Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-03

Record says: Peace overtures made
by the Ware -Brumbaugh forces in a
desperate effort to stave off the drastic
investigation of the State government,
which is provided for in the Sproul
Senate resolution, have been rejected
by the Penrose organization. Senator
w. c. Sproul, of Chester, author of the
investigation measure. admitted yes
terday that efforts to effect a compro-
mise had been made by the friends of
Governor Brumbaugh, but that they
had received no consideration from
the Penrose leaders. Yes, overtures
nothing tangible was the reply of
Senator Sproul to a question as to
whether or not the Vare- -Brumbaugh
forces were seeking a peace pact.
There can be no peace agreement
now" he added, in order to empha-
size the refusal of the Penrose forces
to consider any offers which would
providing for an investigation less
drastic"
The Record also says: "Intima-
tions that the Governors faction was
using the same methods it employed
to line up legislators in the speaker
ship fight in its efforts to get votes
dSdlllSL TIE pIOpc AllCdSuI0 were COU-
veyed by Senator Sproul. Realizing
that they have not enough votes to
block the passage of the resolution by
the House. the allies of the Governor
are said to be making desperate ef-
forts to call off legislators who are
known to favor the Investigation
The Ledger says to-day: The
Penrose conferrees received word
from Harrisburg that the departments
under the Governor were going over
their records in advance of the Pen
rose investigation. Whereupon Sem
ator McNichol said that it might be
necessary Ito adopt a stiff resolution
warning certain people not to tamper
with the records Auditor General-elect
gave the orders
Auditor General Powell, whose
contingent fund expenditures have
been getting into the limelight lately
says that the charges he made are
not unreasonable and that it is a gem
eral rule that officials of high sta
tion may be allowed to incur bills at
State expense which could not be
passed for those Of the lower grades.
He also declared that charges for
valet service, including pressing of
trousers, were allowed State officials
The fact that members of the
Legislature have been cashing their
postage orders at the Capitol instead
of buying stamps is held at the Capt.
tol to be entirely a matter for the
members. The Commonwealth allows
800 for stamps so that legislators
may answer their mail on public
business. If they choose to take the
cash for the order and buy their own
stamps when needed that is not a
matter apparently that disturbs any,
one at the Capitol. In years gone by
there were stories that members got
500 worth of stamps and worried
what to do with them most of the
session, while there have always been
rumors that some legislators sold their
500 worth for $95 cash.
Talk that Attorney General
Brown had Secretary of the Common
wealth Woods impound the election
expense accounts of 1914 and 1916
is pronounced absurd at the Capitol.
Mr.. Brown made some inquiries and
was informed by Mr.. Woods that the
accounts have been under the strict
est guard for many months and that
no one could get at them except un-
der supervision of one of the attaches
of the department.
Congressman Lewis T. McFad-
den, of the Bradford county district.
has started trouble by his attacks on
teachers institutes. Some of the edu-