Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-14
MIR. BRUMBAUGH
HITS AT SPROUL
Governor Objects to Adding
Additional Mileage to State
Road System

Governor Martin G.. Brumbaugh to-
day continued his fire upon Senator
william c. Sproul, a statement writ
ten here yesterday and left when the
Governor went to Philadelphia being
issued from his office at the Capitol
In this statement the Governor at
lacked the Senator from a new angle.
yesterday he made statements ap-
parently calculated to involve the
senator in a controversy on the pro-
hlbition amendment. To-day he goes
after the Senator's course in regard
10 the highway law. declaring that
ne dld not attempt to reduce the
mileage added to the state highway
law. Commissioner J. Denny O'Neil
mas several times criticised the mile
age added to the state system The
Governor amplifes his remarks.
The Governors statement is as fol-
lows:
Mr Sproul is quoted as saying in
ms Chester county speech that he
favors adding additional miles to the
present highway system, giving as
his reason that in this way the en-
tenance would be less burdensome
matter for the people.
For three years | have declared it
my Judgment that the mileage is now
too great because roads cannot be
built without money, which Sproul
and his legislative associates would
not provide and refused to lay the
necessary taxes on corporations for
any purpose, and the Assembly un-
der such control would not give the
Highway Department the funds es-
sential for proper maintenance and
only small part of the money need
ed for permanent construction. To
aGd to the mileage is to add to the
cost upon the state. Sprouts record
here shows he has been the leading
factor in preventing legislation that
would produce revenue for road pur-
poses. He served special privileges
and not the people.
His pretence to lessen the cost
upon the people by, increasing the
mileage for the state is scarcely
worthy even desperate mans
change of front Only few months
ago he favored a tax of a mill upon
all real estate for road purposes.
tut. having in mind the effect, he
said he would not dare openly advo-
cate such a tax, although he person
ally declared 1t to be the way to
raise money to give the state high
ways the funds essential to their de-
velopment. But he as definitely OPP
posed any tax upon corporations for
this purpose.
Moreover, when I personally urg-
ed him to favor reduction Of mile
age of state highways to the end
that the states fund should be ade-
quate to the peoples expectations
and not wasted in a foolish effort to
maintain more miles than the funds
made possible. he declared that l was
right, that when the so-called Sproul
read bill was up there was a most
unfair, political scramble to add all
sorts of roads to the states mileage
and he could not prevent 1t. He also
declared that the present mileage is
too great and that he would like to
see it reduced, but that the little
fellows in the counties would not
dare go along on a plan to cut out
unnecessary sections, and he would,
he said, commit political suicide If
he openly advocated 1t.
$50 we have a man bidding public
ly for office on an issue that he
himself repudiated, and his insincer-
ity in this is but one of several rea-
sons why he should not be nominat-
ed by the Republican party. This is
no time to attempt to deceive. Peo-
pie understand. and they are ready
tc act ..