Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-24
Ehrni1tg Ghat

In all probability Harrisburg will
take the lead in the movement which
has already started throughout the
State to take kinks out of the nom
partisan primary election act. From
all accounts the same conditions pre-
vailed in Wilkes Barre and other cities
that happened here when the primary
vote was counted. Candidates for
mayor received big votes, enough 10
entitle them to the sole place and until
technicalities were Strengthened out
some of them were very uneasy. The
demand seems to be for a palmer
statute governing such matters. In re-
gard to councilmen the provision that
candidates for city fathers seats must
have majority of all ballots given out
is declared in other places, as we'll as
here, to be very complicated matter
Just why there should be a difference
in regard to mayoralty and council
manic candidates is not clear. In all
probability the next legislature will be
requested to clarity the law and to
make very plain and simple provi-
sions whereby men who get the un-
disputed majority of the primary votes
and are very certainly the peoples
| choice should be spared the turmoil
of a second election. 1t might be
added that a good many people who
were inclined to say things about the
nonpartisan act sec in the majority
| vote principle an excellent idea, al
though crudely provided by the law
makers.
1t is doubtful If anything on the long
trip about the improved portions of
Harrisburg impressed the scores who
rode yesterday more than the disap-
pearing portion of the Eighth ward.
| Few had any idea that the commission
| appointed by Governor Tener had ac-
| complished so much and there were
expressions of surprise at the bare
places and the impromptu Fairgrounds
into which the youngsters of that Sec
ton had turned vacant lots. The COM
pleted improvements were plain to
everyone and those in progress were
well eXemplitied in places, but the
| Eighth ward furnished material for
an idea of what Harrisburg is going
to be like. incidentally, there were
many who asked what would be done
with the State street bridge.
| 81 have never been in a city where
there was more public spirit than here
in Harrisburg" said Jerome X. Bar
rett, attorney and former newspaper
man of Scranton who was in the city
yesterday as the guest of Fred Hand
| of the Department of Labor and In
| dustry. Your city looks it, too,' he
| continued. There is evidence that
your faith is expressed in works as
we'll as words. Everywhere | go the
people are talking public improve
ments | thought this celebration was
meant to mark the closing of the i'm
provement chapter, but unless 1 miss
my guess it is only q stepping stone
to even bigger things for the future.
You can't stop people as much in ear
n Cf u Of / n nj ieNI IN
| be-
! Two of the men successful at the
Allegheny primaries are well known to
many residents of this city. Joseph
N. Mackrell, legislative correspondent
of the Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph.
has been nominated for Pittsburgh
city council after a hard fight, and
Addison C. Gumbert, of the Public
Service Commission, has been named
for county commissioner. Mr. Gum
bert, who used to play baseball, is one
He is an inspector for the commission,
but has been on leave politicating.
! The city's front steps" appear to
have a use which the average man
never expected and which he is being
daily surprised to note. 1t is fine for
women to sit on the park benches in
some sections which are not much fire.
lquented and to dry their hair. The in
spection party passed several yester-
day who were enjoying the sunlight
and getting their long hair dry at the
same time.
William Draper Lewis, the Phila-
delphia lawyer who was Washington
party nominee for a time last year,
was here yesterday before the Public
Service Commission and made some
remarks about bonding companies
that might object to making payment
under certain circumstances. 1t hap
pened that Thomas b. Smith, the next
mayor of Philadelphia, was interested
in the bonds "All right, Dean, good
by for you for district attorney next
time" jested a friend.