Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-05
Poe;EcA ;~
Pe~~oqeSa~ia
By the Ex.CommitteemsH

Influential newspapers are COM
mencing to take up the demand for n
businesslike session of the Legislature
and to protest against the delay which
has occurred since the lawmakers or
ganized more than month ago. Some
of the newspapers now protesting
against the policy of do as little as
possible did not pay much attention to
the numerous editorial expressions
which appeared in favor of short,
busy session with as few new laws as
possible and Il minimum of factional
fighting. The blank pages of the
Legislative Record, however, have
caused them to protest.
The Pittsburgh Gazette-Times rakes
the legislators for doing nothing and
raps the Penrose leaders for not speed
ing up business and criticises the Cow
ernor for not doing his part by send
ing in nominations The Philadelphia
Ledger Is vigorous in denunciation of
the tactics of those in control.
The belief is that as soon as the
Sproul resolution is out of the way
things will begin to move. Most of
the committees will start work this
week.
Opinion in regard to the probe
appears to be that 1t will be passed
and become effective in spite of what
the administration may do. There are
demands by newspapers for a probe
regardless of where 1t strikes.
Senator Penrose had long talk
with the Philadelphia charter revision
lists on Saturday and several bills
which Mayor Smith does not like are
due to be presented. Some of the
Philadelphians are hitting back ut
Penrose by calling attention to his
absence from Congress on Saturday.
The borough of Bristol has named
John Roberts as manager at $4,000 a
year. He will carry out the orders of
the town council. This is the borough
in which Joseph r. Grundy is big
factor.
A statewide convention to urge
enactment of a prohibition law is TO
be held in Pittsburgh on February Is,
when legislative program will be
outlined.
Notwithstanding denials from
| high quarters and q statement by
Secretary Ball that no one had had
the temerity'' to make q suggestion
of q compromise in the investigation
the Penrose people insist that there
! were peace overtures made and that
they have been cast aside. The State
administration people are now saying
that they do not fear an investigation,
but that 1t would not be fair in the
form proposed by the. Sproul resolu-
| ton.
Insurance Commissioner O'Neirs
| defiance of Senator Penrose appears
to have been attracting attention. The
Insurance Commissioner says there Is
nothing that he need care about in
connection with the investigation and
that he has some opinions about It
which are not hattering to Penrose.
! The Philadelphia North American
| in dispatch from Montrose quotes
| Commissioner w. d. B. Ainey as say
ing he would not raise his hand 10
stay the investigation and that if a
probe comes he wants it to be made
| wide and deep and exploratory
M. r. Stokes, the Coudersport
oracle who failed in his effort to stop
| Senator Frank f. Baldwin's election,
is now writing pieces in his paper in
which he assails the manner of CIV
ing committee places to Potter coun-
| tians. Potter got cEairmanships in
! both houses. more than it has had
| in many years.
| Representative r. L. Wallace, of
! Lawrence, says that the reason he
did not get good committee places
was because he did not vote for the
winner for Speaker The same Is true
of some 65 other members of the
House as it was also true in a way of
Penrose men when the Ware element
dominated the selection of a Speaker
| in the session of 1915.
| Ex-senator Ernest L. Tustin, OF
Philadelphia, is being industriously
doomed for mayor of that city by the
McNichol element. He was discussed
as q candidate a few years ago. In
Pittsburgh half a dozen men are be-
ing talked of for this falls mayoralty
contest and Scranton is thinking
about it's candidates, too.
Democratic members of the Sem
ate and House met to-day with Major
f. Lowry Humes and other members
of the Democratic State legislative
advisory committee at the State head
lquart ers and determined to
have a resolution endorsing the stand
of the President in the German crisis
presented tonight. Republican men,
bers of the Legislature will give the
measure cordial support. 1t is not
certain just who will present the ESQ.,
luton, but Representative Charles A
Shaffer of Columbia, may have charge
of 1t. Democratic leaders are said 70
he urging Democratic Senators to vote
for the Sproul resolution when IT
comes up in the Senate tonight and
la pronounced sentiment in favor OF