and how those to be nominated shall be
chosen. The same policy, it is urged,
should be advocate by tho Democratic
members of the Senate whether they are
able to enforce it or not. If they take a
stand for the reduction Of the present
large force of officials in that body they
will compel the Republicans to meet the
issue, and the Independents must either
join with the Stalwarts in curtailing the
present sinecures or separate from them
early in the session on questions of party
policy.