Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-20
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BY the Ex-Committeeman

The legislative situation, which is
the sore point in State politics just
now, seems to be quieting down, al
though it is liable to change over
night. The sentiment in both
branches appears to be to adjourn
next Thursday, June 3S, and sugges-
tions of extension of the time. even
to save the jam of bills on the House
calendar. are unpopular. Both Re-
publican and Democratic leaders
realize that 1t would be best for the
future to have the legislators close
up their work on the day fixed.
The Republican leaders figure out
that many of the mistakes of this
session can be obliterated by a busi-
nesslike close and the get-together
idea was strong on Capitol Hill this
morning, while the Democrats who
have fallen down harder than at any
Tune in decade are now aware of
their lost opportunities and the sorry
spectacle they have made of them
selves and are anxious to go home.
The Democratic record of achieve
ment will be less this session than
even Republicans hoped and there
VIII be nothing to support the
grandiloquent promises made to the
President. In no instance have the
Democratic leaders attempted to
carry out the much trumpeted poll
cies of their legislative program and
there will be a reckoning among the
party leaders over the failure to
make a record when everything was
favorable.
The decision of the House yes
terday not to adopt a rule which
would kill off the House bills on the
calendar means that there will prob
ably be a Friday session. Next week
will be devoted to Senate bills. while
the upper branch will work on House
bills. 1t is probable that members
of the House will wake up to the
time lost in oratory and how bills
are being killed because certain
persist in making speeches
several times a day. Twice the num-
ber of bills passed yesterday could
have been sent to the Senate If the
debating had been curtailed, and 1t
could have been, because much of
other bills, aired in interviews or
given out in committees.
Among legislative visitors was P.
A. Philbin, a member of the House
from Lackawanna a decade ago. Mr..
Philbin was here for the first time
in nine yeras and remarked upon
the changes in the personnel and the
way of doing things.
-Ex-Speaker George E. Alter,
who left for his homo in Allegheny
,N,v1 11s-N l,n a,.tx
greetings by many of his former col
leagues. The ex-speaker said he just
came over to see the lawmakers at
work.
Albert Davis, former member
from Scranton, who is here this
week, is being talked of for mayor
OF that city.
There were f1ocks of rumors go
ing about the Hill to-day about an
agreement on appointments to follow
the settlement of the fuss over the
direct inheritance tax bill. 1t was
said that the first lot would be sent
to the Senate on Monday night.
The passage of the mine cave"
bills last night in the House was very
tame when one considers the fuss
made over them. These bills, which
are very vital to the welfare of
people in the Scranton district, have
been before the House or it's COM
mittees since February. They are
now up to the Senate.
The gathering of rival leaders
in Senate and House at the dinner
of Chairman Stern's judiciary special
committee last night was the talk of
the Capitol. 1t was a regular love
feast and the Philadelphian, who has
been lam basted for factionalism from
time to time, has a right to be proud
of II