The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-01-26
DOINGs ON CAPITOL HILL.
Interestingly Told by Our Own Cor
respondent.
Especial to The Citiaen.D

administration form chapter unsur-
passed in the annals of Pennsylvania
both for the enactment of progressive
and constructive legislation and for
the inauguration of policies that will
eventually make the Keystone state
pre-eminent in every branch of state
government.
Simphhcation and codifcation have
been the keynote of the present
Executives every move in launching
new policies and in carrying to com
pletion his inheritances. Harmoni- |
Gus cooperation between all depart
ments and branches of the state gov
ernment has distinguished the activi-
ties of the past twelve months, and
have made possible the early COM
pletion of what seemed Herculean
undertakings.
Standing out conspicuously as
mile stones in the first lap OF the
present administration are such i'm
portant pieces of legislation as the
Highway bill, the School Code, the |
Mine Code, the new Insurance laws, |
the Consolidation of the Courts of
Allegheny county, the creation of an
Intermediate Court in the same
county and the Inauguration of a
modified form of commission govern
ment in the shape of a small coun-
Gil for Scranton and Pittsburgh.
The carrying to completion of long
hoped for improvement in Peniten-
tiary management is manifested by
the recent purchase of a large tract
in Center county to provide for the
erection and conduction of a new
Western Pententiary, as authorized
by recent legislation. The almost
forlorn hope OF the Medical world
single Medical Board-became a
reality at the hands of the legislative
branch of the government under the
present administration. The Bureau
of Standard Weights and Measul es,
an initial step toward enforcing hon
est business methods, has also re-
Gently been created.
Occupying a most important place
in the public affairs of to-day are the
several commissions now working
under the direction of the Chief Ex-
ecutive; some endeavoring to codify
and simplify present laws, others to
devise the best way to provide leg
islation that will satisfactorily meet
existing needs.
The schools of this state have long
been source of pride to Pennsylva-
mans but the new school code en-
acted by the last legislature and
placed upon the statute books by
Governor Tener has given to educa-
tors the dream of a modern Utopia.
The study of years, the experience
of generations, the good qualities of
many systems and the avenues best
adapted to produce good results are
inculcated in the Code that but re-
Gently became operative. To-day all
schools from the palatial University
to the most unpretentious little
country school house are scrutinized
and advised by a state board COM
posed of recognized educational ex-
perts. And all this has been done to
the end that Pennsylvania's school
system might be placed upon the pin
nacle of perfection.
The reorganized Highway Depart
ment and the road possibilities rapid
ly becoming realities under its man
agement are an open book, known
alike to outpost and rendezvous.
Like the countless thread like ten
tacles of a gigantic octopus spread
ing in all directions the comprehen-
sive system of roadways advocated
by Governor Tener has cob-webbed
siXty-seven counties of the Com
monwealth. 1t is a system in which
the counties individually and col
lectively can well take pride and an
accomplishment that benefits rural
and municipal dweller alike.
Pennsylvania has thus with one
stride outdistanced all her neighbors
in solving the ever troublesome
question of good roads on a compre-
hensive plan. The present adminis-
tration advocates the raising of suf-
ticient funds to insure the continued
advancement of this statewide i'm
proVement and to hasten its compile
ton that the present generation
might enjoy the best possible roads
without the. imposition of one addi-
tional penny of tax upon real estate
The Mine Code adopted by the
last Legislature has in the opinion
of experts done more toward Clarity
ing the situation in the bituminous
district than any single piece of leg
islation ever before placed upon the
statute books. In the cOdifcation
and simplihcatiOn of old laws the
Code inculcates legislation that ade-
quately cOpes with existing condi-
tions, To this end a commission
has been created whose duty it is to
cOdify the laws relating to the an
III 'tNlIS 'Otbl lt5lOl anu W prepare
Code that will embody the good
points and eliminate the defective
qualities of legislation along those
lines. 1t is the aim of the admins
tration to have regulation without
determination.
OF vital concern to the entire state
is the success that has so far attend
ed the consolidation of the Common
Pleas Courts of Allegheny county
the Inauguration there of an Inter
mediate court and the creation of a
small council. BY cOnsolidationg the
courts and creating the Intermediate
court the western county has dispos-
ed of the congestion that heretofore
clogged its legal machinery; has dis
solved the accumulation of years and
is now approaching a condition that
will enable the judiciary to deal with
legal entanglements as they arise.
This has not only accelerated tha