Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-17
REFORM LAWS PASSED,
THOUGH ORGANIZATION
SWAYED LEGISLATURE
McNichol : Ware Struggle
for Advantage in Mayor
atty Contest Enables
Governor to Force Pro-
gressive Legislation.

HARRISBURG, May 17.-The General
Assembly OF 1915 tonight Will start upon
the last week OF its work, but the history
OF its achievements and its sins OF olnis-
sion as well is now virtually complete
Only one big piece OF legislation remains
TO be enacted. That is workmens com
pensation, and II is generally conceded
that this measure will pass fnally, either
tonight or tomorrow. When that mas
hcen done only minor legislation ana the
appropriations will remain to be acted
upon before the Legislature adJourns sine
die next Thursday.
In the more vital legislation, the child
labor and the compensation acts, there Is
n ring of sincerity that is missing In the
acts OF other assemblies so completely
controlled By the Republican Organiza-
tion. A singular fact is that on the really
Important questions OF compensation ana
child labor this Republican Legislature
wrote into the statutes OF Pennsylvania
the very laws which the Progressives and
Democrats were unable to enact two
years ago.
POLITICAL EFFECT IN DOUBT.
In the important legislation. except
local option, the Independent and pro-
gressive forces in the Republican party
have dominated. This has been due prin-
cipally to the Philadelphia mayoralty
situation. which forced Senator McNichol
20 Join with Senator Ware and help the
latter forces the passage of Governor
Brumbaugh's humanitarian legislation
through the two houses.
The Governor used every available
weapon to force through his program OF
legislation, and failed in only one attempt
because the leaders OF the two factions in
Philadelphia used the Legislature to
Jockey" for advantage in their contest
for naming the next Republican can
dldate for Mayor of Philadelphia.
The only real defeat suffered by tho
Governor. and the principal 'sin of omls-
sion" of this Legislature, was on the
local option issue. The Philadelphia lead
ers. by the antagonism of Senator Nc
Nichol and the refusal of Senator Ware
to support the Chief Executive in his pet
piece of legislation, defeated local option
lust as they forced the child labor and
compensation bills through this Republi-
can OrRanzation-controlled Legislature.
and thereby proved that they have had
complete control of the Assembly of 1918.
The effect upon the Republican party
of their advocacy of Governor Brum-
baugh's program of legislation remains to
be disclosed. The Governor during his
local option fight gathered, probably per-
manently to the standards of the Re-
publican party most of the independent
voters In the State. The praise which the
humanitarans and "uplifters'' have for
the child labor and compensation acts
may however, be more than offset II the
manufacturers and employers of Pennsyl-
vania carry out threats they have made
to withdraw their support from the Re-
publican Organization because of the pas
sage of these important measures.
WHAT WAS DONE.
The more important acts of this Legls-
lature are:
Child labor.
Workmen's compensation.
Submission of the question of woman
suffrage to the voters at the November
election this year.
Repeal of the so-called full crew
law"
Repeal OF the cold storage law.
Enlargement of the education facili-
ties of the State by the establishment
OF vocational schools as provided for in
the child labor law, The total outlay
for education by this Legislature Is
$4,000, 900.
Reorganization Of the National Guard
of Pennsylvania.
Reorganization of the Agricultural De-
partment, with a view 70 the conserva-
tion of the natural resources Of the |
State.
Reorganization Of the Attorney Cen
erals department
Establishing a foundation for an ul- |
innate reorganization of the State High |
ways Department and system and ap- |
propriating 900 for road construc- |
tion and maintenance during the next |
two years.
Submission to the people OF an amend
ment to the Constitution increasing the |
borrowing capacity OF Philadelphia from
z to 10 per cent. of the assessed valu-
ations for port and transit improve
ments and the passage for the first
time OF rider removing these re-
strictions,
A ''toothless'' housing code for Phil
adelphia.
Extension of civil service regulations
to employees OF third-class cities
Creation of code of laws for hor-
oughs
Passed for the first time an amend
ment to the Constitution authorizing
loan of s5O,OoO,oOO for good roads. A
similar amendment was defeated at the
polls in 1913
Extended the powers of the State De-
partment of Labor and Industry.
Modified some OF the provisions of the
womans labor law OF 1913
Changed the spring registration day
from the first Tuesday OF May to the
frst Tuesday of June and abolished the
August registration day in odd-numbered
years by placing it in September.
Transferred from the State to the
counties the cost of primary elections.
Passed enabling legislation permitting
the people of the counties directly ar
iected 10 vote for or against the con-
struetion of the Ohio and Lake Erie
Canal.
WHAT WAS NOT DONE.
The Legislature defeated a resolution
adopted two years ago abolishing the Of
nee OF Secretary OF Internal Anairs.
Among other important measures de-
feEted were;
county local option law,
Provision for constitutional conven-
tion.
Abolition OF the nonpartlsan ballot In
judicial contests and second and third
class cities.
Prevention OF fusion after primary
eleetions
The Legislature did not at any time |
attempt to reapportion the congressional,
lesislatiye and judicial districts, as re-
qured by the Constitution.