Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-11-03
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By the ESx-Coznmi tteemAn

| Judging from the remarks of mon
from various counties of the State who
nave returned here after attending
the close of the campaign in their
/ nome communities there will be a de-
mand all over Pennsylvania within a
short time for revision of the ballot
laws which will simplify matters and
90 away with the troubles which have
beset people from the day of the
primary and which are responsible for
the uncertainties existing to-day. To-
day there are scores of districts
Throughout Pennsylvania where the
election boards did not finish their
work until after daylight due to the
size of the ballot and the system for
recording votes. 1t is nearly as bad
comparatively speaking, as the slow
system in recording official counts In
Philadelphia yesterday the voters were
confronted with the largest ballot ever
known and Governor Brumbaugh and
Iother prominent men voiced their dis
lapproval of it. In Pittsburgh the bal
lot had to contain so much that it was
printed on both sides. In many coun-
ties the blankets resembled the sheets
OF child crib. The prevailing
opinion appears to be that the referen-
dum is being carried to extremes and
that the day of experimental work on
the ballot should close.
| Inc prlnclpal causes OF diSSatis-
faction with the present election sys-
tenn are to be summed up this way:
Lack of definite provisions on en-
rollment and registration to which
might he added that there would he
an advantage in some central place
where the results of enrolment and
personal registration could be re-
corded.
Unworkable features of the non
partisan nomination act with regard
to sole nominee privileges, together
with pronounced opposition to the
whole nonpartisan system.
No method for obtaining speedy
offcial counts either for nominations
or elections.
| Cumbersome ballots some of which
i require an expert to mark
| Under the provisions of the con-
stltutlon governing amendments the
/, amendments defeated cannot be voted
upon for five years. This means that
the resolution for woman suffrage will
have to be started again in the Legis-
J lature of 1917, passed by the Legisla-
ture of 1919 and be voted upon at
the presidential election in 1920. The
suifragists Will start the ball a rolling
again. The next Legislature will have
) the new State highway loan and other
matters to wrestle with and they will
| llhtiN COIile up III l5I g..
People at the Capitol were iubiI-
| ant to-day over the ratification of the
amendment relative to workmeu's
compensation. 1t will permit the
Legislature to enact laws making
workmen's compensation compulsory
| and carry out the system contemplated
by the Industrial Accidents commits
sion appointed by Governor John X
Tener and embodied in the bills pre-
) pared under the direction of Cover
nor Martin G.. Brumbaugh. The Gov
ernor pointed out recently what the
amendment meant and people of all
ranks rallied to it.
One effect of the election will be
to bring out numerous announcements
OF candidates. for the legislature The
strenuous contests in judicial districts
over the election of judges favoring or
opposing license have caused a num-
ber of men to sniff the legislative bat
tie from afar and the lines will be
drawn in a month for the primary
nominations for the general assembly
| announcement is expected very
soon of the candidacy of eX-Secretarv
p. c. Knox for United States Senator.
He has been visiting many parts Of
the State and his friends are organic
iiH lOl V. PADDOCK. the
Pittsburgh man also talked of for
: Senator, may decide to wait and run
for Governor. Ex-Governor John X
Tener is being doomed both for sena-
tor and for Governor again. Senator
/, William r. Crows friends also mem
ton him for senator to succeed Sena-
tor George T. Oliver.
In addition to choosing presiden-
tial electors and members of State
committees the voters of Pennsyl-
vania will next June nominate candi-
dates for State treasurer and auditor
general to succeed the present incum-
bents, nominate candidates for con-
gress. for half the seats in the State
senate and for the whole lower house,
together with such candidates as may
be needed to fill vacancies on the
appellate court benches. For state
Treasurer it is expected that James n.
Woodward and r. J. Baldwin, promi
nent in the last Legislature, may be
candidates with Senators G. II. Kline
and Charles A. Snyder looming up for
auditor general. There will be more.