Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-21
GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE
MYTH the presentation of testi-
wv monials and exchange of felici-

MA TIT1 tne presentation OF Jestl-
Wv monials and exchange of felici-
tations the Senate and House
concluded their labors for the session
of 1915 yesterday afternoon. Until
Governor Brumbaugh shall have passed
upon the bills left for his considera-
ton the record of the session will not
be complete. Several measures of inn
portance have been enacted into law
particularly the acts providing COM
pensation for workingmen and re-
stricting child labor. Still other acts
of Importance have been placed upon
the statute books, but some time will
elapse before 1t will be possible to
make a fair analysis of the work of
the winter.
Governor Brumbaugh has been Wig
orous in the use Of the veto power and
his activity in exercising his right to
disapprove bills doubtless restrained
the Legislature from sending to him
many more measures which would
have met a similar fate. Experienced
legislators are more and more COM
ing to the conclusion that the people
Rre overburdened with legislation and
this conviction is forcing itself upon
those responsible for the multiplica-
tion of laws
Commissions have been author
ized to study several subjects for
consideration at the next session of
the Legislature and through the ex-
cellent work of the Legislative Refer
still further reduce the number of
obsolete and unnecessary laws that
now cucumber the statute books.
start in this direction was made at
the session just ended in the repeal of
many old acts, but there is still much
to do in this direction. The present
Governor is awake to the situation and
on more than one occasion has refer
red to the superabundance of laws and
the necessity of restraining the dis
position to provide new laws upon
every conceivable pretext and sub
: ject.
Standing out in any review of the
work of the session must be the re-
grettable fact that submission of
people was defeated. Obviously the
measure was one of home rule and
while its temporary setback is a dis
appointment to thousands of people,
the sentiment in favor of local option
has increased enormously as a result
of the energetic fight of the Governor
and those back of him IN behalf of the
bill.
Clearly, the influence of the Cover
nor upon the Legislature has been
helpful in preventing the introduction
of some measures of doubtful char
~acter and others positively vicious He
has been criticised for exceeding the
prerogatives of the Executive Depart
ment of the State government and
there has been a disposition in some
quarters to censure him for forcing
through the Legislature drastic pro-
posals which, in the thought of their
opponents, will work serious hardship
to important interests of the State.
We believe the large body of people
will give Governor Brumbaugh credit
for having endeavored to serve the
people to the best of his ability and
with an eye single to the welfare of
the Commonwealth He is not infalli-
BILE and may have erred at times in
his attitude toward the work of the
Legislature. but his election by the
people followed personal pledges to
them and there can be no reasona BILE
doubt that he strove in every way to
fulfill his prediction promises.
AS already indicated, the net results
of the session will not be fully appre-
ciated or understood until the Cover
nor has concluded his action on the
bills sent to him during the past ten
days. He has shown practical bust
ness sense. as well as breadth of Wis
ion, in the consideration of many of the
questions which have engaged the at
tention of the legislators and the. peo-
pie, and those who are familiar with
the tremendous strain that every occu-
pant of the Governors office must en-
dure the first few months of his ad-
ministratiqn will agree that Martin G
Brumbaugh has come through" with
great credit to himself and with the
general approval of the people.