Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-02
MAKES PLEA FOR
PARK EXTENSION
[Continucd From Page 101


digent inebriates managed upon
modern lines and devoted to the cure
of alcoholism, the cause of SO large
a part of the crimes of society. I can
not too strongly urge you TO avoid
needless limits upon the scope OF quail
ity of service these corrective institu-
tions should give. The more general
the provisions the wider freedom of
development and the larger good at
least expense will follow. Already the
limits set by the Assembly upon the
institutions at Farview, Laurelton and
elsewhere is making manifest the diff
fculty and increased expense of man.
agement.
The funds appropriated two years
ago tol State-aided charities have, in
the light of present economic condi-
tons, proven inadequate. The same
is true of our State institutions. The
cost of maintenance has increased in
large measure and you will be obliged
10 consider we'll the revenues of the
state and the needs of these charities
in making your appropriations. 1 am
sui convinced that the supervision of
the state should follow absolutely its
gifts. If this supervision can be in
creased, and it should be, am certain
that larger good and lessening expense
will ensue.
l should like to see the land of the
state attached to the State institutions
made productive in the highest de-
gree. Officials from the Department
or Agriculture should have consulting
rights in this matter. The amount of
food grown upon State lands contisu-
Gus TO these institutions should in
crease, not decrease. 1t would even
De wise to make each of these tracts
a model of careful intensive farming.
ana puollc demonstrations should be
given that farmers may have at these
points practical knowledge of good
cu!tiEatlon. The State ought to lead
NOT IolIow private enterprise
Municipal Regulation
Inc commonwealth can we'll afford
municipalities. There can be no effec-
i've control of city administration at
arm length. The people NAV he en-
trusted with the duty and necessity
ok working out in each city a system
vi government best calculated to pro-
ltote lts WeIfare. There are problems
OF local taxation that concern these
municipal units in vital way. It does
not appear that the State should limit
me VIII OF the people in deciding how
these problems should be met.
IN some cases it has become mani
rest tnat the boundaries of cities are
not cotermlnous with territory having
matters of water supply. sewage dis
posai, transportation agencies. light
ing 1acnlties, flood control and related
interests groups of municipalities
nave but one common concern. It
may we'll be that the provision for
metropolitan districts, each district
pelhS a unit for action in specified
cases. would greatly promote the wei
rare of the people.
suggestions of Importance affecting
the government of our largest cities
nave come to my attention and com
mend to your consideration the wis
dom OF granting to these great cities
tne largest degree of home rule con-
slstent with the common rights of all
the people of Pennsylvania. A smaller
oody or councils, unicameraI legisIa
tive agency, the trend to some form of
managerial or other business form of
government and wider responsibility
upon the individual citizen for the
quality of government are all instances
OF movements of moment. 1t may he
that competent commission created
by you could best analyze this situa
tlon and suggest such legislation as
VIII prove most helpful to our great
urban centers.
The Mine Cave Problem
In nine populous counties of this
commonwealth the mining of anthra-
cite coal is conducted on a large scale
1t is from this region that substantiaIII,
all of this valuable fuel for the entire
country is produced. In the agpre-
gate 1T is mighty industry and main
tains very considerabl portion of
our entire population. When title to
these coal measures was acquired il
carried with it the ownership Of the
/ surface. Later the owners of this
coal land sold to others the surface
rights and over these coal measures
nave sprung up great cities and other
municipalities. In the removal of This
coal the safety of life and property ON
the surface is seriously menaced. I.iti-
cation has arisen. The courts have
decreed that the right to remove tha
coal is inherent in the title to the coal
lands. This. however, does not change
the TACT that the dwellers i'm these
cities are increasingly in danger of
loss of property and even of human
life by reason of the settling of the
surface as the coal is removed from
beneath. IL Is question of great inn
portance. Property rights under law
are directly at variance with surface
safety All the parties in interest sense
the gravity of the situation. The
! Commonwealth may Well take note of
/ it and seek some fair and euuitnlIc
adjustment OF the difficulty having i'm
mind the value of human life and its
conservation as we'll as the rights of
the owners of the coal. The State
Armory in Scranton has already been
seriously damaged. Above sixty thou-
sand dollars have been expended m
underpin the structure and the work
/ is not yet completed. BY Compulsory
law children OF a certain age must at
! tend school. In some cases school
houses are pronounced unsafe and
several have been closed to avoid dis
Aster. ] urge you to give most con-
siderate thought to this matter and II
possible find r means of resolving the
difficulty in perfectly 1ust manner.
Civil Service
There is need for an efficient and
economic State civil service enact
ment. Until we have this means of
securing dependable and continuous
public sci vice we shall not be able to
conduct the public business as wisely