The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-10

borough charters are duuSSu IuSy
may be taken away.
Such action would be a terrible
lesson to Coatesville, certainly, and
an example to other communities
where future enactment of similar
outrages are possible.
Governors Tener's endorsement
of the movement for greater freedom
of action and a larger measure of
home rule for cities of the third
class will be particularly gratifying
to the people of Harrisburg, Wilkes
Barre, Erie, Reading-all the lead
ing cities of Pennsylvania outside
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scran-
ton. The restrictions which have, up
to this time, hampered and cramped
the larger third-class cities, refusing
to permit them to do anything that
the weakest city in their class could
not do with perfect propriety, have
become intolerable, and Governor
Tener, in advocating immediate re-
lief, has in effect assumed the lead
ership of a very important move
ment
The recommendation that a COM
mission be created to investigate and
report to the Legislature on the de-
STABILITY of establishing a State Fair
will meet with general public ap-
proval.
One of the most important rec
nor, is that providing for the aboli-
ton of the Department of Internal
Affairs through an amendment to
the Constitution. He believes that
! the creation of a Public Utilities
] Commission would make unnecessary
continuance of this Department
and that it's several bureaus could be
! transferred to other departments in
the interests of economy and eff
cheney.
On the subject of good roads, Gov.
views in favor of improved highways
and urges prompt action on the pro-
posed constitutional amendment pro-
viding for a $5O,0OO,O0O bond issue
to perfect a system of highways.
On all matters touching the safe
guarding of the interests of the
Commonwealth and it's people, the
care of unfortunates, the financing
of charitable institutions and the
public schools; the erection of a
girls reformatory, the conservation
of water power, the improvement OF
forestry, the war upon blights, the
reference of the woman suffrage
question to the voters of the State,
the creation of public utilities
commission for the general super
vision and control of all corpora
tions and individuals having to do
with public utilities; the proposed
workmen's compensation bill and
other related bills looking to the
safety of industrial workers and the
employment of women and children;
the sale of liquor by clubs under the
same rules and regulations as ap-
ply to licensed saloons and hotels;
the improvement of the election
laws, the reduction of the cost of re-
ceiverships, the protection of the pull
lie from worthless bonds and stocks
the licensing of all private banks moi
included in the act of 1911; the es'
tablishment of a system of rura
credits and the regulation of the
construction of dams or other OBJ
structions in or along running
streams-on all these and many 9th
er matters Governor Tener proves
himself to be a progressive of the
highest type.
The report of the States finances
! with which the message is intro
duced, is too well-known to require
J elaboration, but the record is suffi
ciently creditable to past Republican
administrations to permit of little
boasting, even though Governor Ten
er did not avail himself of the priv
ilege. Absolutely out of debt anC
, with a surplus in bank Pennsylva
| MAS books prove her right to bt
numbered among the best and mos
economically-governed States in tn,
Union.
Not the least sapient paragraph
in the message is the last, whicl
reads:
In conclusion, it is important Il
remember that too much Legislation
) is frequently worse than not enough
J and l earnestly recommend that onl,
such laws be enacted as will, in you
unns.au.nn.a-.-a1R