Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-10
PseiKc4 IL
Ps's~e4eso~ia
BY the Ex-Committeemaa

Chances that the consideration of
the Sproul resolution for the investi-
cation of the State government might
be laid aside on Monday night out of
consideration for Linco N s
birthday rather detracted from inter-
est in the probe to-day. Speaker
Baldwin is said to be favorable to
devoting the evening to a memorial
to Lincoln rather than to a battle.
The State administration leaders
will meet in Philadelphia to-day to
decide how to meet the resolution on
second reading, its next stage and the
Penrose people are also having a
council of war to push the matter.
Reports that Penrose men contem-
plate dropping the resolution in fav-
or of probes by fixed committees
which could take up departments and
suggest legislation have been denied.
Senator Ware said yesterday that
there were not enough votes in the
Senate to override the Governors
veto, in case he disapproved of the
measure. Penrose men declared yes
terday they believed the Governor
Ledger says: Senator AIcNichol is
one of those who think that the Gov
ernor cannot afford to use his veto
power. He told members of the Sen
ate at Harrisburg that the resolution,
having been amended so that the COM
mission would report by June /, had
been brought into line with the Gov
ernor's views"
Plans for some material changes
in the methods of making appro-
priations for contingent funds are be-
ing made by legislators. The chair
men OF the committees have been
analyzing the figures submitted by
Harry S. McDevitt. counsel of the
Economy and Efficiency Commission,
and II is likely that. the mileage bu-
reau suggested for the Auditor Cen
erals Department may be brought
about. There is also possibility that
the contingent funds may be put under
general control of the fiscal authorities
| and drawn upon as needed instead of
being parcelled out among depart
ments and accounted for long after
being used.
1t is well-known fact that audits
of some contingent funds are not made
for six months after the bills are paid.
or course, the State has a check in
the surcharge system, but such funds
have been the prime cause of most of
the complaints about the State gov
ernment.
Governor Brumbaugh is expected
to make an appointment of a Judge
for Schuylkill county very soon. There
are fifteen or sixteen men whose
names have been under consideration.
Old John Barleycorn is getting
his raps. Eight saloons are to be
wiped out in Philadelphia because of
the parkway and will have no place
to go. Miffiin and Juniata hotel men
will not ask licenses. Snyder county
sales are as restricted as in Bradford
by the new court order Luzerne and
Lackawanna liquor men are getting
after their own people who do not OBJ
serve the law and in Sullivan and Co
lumbia counties the move against
liquor will crop up again in court.
The belief is that Chairman Wag-
ner. of the House law and order COM
mittee, who has decided to report out
the local option bill with a negative
recommendation, will be prevailed
upon to change his mind about not
giving hearing. The local option
hearings in recent years have been
much the same and nothing that can
be said by local option men this ses-
sion can change things, but hearing
will give a chance to get on record and
to start all over again for 1919, for
getting the blunders and the ma
neuverings which went on in the name
of local option last year. What local
option needs Is nonpartisanship, say
observers, just as the liquor people are
nonpartisan in their opposition to local
option. When advocates of local op-
tion start to play partisan politics they
rock the boat.