Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-21
Poeittc4 in
Pe~Mo4eSo~io
xy the Ex-Committeeman

Signs are not wanting about Capitol
Hill that Governor Brumbaugh is
more inclined to speed up" some of
the departments and commissions of
the State government than to make a
campaign of ''housecleaning" of the
men whom it has been reported did not
follow the Brumbaugh standard in the
recent unpleasantness. For several
days after the Chicago convention the
Governor paid special attention to the
way things were going on the Hill,
having certain political matters in
mind, but it is understood that he also
found considerable criticism was be-
ing made about conduct of some
branches of the government A series
of conferences will be held in the next
few days. 1t is said that the Agricul-
tural, Public Service and some other
commissions have not been moving
fast enough to suit the Governor.
An appointment to succeed William
n. Trinkle, of Philadelphia, as counsel
to the Public Service Commission will
come pretty soon. Mr. Trinkle, who
left the State service on June l, was
here late yesterday in conference over
some pending matters.
Governor Brumbaugh proposes to
go before the Republican voters of the
State with a comprehensive program
or appropriations for public improve
ments, which was the subject of the
conference he held yesterday with
William A. Magee and ]. Denny
O'Neil. The bringing together of
these two Allegheny county rivals in
the private office of the Governor yes
terday attracted much attention and
set many tongues wagging as Mr.
" Nell has been much mentioned for
highway commissioner. 1t is believed
that what the Governor wanted to find
out was how far O'Neil, who has been
more or less of an oliver man, would
go with him in electing legislators who
would not be unfriendly to the Gov
ernor in the event of storms arising
To knit together the local option
forces, men interested in the compile
ton of big public improvements and
administration men would go far to-
ward preventing any drastic moves by
opponents of the Governor and also
put the Brumbaugh administration in
a favorable position to start a cam
paign for nomination of its. own can
didate to succeed the educator.
night that the highway commissioner
ship was not mentioned. This is also
taken to mean that Mr.. O'Neil is not
thinking about it as much as the man
agership of the State Insurance Board
or the insurance commissionership
The Governor has been in conference
on the highway place and is said to
be inclined to either name Chief En-
gineer w. d. Uhler or Frank S. Black
10 .
Agriculture Patton to continue his
good work among the farmers.
DIR. Brumbaugh can give a pretty
fair imitation of a sphinx when he
wants and he is inclined to taciturn-
ity when possible appointments are
mentioned. On the subject of his pro-
posed comprehensive appropriation
plan, however, he is very free and
open. I'VE are getting the outlines of
a plan for great public works such as
the Improvement of the port of Phila-
delphia, the Western PENNSYLVANIA
flood control, the ship canal and other
great matters which are being dis
cussed,' said the Governor. What
we must find out is what people want
and the need for it and then to make
up list with which we can go before
the people, especially the Republican
voters of the State to make it a party
proposition. This plan or program
would be a matter which would take
in the highways and other subjects
and enable US to have a program
which would cover probably twenty
years and decide how to spend many
millions. 1t is what we need. MY
idea is to get the information together
before the Legislature meets"
The Governors plan would unite
good many elements which might
otherwise not be much interested in
him. 1t is good strategy and should
be considered as launching an often
sive in advance of an attack by the
other side. The Governors campaign
in the primary was to reunite the Re-
publican party. The latest move is to
go out with an appropriation program
to be made a Republican party meas
ure. The outlook for interesting po-
litical developments is good.
The Governor has been busy seeing
people about places ever since he got
back from Chicago and it is said that
his mail has been growing rapidly.
The number of patriots willing to take
the places of men now in the State
service is almost as great as the num-
ber of patriots who would like to be
commissioned to raise new military