Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-23
SNYDER SAYS HE
WILL INVESTIGATE
Auditor General-Elect Makes
Some Tart Statements; Sproul
Flags the Governor

Snyder, who intimated several times
in the course of his visit to Harrisburg
this week that lie proposed asking q
legislative inquiry into various mat
ters connected with the departments
of the State government, declared last
night in Philadelphia that he would
turn on the light" himself The
Auditor General said that he would
start investigating as soon as the Sen
ate met and continue as long as he
was in the Senate and that the rest
of the work of inquiry would be car
ried on after he became Auditor GEN
eral Senator Snyder's statements
We're made coincident with scath-
ing denunciation of the course of the
Brumbaugh administration in fac
tional politics, which was even more
severe than that made by Senator
Penrose a few days ago and which
was characterized by Governor
Brumbaugt as a fabrication"
Senator Snyder said: Il will give the
present administration and everybody
else all the publicity that is wanted.
For one thing, l will see that a dozen
or more political derelicts who are
drawing pay from the State while liv-
ing in Philadelphia and doing nothing
in the way of service to the State are
sent about their business if they have
any.
Another thing = I purpose that
every department, from the Governors
on down, shall account for every dol
lar of the States money spent by
them and accounted for monthly. 1t
will be interesting to the people to
learn how their money is wasted in
the form of long distance telephone
calls and kilograms by State officials
who are strangers to their offices. /
shall also demand to know how tele-
phone charges are run up by State
officials playing the game of factional
politics. The time is ripe for a house
cleaning on Capitol Hill and it will
be for the good of the Republican
party in this State.
Il do not want to be misunderstood
| am not going to turn reformer. but
/ am going to see that any Republican
l appoint, or who is now in office, does
fair amount of work for the pay he
draws from the State: 1t may prove
to be big job, but I'll put q lot of
energy in it. What this State needs
just now is less of the uplift-vision
stuff and a lot more of the straight
forward business method that kicks
incompetents, loafers and political
mountebanks out of office and gives
the taxpayer a run for his money.
I'm my own good time l will give
the voters an insight into the extrava-
CANT unbusinesslike methods that
honeycomb some of the departments
on Capitol Hill. l am not talking at
random. l have investigated condi-
tions, and, If the time were propitious,
could tell of at least 10 residents of
Philadelphia who are on the States
payroll without doing a stroke of work
in return.
Some humbug uplifters said dur
ing the campaign that | was unfit to
fill the Office of Auditor General, but
nd To hiY,lr nfl flnnr yic,r
as they gave me the highest vote OBJ
tanned by any candidate. But putting
aside the question of character and
unfitness, ] purpose to show what in
dustry and a decent regard for the
common virtues will bring about"
The Sproul Charges
Senator Sprouts statement said:
"Baldwins candidacy has not been
in State politics, but it is rapidly TAX
ing the shape of a protest against the
prostitution of the eXecutiN depart
ments of the Government to basest
of factional purposes. | have been in
the Senate for 20 years and am
familiar with the political history of
the State for a much longer period,
and l have never known or heard of
time when such practices as are now
being used in the cause of sweetness
and Justice in our public affairs were
even considered.
THE business of the great State is
being practically paralyzed and the
important departments utterly demor-
allied by the dragooning of the Off
cials and employees in order to bolster
UP the factional cause into which the
Governor has again been thrust by
those who have him in their charge.
Threats, cajolery, promises and what
are, in effect, bribes of positions are
being used in all directions, and the
administration is again floundering in
a mire of scandal and disorganization.
Says Baldwin Will BE Fair
''The result of it all is a net gain for
Baldwin which will become a walk
over when the caucus meets. Mr..
Baldwin deserves the SpeakerShip
through long and creditable record
in the House. No man upon the floor
of that body has held the more con-
tinuous respect of His associates in n
long career An examination of his
record will show that no man has
more consistently favored measures of
public benefit especially those in
which the interests of agriculture and
labor were involved.
''He is not man to advocate half |
baked theories, but he has killed more |
fool bills and kept off of the statute
books more freak legislation than any |
man within my knowledge. He will be |
absolutely fair as Speaker, and no
measures seriously considered need
rear any lHHueHce OF MS Will De uSeQ
to prevent a full and free discussion |
BaIdwin's Attitude
'The following letter which lie has
sent to United States Senator Oliver
indicates Baldwins viewpoint in mat
ters of the kind:
"I am a candidate for election as
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives and write to ask your support. If
elected Speaker l shall consider it my
duty to see that all important meas
ures are permitted to nave full con-
sideration on the floor of the House, |
and shall not use the influence of the |
office in any way to suppress meas
ures.
-"I call your attention particularly |
to my views on the matter, because |
know of your interest in the local op-
tion movement, and l should consider |
it my duty as Speaker to see that any |
local option measure has fair and i'm |
partial treatment and shall be report I
ed from TIE committee for considera-
tion of it's merits on the floor of the |
House of Representatives. MY oppon-
ents have publicly declared that local |
option is not involved in this contro-
versy, and I feel therefore justified in |
appealing to all Republicans for their
support.
STAND FOR
q -