The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-02-07
DIRECT VOTE BILL PASSED
HOUSE
Ratifies Popular Election Amend.
ment to Constitution by Over
Whelming Majority-Big Change
i'm Sentiment,


in Sentiment.
Harrisburg, Feb. 4.-By a vote of
1913 to the lower house of the
Pennsylvania general assembly rati-
fed the popular election amendment
to the United States constitution pro-
viding that United States senators
shall be elected by direct vote of the
people of the several states.
The decision of the House follow
ed a debate of two hours, in which
j. Baldwin, of Delaware, made
number of speeches against the
amendment. E. e. Jones, of Susque-
hanna, the author of the amendment,
in an address to the house said that
as a candidate on the Republican
and Democratic tickets in his district
and as a member of the state grange
he felt in duty bound to present the
resolution to the house.
In his talk Mr.. Jones replied to
an argument of Mr.. Baldwin to the
effect that a constitutional provision
good enough for 124 years ago was
good enough now, and said that un-
der the present system of electing
United States senators the evils of
bossism have arisen. An additional
reason offered by Mr.. Jones for the
passage of the amendment is that the
election of United States senators by
direct vote would divorce the sena-
torial issue from the candidacy of
representatives.
Stand Solidly for Resolution.
All the Northeastern members
voted for the resolution. The six
Lackawanna members, two Bradford,
one Susquehanna, one Wyoming, one
Wayne and eight Luzerne members
standing solidly for the bill. The
104th vote was cast by John F. Man
nion, Democrat, of the Fifth Lacka-
wanna district. The house gave
eighty-nine votes more than a ma
jority.
The overwhelming decision of the
house this year in favor of the di-
rect vote resolution is all the more
significant when it is known that in
the session of 1911, two years ago,
it was not possible to get the reso-
luton out of committee and bring it
to a voice.
Representative John F. Mannion's s
bill appropriating $150,000 to the
state bureau of mines for the pur-
pose of eXtinguishing the Carbondale
mine fire was introduced in the house
of representatives The bill pro-
vides that before any of the appro-
priation shall be expended by the
chief of the bureau of mines the
county of Lackawanna shall "obli-
gate itself to this commonwealth in
such a sum, form and such security
as shall be approved by the attorney
general of the commonwealth, that
if the sum appropriated by this act
shall be insufficient for the payment
of such expenditures said county will
pay such additional amounts as shall
be required"
County Must Give Bond.
The act would give the chief of the
bureau of mines power to condemn
land, to destroy, appropriate or use
such material as necessary to carry
out the provisions of the act, and the
attorney general is authorized to sue
for and recover from the property
saved from loss or damage by reason
of the states activity, all or as much
as may be recovered of the eXpendi-
lures made under the provisions of
the act.
The local option bill endorsed by
the Anti-Saloon league and provid-
ing for units of counties and munich
palities of over 10000 population
was introduced in the house by Mr..
Rockwell, Tioga. An election is to
be held on petition of per cent. of
the voters according to the bill.
The Democratic corrupt practice"
act was presented by Mr.. Matt, Bed
ford. 1t limits expenses of candi-
dates 900; governor $4,000;
congressman, $3,5OO; senators, ST.
600 and as follows; United States
Senators, representatives $500 and
all other candidates not over so per
cent, of salary for first year. News
paper advertising and personal let
ters are permitted and all other eX-
penses are stipulated. Candidates
not filing accounts can. not have
names printed on the official ballot.
Speaker Alter announced that he
had received the petition of Thomas
d. Shea, Wilkes-Barre, asking for the
impeachment of Judge Henry A.
Fuller, of the Luzerne county courts.
and referred it to the judiciary gen.
eral committee. Allegations that
Judge Fuller had failed to decide
cases and committed various acts in
office which the petitioner deems i'm
proper were made by Mr.. Shea