Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-06
Poeitica i~
Pe~~eqeSa~ia
BY the Ex-Committeeman

Democratic machine leaders who
had been hoping that something
would turn up in the Legislature
which would give them material for
campaign thunder are we'll nigh In
despair aIter searching the RECORDS,
because in almost every instance
things about which they would IKE
to complain tangle up some deserv-
ing Democrats. There is, hardly
single item on which a grandstand
play could be made that would not
catch a Democratic member and
often an influential one.
Owing to the fact that there were
no Democrats in either the Phila-
delphia or Allegheny delegations,
the Democratic leaders hoped at the
outset of the session to be able to
use the Legislative Record for much
noise, but the upstate Democrats
went along on practically everything
and showed such avidity in getting
after appropriations in the good old
way that hopes were blasted. Then
Governor Brumbaugh remembered
A. Mitchell Palmer's declaration
that the state was bankrupt and ask
ed why the Democrats voted so hard
for appropriations of between $780,
100000 and $90,000,000.
The Democratic ringmasters will
get together for a conference this
month to frame up a policy for the
county campaign. Prizes Will prob
ably be offered for some real ideas.
News of the Governors appro-
val of the Bidelspacher bill allow
ing extra pay for election officers at
the rate of a dollar for each 100
votes polled above the first ESQ was
received with good bit of joy
throughout the state late yesterday
1t means thousands of dollars more
for the election officers who have
been seeking higher pay for several
years. County commissioners who
will have to pay the bills are not so
much pleased.
"A resident of Stroudsburg last
evening sent a letter to the Cover
nor in which he said that he could
not understand A. Mitchell Palmer's
objection to the conscription boards
as in Monroe county one of the men
was one of Palmer's noisiest sup
porters.
The following newspaper clip
ping has been received at the Gov
ernor's office from Senator w. c.
Sproul: There have been no COM
plants regarding the men named
for the exemption boards in Della
ware county and those who have ex-
pressed opinions upon the matter
here are inclined to the belief that
if partisan politics have been in
jected into the matter it has been
by Democratic Committeeman Pal
mer in trying to make party capital
out of some of the appointments in
certain counties. State Senator
Sproul, although not in accord with
Governor Brumbaugh in Republican
politics, stated to-day that the Gov
ernor has made every effort to han
die the responsibilities growing out
of the war situation in a broad
minded way and that in his address
and instructions to the public Off
cials connected with the draft and
registration he had shown a high
minded patriotism and devotion to
duty"
Secretary of Internal Affairs
Houck does not plan to make any
changes in his department for the
present. Auditor General Snyder is
said to be planning a number of new
moves, but will wait awhile before
announcing them.
Little opposition to the plan for
merging the Bethlehems seems to
be manifested and it is believed the
election will result in the merger
The Democratic Philadelphia
Record says that the Wares are
planning to gobble up registrars in
some of the Philadelphia districts
under the guise of Democrats and
that the city committee will meet
soon to devise some plan to head it
off. The Washington party is ex-
pected to make a claim for regis
trars, too.
The House bill making it manda-
tory for county commissioners to ap-
point registrars in Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh and Scranton on recon-
mendation of ward or city commit
tees of any political party or to file
reasons for reflections was vetoed by
Governor Brumbaugh, who says that
1t would throw the entire matter
back into the nav of politicians"
The governor also said that the
measure, if enacted, would take away
from registration commissioners
practically all power in the matter
of appointments and that it would
stimulate unworthy political partisan
manipulation and close the way now
! open to our electors for fair play and
a square deal. The courts have up
held the present procedure and the
petty politician should not be en-
couraged to defy the courts and the
people by an appeal to the legisla-
ture." The present law, he says, is
a great advance, an important re g.
form, over the old-time scandal" and
adds I'VE can not allow such reac-
tionary and nonprogressive enact
menfs to hacnnna LAY ~