Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-11
ACTION ON WAR
FUND DELAYED
TContinucd From First Pagel

board, that tho Auditor General as a
member would be placed in the posi-
tion of being required to pass as au-
dttor on the correctness of his own
expenditures, which the Governor
said he believed to be irregular and
not In conformity with good business
principles.
The Governor in his message cites
numerous instances, including those
of tho Civil War, in which similar
funds were placed solely at the dis
posal of governors. Other states. ne
points out, are even now doing this.
A bonded indebtedness will be re-
uuired to raise the money proposed.
tho Governor saws.
Gives HIS Reasons
The Governor sets forth his con-
clusions as follows:
Under these circumstances. In order
that there shall be no further delay in
placing Pennsylvania solidly and pa
triotically in line with the National
government in defense of our national
honor and In protection of our. people
and industries, 1 hereby express my
willingness. if in jour judgment you
so consider 1t wise, to have similar
board, made up of the Governor. the
Lieutenant Governor and the state
Treasurer all of whom are Statewide
elective officers, to act as disburs--
ing body as provided in the proposed
loan bill. The other surviving State
wide elective officer namely, the Audi
tor General is not included in this
list for the very important and neces-
sary reason that it is Incompatible
with good public administration to
have any official eXpend money and
subsequently audit his own eXpendi-
lures. The law places upon the Audi
tor General the important and neees-
sary obligation of auditing all eXpendi-
lures made under these or other Acts
of Assembly in which money is ap-
propriated for any purpose Whatever
and for that reason it is not deemed
wise that he should be included in the
Board which will expend the money
but that he shall be left free to be the
auditor of the expenditures of the other
officials herein indicated"
Message Debated
Debate on the motion to submit the
message to the appropriations COM
mittee brought out expressions or pa
triotism from Senator Jenkins, Sena-
tor Eyre and Senator Ware. The mo-
ton of Senator Eyre referred to the
message as a lecture to the Senate.
This brought Senator Jenkins to his
feet with the assertion that the time
for o. message from the Governor was
ripe; that Pennsylvania should take
her place at tne 'front.' ol otdteS III thS
war movement.
"The people of Pennsylvania want
the Legislature to act" said the Ger
mantown senator, land why should
we delay action. / am opposed to the
disposition of the message as provided
by the motion of the senator from
Chester. l am no new convert to pre-
paredness and upon the sinking of the
tLusitania urged legislation to that
end"
Senator Ware believed, in the alb
sence of senator's who had already
started home it would be best to re-
fer the message to committee. He re-
cited the action of his brother in join
ing with Democrats in the enactment
of war measures in Congress. He re-
pudiated the language of Senator Eyre
in referring to the message.
Replying, Senator Eyre said that
he stood second to no man in his
loyalty to the State and nation and
would not play second fiddle in the
movement of preparedness, being will
ing to vote for $780, 100000 as Penn
sylvania's share toward the prosecu-
tion of the war with Germany. Sena-
tor jenkins retorted with the remark
that the Pennsylvania Snate wasn't
going to be war orchestra, it was
going into the war movement to the
music of drums.
Senator Eyre went on to say that
he was not Penrose- McNichol sena-
tor nor a Brumbaugh-Vare man. He
represented the Nineteenth district
and was in the Senate for the pur-
pose of serving the best interests OF
the State.
! The motion to commit the message
to the committee prevailed and it is
expected action will follow at the
Senate session next week. The Sen
ate adjourned until Monday at
| o'clock.