Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-06-16
EVENING CHAT

IT. has become rather fashionable
for people connected with politics and
newspapers to say and write things
about the state wide primary law
which has had it's first test. but beyond
doubt the law has some good features
for the registering of the freemen' s
will. However,. If the law is to be
effective there will have to be two
changes. One of these is too gen.
orally recognized to require comment.
1t is the limitation of expenses. A
poor man simply has no chance. AS
to the other point of objection, people
on Capitol Hill speak feelingly. There
is no provision for prompt returns.
The primary was held on May 10 and
the last returns were received at the
office of the Secretary of the Common
wealth on June 13. One man re-
marked when they came in that it was
matter of regret that the figures
would have made a full month. The
difficulty is that the law provides just
! the ordinary method of computing the
returns and in some counties the
method is expensive and easy. The
people in charge take their time about
the count and sometimes a week
elapses after the official count is given
to the local newspapers before it
reaches the Capitol. Philadelphia,
Allegheny and LuZerne are always late.
Lackawanna. Westmoreland and some
other counties make about the same
time as Dauphin. But just why the
complete returns from Allegheny and
Philadelphia should be three weeks
after the primary before reaching the
office of the recording officer passes
comprehension. 1t was not until yes
terday that the total of the vote cast
for Governor and United States SEN
ator was ascertained. The law requires
tho state committees to meet within
three weeks after the primary and
last year and this year they met with
only part of the returns available to
make up their rolls.
A man with length of pipe is apt
to cause some ruction when he turns
around in the street without giving
warning, but he has nothing on the
owner of an automobile that is put to
the duty of carrying two joists, es-
pecially when the automobile starts to
dc stunts in a narrow street. The other
day an automobile went up Thirteenth
street with a pair of long wooden
beams. They We're easily eighteen feet
long, maybe longer. One was on the
fender on each side. The car went all
right as long as it was going straight
ahead, but when 1t started to turn a
laundry wagon horse was set back two
feet in astonishment at what went by;
another automobile was backed into a
tree and street car halted in surprise.
Superintendent Samuel B. Rambo
and Controller Samuel c. Todd put the
newspapermen attending the flag
transfer exercises yesterday into the
water wagon class. 1t happened that
the stands for the speakers and for the
veterans were located on either side of
the north fountain in Capitol Park.
They were so placed that the veterans
might sit in the shade and at the same
time be near the Capitol. The round
fountain was right between them and
when the scribes went to work they
were escorted to the fountain and told
to get in. OF course, the water was
not running and the side of the foun-
tain made a capital place to fend off
folks who are fond of bothering news
papermen when they are doing a big
story. In fact, it was one of the
incest places any newspaperman could
wish to be. He was close to the news
and not bothered by visitors, had
plenty of room and a good view. Only,
everyone was wondering what would
happen if some wag had turned on the
water.
The popular interest in the flag
u ohotCl tNtitlStS WdS dDtIy
to-day by the crowds which gathered
at the rotunda of the Capitol to see the
battle flags which have been placed
there for all time. The flags were in
the cases and the glass placed in front
of them by sundown last night and
to-day veterans were standing before
them telling of the sights on which
the flags had been a central figure.
One of the conductors on a car
which passes out Market street has a
habit that makes motorists mad. He
will wait until he collects every fare
before he closes the doors of his car
and gives the signal to start. He
goes on the theory that until q pas
senger has paid the fare he is not on
the car, and that while the door is
open there is hope for one more. No
matter whether his car had ninety
people on it there is always room for
more.