Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-03
PENNYPACKER ATTACKS INFLUENCE
OF PRESIDENT OVER CONGRESS
The Famous "Bear Message" of Governor Penny
packer Sparkes With the Incisiveness Of His
Distinct Brand of Humor

The incident well illustrates two different
methods OF meeting the same problem and
the temptations that beset men in public
life to do the sensational in preference to
the useful.
A message which was very widely cir
culated was one vetoing a bill for the pro.
lection Of bears and cubs. The message
RAM:
A well-considered bill to prevent a
ruthless and wanton destruction of bears
and cubs would. no doubt, answer a pub.
lie need, but the present bill Ia entirely
too sweeping and too stringent in its pro-
visions. 1T Is directed that Il shall not be
lawful FOR any person or persons, after
the passage of this act, to catch. take or
kill In this State. or, except as herein
after provided. have in his or her pos
session or under his or her control, after
the same shall have been caught, taken
or killed, any bear or cub save during tho
month OF November" The bear IL an
animal not always OF a gentle disposition
and especially if 1t be a female bear with
cubs. II a wanderer in the woods is Mt.
tackled by such a bear in some other
month than November what Is he or she
to do?
For the twentieth of March I had an
engagement to go with DR.. John H. Eager
gentleman of Harrisburg, Interested in
the study or natural history, on an explor-
Ing tour through Wetzel Swamp. The
newspapers announced that Senator PEN
rose and State Senator James T.. McNichol
were coming that afternoon to consult with
me about some affairs of state; but there
was no engagement with me and no mes.
sage sent to me- went with Eager TO tho
swamp. The gentlemen came. did not find
me, McNchol returned to Philadelphia and
Penrose and had a consultation when I
returned In the evening. There was much
talk about the incident, many editorials
written and glaring headlines printed stat
ing that "Penrose Waits and Frets While
Governor in Boots Hunts for Bugs in tho
Boys"
The Constitution provides that the in
coming Governor shall take his seat during
n session in the Legislature. II il III,
provision OF dilettantes, who constructed
an impractcable and in some ways un.
workable Constitution. There Is no reason
why he could not have begun In the years
between sessions and so have had timo 10
prepare for his work. Governor Stone lust
mt the close of his term sent in to the
Senate tho names OF many officials an.
pointed by him. I had no time to inter.
fere and they wero confirmed. I issued
commissions to all OF them. but later took
tho bull by the horns and rem owed some OF
them where I had other views. This, of
course. led to some trouble
Addressing the Assembly
1t Is one OF the unwritten laws, never
infringed upon, that the Governor shall
not appear before the Legislature and II is
founded upon the correct theory that the
legislative bodies shall be kept free from
undue influence. On the tw-nty-fourtb NJ
March was officially invited to be pr.ser,
at a session OF the Legislature. No other
Governor ever received such an invitation.
Member; of the Legislature welcomed me
very graciously and made an address in
the course of which said
1t would be a breach Of courtesy and
II would Ill become me to make reference
to any legislation before you or which
NAV come before you. The Constitution
provides a method by which the Governor
may make his recommendations. II Is
wise that that method should be pursued
may: however. say word about our
mutual relations. We are both, In so FAR
out results for the good of the people and
the Commonwealth. I may saw that n
the Governor should use his power for
the purpose Of enforcing legislation n
would be an interference with our prip-
clples OF government. On the other hand
II the Legislature in its legislation NJ,
tempts to carry it out by other methods
than those of the executive, to that ex-
tent 1t interferes with these principles.
Here is broached theory Of government
very different from, and much more nearly
correct and safe than that acted upon bv
Roosevelt and Wilson in our nauonaI
affairs. In the days Of Thaddeus Stevens
the Congress endeavored to impose upon
the President. In moro recent days IN.
President is making rapid strides in the
way OF encroaching upon Congress. Both
ventures are based upon impulse, rather
than upon reason. and they arc equally
dangerous to our institutions
CONTINUED TOMORROW
| dred and Thirty Pounds currept Mon., 81.