Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-29

was taken a motion to convene in
Erie carried unanimously.
With the exception of an address
by James Sweeney, chief of the State
Bureau of Standards, on Weights
and Measures" the entire morning
session was devoted to a discussion
of laws which had been passed, and
others which are wanted by the
league but which died in commit
tees.
Discuss Laws
A comprehensive report of all
laws passed and those which did
not go through the last Legislature
was presented by Solicitor James A.
Gardner, of New Castle, chairman Of
of the law committee of the league,
and one of the most active third
class city legislation boosters in the
state.
In the report Solicitor Gardner
spoke at length on the repeated at
tempts to insert in the Ramsey
amendments another amendment
which removed the nonpartisan fea-
ture of the Clark act. He declared
that he was almost positive this
would not have carried in either
branch and also said every effort
would have been made to have it
also scored the Beidleman bill, which
would have partly restored the for
mer system of electing partisan
councilmen from each ward in city.
Mayor Louis FRANKIE, of Johns
town, supported by Mayor Kits and
other officials who have taken much
interest in the legislation, cham
pioned Mr.. Gardner's cause to have
the league work together. Mayor
n. L. a 1axE
which resulted in the failure to get
needed legislation and declared that
unless each city got back of the move
for betternment the House and Sen
ate would do the same at future
sessions.
Must Organize
Mr.. C. Rhone, Williamsport, then
took the floor and told the delegates
to organize and fight for the laws
they want.
"The only way to get them will
be to show the Legislature that we
as city officials know more about the
need of third class cities than men
from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and
Scranton" Mr.. Rbone said. He rec
commended the appointment of a
committee of fifteen. to be composed
as five mayors, five councilmen and
five solicitors, each from a different
city in the league, TO De placed in
charge of bills which are presented
at the 1919 session. He joined Mayor
Kits and Mayor FRANKIE in their
criticisms of civic and political bod
les who attempted to influence the
Legislature and have partisan
amendments added to the Clark act.
Questions Noppartisan Ticket
The discussion on the .nonpar-
tisan clause in the Clark act brought
suggestion from James p. Golfer,
of Meadville, that city school direc-
tors should be placed under a sim
liar provision. He also questioned
the advantage of making candidates
for the Supreme and Superior court
bench run on non-partisan tickets.
One of the recent acts of the
Legislature will Gequire an third
class cities to advertise and sell
city bonds to the highest bidder
Mayor Kits stated he was opposed
to this measure as city finane de-
partments often can sell blocks of
bonds at much higher figures than
when advertised for and sold to
bidders
Ira w. Stratton, eX-Mayor of
Reading, who presided this morning,
also questioned whether in the future
sinking fund commissioners may
purchase city bonds and save the
four-mill State tax, at the same time
getting the interest on the bonds for
the sinking fund.
A summary of Solicitor Gardner's S
report follows:
Bills which were passed in the
recent Legislature and which were
favored by the league, to fill coun-
cilmanic vacancy by appointment by
remaining members in council; civil
service for police department; civil
service for paid fire departments,
and changing the time for submitting
city, school and poor tax duplicates
to the city treasurer from June l to
March /.
Bills passed relating to third class
cities: Giving permission to cities
to appropriate funds for musical
entertainments, such as band con-
certs, during the year; permitting
annexation of territory in a county
adjoining the one in which the city
is situated; setting date for special
registration prior to special city cleo
ton; compelling borough councils
to pass ordinances providing for an
nexation to cities; putting electrical,
engineering and building inspection
departments under civil service; re-
quiring city controllers to sign all
warrants giving cities power to
lease water supply works; requiring
advertising for bids in selling city
bonds.
Bills which were favored by the
league but did not pass or did not
come out of committee: Exempting
city bonds from four-Tlll State tax;
subjecting public service corpora
tion real estate to tax for municipal
purposes; requiring a notice within
thirty days of injury or death of
city employee; giving municipalities
power to make their own plumbing