Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-16
MANY REFORMS URGED
GOV. PENNYPACKER's MESSAGE
TO LEGISLATURE.

The Pennsylvania legislature assembled
In extraordinary session In the new state
capitol at Harrisburg yesterday. There
was marked absence of the party leaders
and politicians who usually come to Harris
burg for the opening Of every session of the
general assembly.
When the two branches had organized the
governors message was presented and
read.
After commencing the last session Of
the Legislature for its good works and
the advancement of the public welfare
Governor Pennypacker says:
since Its adjournment a wave of popu-
lar and political unrest and commotion
mas spread over the land and left its i'm
preston In our own commonwealth al well
as elsewhere. Such upheava to whatever
causes they may be due, are to be regarded
not as disasters. but as opportunities It
~ AT such times that much may be accom-
phshed by wise legislators to enhance the
PUBLIC veal. The unfortunate failure of
the greater Pittsburg legislation through
me nnding OF the supreme court that the
act was unconstitutional and the failure of
Dank, incorporated and supervised by the
na1onal government, holding at the time a
large amount of state funds have given the
legal occasion for the calling of the legis-
Iature together In extraordinary session.
Reforms Suggested.
nave peen unwilling that the pres
emit popular disturbances should subside
without securing more permanent results
than the substitution of one contractor for
announcer, the removal Of incumbents from
once, the overthrow of one political marty
or faction and the elevation of their on
ponents, and Inc suppression of one private
ambition in order that another may be fos-
tereo ana gratihed. have, therefore called
you together in special session, and have
named Tor your consideration certain SUBJ
Jects, no one of which can have about II
anything OF personal advantage, and all of
to the public good The opportunity to do
much to help the commonwealth in these
respects has come to you rather than to
your predecessors or successors The re-
sponsibility rests with you. The platforms
Of political parties and the editorials of
public journals are interesting but they
are advisers and critics only, not actors.
Should you unhappily fall, the failure will
pc the more conspicuous and the unfortu-
nate results the more widespread because
OF the unusual character of the situation
On the other hand, should you succeed
you will have proven that today men in
pennsylvania are capable of rising above
the din and clatter that beset them to the
heights of pure craftsmanship, and you will
possess to the end of your lives the mind
conscious in itself of right which remains
today the most satisfactory of all consola-
tons"
States Healthy Financial Condition.
The governor refers briefly to the healthy
financial condition OF the state, and hopes
that 1.-The next, or some subsequent legisla-
ture, will take into consideration the sug-
gestion of my last message, that a tax be
placed upon coal, and that the people be
relieved by the state, through payments to
the counties, from the burdens of taxes
imposed by the counties for school pur-
poses"
Taking up the failure of the Enterprise
Bank of Allegheny, Pa, the governor says:
When the national bank to which refer
ence has heretofore been made failed the
state treasurer held as security for the
state deposits not only the bonds of three
surety companies but likewise the bonds of
the directors of the bank given as individ-
uals. Judgments were at once entered
upon these latter bonds, and the common
pleas court has since decided that there is
no ground Of defense against the judg-
ments. large proportion of the state de-
post, amounting to 1915. 1881 has already
been paid into the treasury and the whole
appears to have been amply safeguarded
Nevertheless, the event is a warning of
what may occur, and ought to be needed
State Deposits Limited.
THE amount deposited with each institu-
tion should be limited with reference to It's
capital and surplus, and in my view ought
not to be more at any one time than three
fourths of the total of these two sums. It
ought also to be made a misdemeanor
punishable by fine and imprisonment to
pay, offer or receive any consideration for
the use of such moneys other than the in
terest payable to the state. or to make
or accept any promise based upon alleged
ability to secure the deposit of Them
A reapportionment of the state into sena-
torial and representative districts is urged
and the message concludes with the follow
ing recommendations:
That the fees collected by the secretary
OF the commonwealth and the insurance
commissioner be hereafter paid into the
treasury of the commonwealth and that
proper salary be paid TO each of these Of
fcials as sole compensa tion the enactment
OF legislation which will require the pri-
mary elections of all political parties with
In the commonwealth to be held on the
same day, at the same time, under the su-
pervision OF properly constituted officers;
the establishment of system of civil serv-
Ice for the commonwealth under the terms
OF which the routine appointments may
only be made after the ascertainment of
qualifications and fitness, and providing for
the retention of their offices by the in
cumbents during good behavior requiring
the filing of an affidavit showing in detail
the sums which have been expended and
the purposes for which the expenditures
were made during political campaigns"
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