Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-11-22
PoeItc4 ;m
Pe~~o4esa~ie
BY the Ex-Committeeman

/ Announcement made in Philadel-
phia last night by the Penrose forces
to the effect that they intend to abide
by the decision of the Republican eau
Gus meetings in organization of the
two houses of the next general assem-
bly, is generally believed here to mean
that the senator and his friends are
confident that they will be in control.
There has never been any question
about the reelection of Senator E. e.
Befdleman as president pro tenn not
withstanding reports to the contrary,
but there has been a lot of talk
whether the State administration and
Ware men would go into speakership
caucus.
A statement issued last night and
printed this morning says: Senator
William c. Sproul, of Delaware, the
dean of the Senate, will issue call for
a caucus of the senators, and Repre-
sentative Henry Gransback, who has
served longer at Harrisburg than any
other member of the House, will call
caucus of the Republican members of
that body. Both caucusses will be
held at Harrisburg on Monday, Janu-
airy 1. The General Assembly con-
venes the next day"
| In this connection the Philadel-
| Piio 1hquii SE (o-udy Says. Ahe pei
sistent circulation of reports of the
probability of an agreement upon
| compromise candidate for the speaker
ship brought forth a declaration yes
terday from Senator Sproul, who is
taking lively interest in the PROPOSE
ton to make Richard j. Baldwin. of
| Delaware, the next speaker. Senator
Sproul reiterated a statement which
| he made to Senator Ware that Mr..
Baldwin is in the fight to a finish and
is going to be elected speaker"
The Evening Ledger last night
| printed a story that there would be a
general agreement on legislative mat
| ters between the senator and the Gov
| ernor and that the session would be
tranquil with a compromise" speaker
| in the House. The wish of many peo-
pie throughout the State is that the
| session shall not be characterized by
| factional fighting, but as the Evening
Ledger points out in the tail end of its
story, neither the senator nor the Gov
ernor has as yet agreed to a proto
| COL
The North American in a dispatch
| from New Castle says that amend
ments to the third class city act are
being prepared. They include police
magistrates and enlargement of pow
ers of city controller
Some illuminating political writ
ing is indulged in by the Philadelphia
Public Ledger to-day. 1t announces
solemnly that "the committee on COM
mittees" plan Will be abandoned in the
next Legislature and the president pro
TEN. and speaker will name the COM
| mittees. The committee on commit
tees" lasted one session, that OF 1918.
Last session the legislators went back
to the old way. There has been no in
tention OF returning to the expert
ment of 1913.
Not in years has so much atten-
ton been given to Pennsylvania con-
gressional contests as to the count of
the votes in the districts in Allegheny
county now represented by Congress
men Barchfeld and Coleman. The
Democrats claim the defeat of those
two men and if it is so the effect upon
the organization of the national House
Of Representatives may be far-reach-
ing.
Governor Brumbaugh last evening
issued statement setting forth his at
titude in regard to municipal legisla-
l ton. He took Philadelphia as a
basis, but his remarks are applicable
to all cities. The Governor believes
statement he says: MY attitude to
Philadelphia legislation is the same as
is my attitude to legislation for other
cities. 1t has been my steadfast judg-
ment that the State can well give larg-
er freedom of procedure in matters
that affect our great municipalities.
believe in the largest measure of
local initiative consistent with the de-
vefopment of the Commonwealth as
a whole. 1t must be borne in mind
that to-day there are as many people
living in Philadelphia as lived in the
entire Commonwealth when many en-
actments were made that now restrict
nppdlpSGIV q nf hn oil nv
Moreover, the citizens of the city and
State to-day are more familiar with
municipal problems and are better
trained to participate in local control
than were the citizens of half CEN
tury ago. For these reasons l shall
gladly cooperate with the Mayor and
other interested citizens in securing to
Philadelphia the laws that will most
rapidly and effectively advance all the
vital interests of the people of Phila-
delphia- l shall gladly do so for Pitts
burgh and Scranton also. and in gen.
|. eral will welcome any benefcent leg
islation that will promote the welfare
of any municipality in Pennsylvania
and that will lay increasing RESPONSE
bility upon the people in matters af-
fecting their own welfare"
New steps are being taken by
: Democratic managers in Philadelphia
to start suits on the ground of election
fraud and the United States district
attorneys office is liable to be called
in to assist. Conferences on the sub
ject are to be held in the next few
weeks and 1t is possible that about the
time the Legislature meets there will
be much doing.
According to what is heard in
, Pittsburgh there is not much chance
. for harmony. There will be fights for
city and county nominations and q
plan of Democrats to unite with inde-
pendents and losing factions has beer
, heard of.
Mayor James G.. Harvey, of Halle.
ton, says he is so disgusted by unfair
5 criticism of conduct of his office thai
, he will never run again.
William Jennings Bryan said yes
terday in Pittsburgh that he did no
4 intend to leave Nebraska for any othel