The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-10
ALTER ELECTED SPEAKER ON
FIFTH BALLOT
Greatest Contest in General Assem-
bly, in Years Brings Victory
Gerberich Heads Senate-New
Era in Law Making.


Gerberich Heads Senate-New
Era in Law Making.
HARRISBURG, Jan. T. Law
making in the Pennsylvania legisla-
ture took on new life and a new
purpose to-day. The senate and
house of Representatives both organ
ized, the former by choosing Daniel
P. Gerberich, of Lebanon, and the
house organizing with George E. AL
ter, of Pittsburg, as speaker. Mr..
Alter was chosen on the fifth bal
lot after one of the most notewor-
thy contest in the history of the
general assembly.
Far more important to the legis-
lators than the election of the speak
er and president pro TEN. were the
decisions in both houses, reached
unanimously to have the commit
tees appointed by a committee Sc
lected on the floor of both houses.
In the senate are two Republican
regulars and two Progressive Re-
publicans on the committee with one
Democrat. In the house the COM
mittee on committees is made up
of four Republican regulars, four
Progressives and three Democrats.
The rules of the house and senate
are to be changed to make impossi-
BILE the throttling of legislation.
Both houses received the message
of Governor John K Tener, in
which the governor recommended ad-
vanced laws.
1t was decided to send a brigade
of the State Guard to the National
capital to participate in the inau-
guration of President-elect Woodrow
Wilson March 4.
Alters Promise to People.
George E. Alter, of Allegheny,
tall, gaunt, ungainly, loose-jointed,
but earnest, stood in the speaker S
chair of the house of representatives
this afternoon at the close of a six
hour session of the house and said:
" The people of Pennsylvania expect
great things from this general as
sembly. Let us see that their ex-
pectations are fulfilled. With Gods
help and by our utmost exertion and
devotion to duty we will accomplish
the things that we have here to do"
Mr.. Alter was elected on the fifth
ballot, after there had been a grad
ual slipping away to his support of
men who lined up on previous bal
lots in favor of other candidates.
The nomination of Mr.. Alter was
made unanimous and he was escort
ed to the chair amid thunderous ap-
plause.
Before the Speaker was elected
the house appointed committee on
committees in which Northeastern
Pennsylvania was not represented.
The house rules are going to 3rbe
changed, however, so as to abolish
the gag rule and make possible the
consideration of measures that in
other days would have been buried
in committee.
Shorn of Primary Power.
While the Progressives were or
ganizing the house the organization
men were in charge of the senate,
revising rules however, and appoint
ing a committee on committees in
that house as we'll. Daniel P. Ger
berich, of Lebanon, was elected pres
ident pro tenn of the senate.
The presiding officers of both
houses were therefore shorn of their
primary power, that of appointing
committees and revised rules will
make it impossible for the presiding
OluCClO W dSolSu ulllS W q
tee equipped with sleeping powders.
One instance mentioned to-day in
the house by John R. Jones, of
troduced last session. The commit
tee refused to support the measure,
and was discharged from considera-
ton of it after the bill had been
given in the safe keeping of a mem
hnT uhn Dnpnapnd n thn ahcnnt uyh
ever Mr.. Jones asked about it. The
day of burying bills is past.
A. F. Hobbs, of the Sixth Lacka-
wanna district, in seconding the
nomination of Mr.. Alter gave an
original poem that struck the legis-
lators. The poem ended like this,
In our efforts we must not falter,
till we've located Mr.. Speaker AL
ter"
Mr.. Alter made his campaign on a
no caucus platform. He had the
backing of prominent state officials
and the support of Republicans,
Washington Party men or Progress
sives and other Independent mem
bers. Both of his leading oppon-
ents were nominees of caucus meet
ings. John R. X. Scott, of Phila-
delphia, his Republican opponent,
was the choice of the party caucus
and after Mr.. Scott's selection by the
caucus he had the solid support of
Congressman w. S. Ware, State Sen
ators e. H. Ware and j. P. McNich-
OILS and other political lieutenants in
Philadelphia; of United States Sem
ator Penrose and of Mayor William
Magee, of Pittsburg. The rivalries
of Alter and Scott created a politi-
cal situation unequalled in Pennsyl-
vania in the last decade. Charles
A. Shaffer, Alters Democratic op-
ponent, was the choice of the party
caucus.
The final vote for speaker was as
follows Alter, 107; Shaffer, SO;
Scott, At.
The Ballot That Decided.