Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-27
GOVERNOR HITS
HARD AT 'PROBERS'
Sends Sharp Veto Message Civ
ing Views on the Subject;
!. Was Laid Over

Governor Brumbaugh last night sent
to the Senate his expected veto of the
resolution for an investigation of the
State government. 1t was laid upon
the table after being read and there
was no discussion of the action in the
session, but plenty outside by par
tisanS and opponents of the Cover
nor.
The veto message was as follows:
Il return herewith, without my ap-
prova1, Joint Resolution, File of the
Senate, Number One, entitled "A Joint
Resolution providing for the appoint
ment of a committee to investigate al
ieged mal-administration in public Of
nee and making an appropriation
therefor
This resolution has been freely dis
cussed in the public press and by the
members of your honorable body. The
people are fairly conversant with its
contents its purpose and it's origin. 1t
has not been held to be in any i'm
portant sense a measure in the inter-
ests of the people of Pennsylvania. 1t
has no constructive purpose or aim.
1t is solely a partisan factional meas
ure to give TO an interested faction u
powerful political club to compel its
opponents and indeed all independent
citizens to bow a subservient knee or
suffer the consequences.
The committee it creates would
have full power to investigate all state,
city, county, borough and township OF
ticials. 1t can even investigate indi-
viduals and could protect it's political
| friends and menace it's innocent po-
litical opponents. Such power should
never be given anyone. 1t was never
intended to be and cannot lawfully be
exercised by any legislative committee
in constitutional government. No es-
sential good can flow from such n
commission to the people of Pennsyl-
vania.
There is no recognition of the
rights under law of the parties it may
select for investigation. They have
no specification of charges. They are
not advised of the course of the
charges nor the persons responsible
for the same. They have no appeal
from the rules of procedure that the
committee may formulate. They are
IN fact, denied the fundamental rights
which throughout the civilized world
in all courts of justice, are guaran-
teed to any and all persons.
The resolution would condone per-
jury, would invite irresponsible men
to swear falsely against their fellows
would give opportunity for false state
ments with no opportunity to disprove
the same, would at great cost to the
citizens of the State, who are the least
interested and most injured, conduct
an investigation with public funds that
are needed in many vastly more i'm
portant services to our citizens More
over, the entire field of fact and the
entire truth relatives to the admins
tration of the States business can be
known at any time by anyone, without
any expense whatever.
when this Joint Resolution was be-
fore your honorable body on January
%. 1917, I addressed a communica-
ton to you in which / specifically stat
ed that L court and invite the widest
and fullest investigation of my official
acts and of those of all associated with
me in public service. / wish only that
the investigation be so free, so fair,
so impartial and so thorough as to
establish definitely the truth or un-
truth of any charge that may be
made I submit that this Joint Reso-
luton does not assure any such re-
suit.
This administration is confident
that its acts when published will meet
the hearty approval of all free. I'M
biased, fair citizens and we shall at
any time furnish to you any and all in
formation you may desire that will
in any way make known to you and to
the whole people the things we have
done and shall continue to do to give
the people all facts relating to our
public service. We are ready any mo-
ment in any fair way to cooperate to
the full in the attainment of this end.
fractional strife works only harm.
1t can accomplish no essential good.
Let the truth be known. Let the mo-
tives as we'll as the acts of men be
truly revealed. Let the sense of JUS
tice, fair play. and honor have full
expression and the people will decide.
That the outcome will develop the fact
that this administration is giving itself
steadily, honestly and earnestly to n
clean and unselfish service to the
whole people is my assurance and my
conviction.
For these reasons this Joint Reso-
luton is not approved"