Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-12

saloon or gilded club. on street or In
pleasure resorts, must cease and
every person compelled to do his tull
duty to society and to the Common
wealth.
Public Service
The Public Service Commission Oh
Pennsylvania has demonstrated Its
usefulness. 1 will recommend an
amendment giving the Commission
| the right to suspend an increase or
rates made by any Public service
Company until after a hearing ana
decision by the Commission.
Short Ballot
1 favor the short ballot. rms
method if properly safeguarded is
the easiest and most certain means
of registering popular will.
Taxation
I favor a more just and equitable
system of taxation whereby the cost
of Government may be more equit-
ably distributed. AS it is now the
small property owner pays too large
percentage of the taxes. Thls
should be remedied. On account OF
the war, which has prevented build
ing, the Pittsburgh and Scranton
plan should be given a further trial
believe that this plan will stop the
holding of land for speculation and
assure better housing conditions for
people in our cities.
While it may be impracticable to
locally tax the real estate of public
service corporations, there should be
paid by the state to the several coun-
ties the proportion of state taxes col
lected as is represented by the values
of real estate III those counties.
l favor an amendment to the Con-
stitution providing that all subjects
of taxation may be classified for the
purpose of laying graded and pro-
gressive taxes. Graded taxes place
the burden of taxation upon those
best able to bear them. They put
the burden more heavily upon those
who draw more heavily upon the
benefits conferred by government.
They exist in many states and should
be adopted here.
Waterways
The congestion on the railways
during the past year has demonstrate
ed that we must improve our inland
waterways. L favor a comprehen-
sive system of improvements which
will give us n system of canals and
inland waterways by which we can
move heavy and slow moving freight.
favor the early construction of the
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Canal, and
will try to bring about joint action
by Pennsylvania. Ohio and West Nir-
ginia for its early construction.
am in favor of a plan whereby we
can conserve our rivers and provide
landing places, docks and harbors in
the Ohio and Monongahela Rivers at
Pittsburgh and on the Delaware
River at Philadelphia which will
meet With the demands of this great
industrial state. l favor the develop
ment of all water power within the
state, so that the benefits they con-
fer may accrue to all the people of
the state, instead of to a privileged
few.
Blue Sky Law
I will advocate a Blue Sky law to
protect the people of this state from
the stock swindling thieves who rob
the people each year of millions of
dollars by selling them worthless
stocks and bonds. I had such a bill
introduced at the last session of the
Legislature but it was picked in
committee by an unseen hand"
guided by the political machine.
Insurance
The people of PENNSYLVANIA nay
over 100000, 100000 each year for
insurance of various kinds and it is
important that all policies should be
absolutely safe. During my term as
Insurance Commissioner I drove all
crooked insurance companies from
the state, making it practically i'm
possible for another insurance scan
dal such as the Pittsburgh Life. but
will recommend several amend
ments to the insurance laws which
will still throw additional safeguards
around all life insurance policies.
StenographerS and Clerks
Always the first to be reduced in
salary and the last to be raised.
They have suffered in these abnor-
NAL times because they have not re-
ceived increases commensurate with
the additional living cost. 1 have
regretfully observed this for years
and will endeavor to interest both
public and private enterprises in
correction of this inequality.
Good Roads
The nroblem of good roads is a
vitality important economic issue. To
keep the people on the farms give
them good roads to get to the mar
kets, and the same to the people who
are employed in the cities and live in
the country. The present road laws
were passed by the politicians and
for the politicians and they have al
ways refused to appropriate suffi-
cient money for maintenance and
construction. The revenues of this
great state are sufficient to construct
Il comprehensive system of road if
the business of the state is conducted
along economic lines. / am in favor
ot an act which will give the bor-
oughs and townships more aid in
the construction of local roads. !
have already inaugurated a plan
whereby the state pays so per cent
of the cost of any state highway
passing through a borough. This
plan is working successfully. The
supervisors of the various townships
of the state have $4,000 miles OF
roads to maintain while the state
has only 10000. Therefore, I favor
a plan whereby the state can make
to townships for the
construction and maintenance of
their roads, with local help and local
material.
When the conditions permit I IA
vor the construction of an improved
road on one side for automobile and
heavy truck traffic and the mainten-
ance of a dirt road on the other side
for teams and horses. l favor the
state taking over all bridges on state
highways and the erection and main
tenance by the state of such bridges
in the future.
Under my administration of the
Highway Department 1 have brought
about a better feeling and a spirit Of
cooperation between the state and
the counties, whereby a majority of
the counties have agreed to bear
half the cost of road development.
! am opposed to the earth roads of
the state being turned back on the
counties.