Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-06
Poeitica i~
Pe~~eqGSa~ia
By the Ex-Committeeman


will be settled within few days at
Philadelphia. Several prominent men
have gone on record as opposed to
making radical changes this year and
the fact that Governor Brumbaugh,
who had been conducting a general in
quiry by mail among judges and others
as to the election laws, did not make
any recommendations is regarded as
significant on the part of the admins
tration.
The belief is that within a few weeks
the legislators will be on the home
stretch with appropriation, revenue
emergency legislation getting the right
of way so that the election laws will
be forgotten. Every time any changes
in the election laws have been sug-
gested local objections arise and the
present hodge podge will stand until
some Legislature makes it a matter of
prime Importance and studies the ef-
feet of the present laws and the many
proposed changes.
An increase of 500 men in the city
police force of Philadelphia has been
asked by the city authorities. They
are wanted for emergency service.
The Philadelphia Press to-day
says: The House of Representative
viii have the bills containing the La
Dor Unions proposed amendments to
the Workmens Compensation Law on
its calendar next week as the result
of the action of the Committee on
Labor and Industry in reporting favor
ably the bills introduced by Repre-
sentative Woodward, of Allegheny
County, who is chairman of the APP
preparations Committee. The labor
men have been lobbying hard to get
support for their amendments to the
present law during the last fortnight
but without much success. The bill
may get to third reading in the House
next week when the representatives |
of the manufacturers forecast defeat. |
The labor leaders are using the state
ment that Governor Brumbaugh ap-
proves the amendments though he will |
not personally support them actively, |
as an argument with the members"
The repeater to the Non-partisan |
law introduced by Senator Schantz. |
of Lehigh, is said to be doomed so far |
as the clause taking judicial elections |
out of the non-partiSan column is con- |
cerned. Both Senator Ware and Sena- |
tor McNichol, of Philadelphia, are
said to oppose any act which would |
throw the election of judges into the |
political arena again.
The reporting out of the Urich |
bill providing for compensation for !
persons losing licenses has stirred up |
considerable excitement among people |
in political circles. Such a measure |
has been under discussion for years |
but the bill never got very far. This /
time it looks as though the House !
would give serious consideration to it. |
The temperance forces have been con- |
sistently opposed to such measure. |
According to some reports cur
rent in the coal country Representa-
tive Fred c. Ehrhardt, of Scranton,
is being urged by friends to become
candidate for State senator.
Members of the Legislature from
the counties in the 2Sth district, in
which o. D. BlealSley was elected to
Congress. are all home looking up
the condition of the fences this week
end. There is a strong probability
that a special election will be ordered
pretty soon and any number of light
ming rods will be put up.
The House has decided to give
very prompt consideration to the Crow
bills providing for a change in the
period for filing nominating petitions
in the Department of the Secretary
of the Commonwealth. Under the
proposed act such petitions would have
to be filed in a period twenty days
shorter than at present, the change
having been made to permit the State
authorities to have more time in
which to certify the nominations to
the counties.
A hearing will be held this COM
ing week on the bill to change the date
of the fall primary.
The Philadelphia city councils
are being urged to change the ar
rangements for supervision of street
cleaning so that the system which
prevailed under Mayor Reyburn may
be revived.
Third class city legislation will
have a series of hearings here in the
next two weeks. The House commit
tee will hold the hearings.