Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-05
PsGt;co IL
Pe~~aqeSa~ia
BY the Ex-Committeeman

about changing the offices to be
sent before the people and the last
two or three years have developed
pronounced dissatisfaction with the
nonpartisan election law.
1t is probable that when the State
commission to study and recon-
mend changes to the Constitution of
Pennsylvania is assembled, as it will
be within the next month in Harris
burg, that some suggestions for
changes in elections will be present
ed. In Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
there have been movements made
to take certain county offices out of
the domain of popular election and
to make them appointive. The Con-
stituuon of 1873 specified various
such offices as elective, but things
have moved so fast in the scheme
OF government since those days that
many believe it would be better not
to put such officers before the vot-
ers, while the fact that many offices
have been created by legislative en-
actment since and made appointive
| is also having it's effect.
Thanks to the activities of the
last four or five Legislatures the
laws pertaining to cities, boroughs,
townships and school districts have
/ those relating to county offices
would fill books. Some officers are
still elected by virtue of provincial
enactment and while in some coun-
/ rieS one man holds one office in
others he may hold four or five.
In the course of an interesting
discussion OF the future of the nom
partisan law George j. Brennan says
in the Philadelphia Inquirer that
men potential in State politics" op-
pose the repeal. Mr.. Brennan writes:
Former Governor VIM. A. Stone,
who is Prothonotary of the Supreme
and Superior Courts, is strongly of
the opinion that the nonpartisan
ballot law for the nomination and
election of judges in Pennsylvania
should be repealed. He believes
that iii expressing this opinion he
voices the sentiment of the judiciary
and large majority of the members
of the bar. Experience has demon
strated that a candidate for judge
is frequently called upon to make
a strenuous canvass for votes in or
der to secure a nomination and that
in many instances the expense Incl
dent to such n campaign is much
more than the average lawyer can
afford to bear. Moreover, tactics
have been resorted to by many cam
didates which a member of the bar
with judicial temperament and re-
spect for the ethics of the profession
would not countenance. Protho-
notary Stone gave as an explanation
of the unwillingness of judges sit
ting upon the common pleas bench
to accept appointment from the
Governor 70 ha Stt
perior Court or the Supreme Court,
for that matter, the fact that such
appointment would be for but a
short tenure and that the appointee
would be called upon to submit his
name to vote of the citizens of the
State not only for the nomination,
but possibly also for election, for the
full term of the Office to which he
was honored and then be subjected
to the harassments and annoyances
which n free-for-all contest might
involve"
1t is said that f. A. Van VAL
kenburS was one of the big factors in
keeping the nonpartisan judicial
act on the books last session. In all
probability a drive to repeal the
second class city nonpartisan act
will be due in 1921.
Before very long Governor
Sproul will have to fill the vacancy
on the Superior Court bench result
, ing from the death of Judge J.
Henry Williams, of Philadelphia,
and the successor to his appointee
will be elected next November for
the full term of ten years, the NOM
ination to be made at the primary
election next April. At the same
primary the voters will be called
upon to make nomination for sue
! cessor to Chief Justice J. Hay
| Brown, of Lancaster whose term on
the Supreme Court bench expires
next year
! There were two very interest
ing and significant things connected
with the Philadelphia election. One
was that Congressman j. Hampton
Moore said that he was very well
pleased with the good feeling mani
| tested toward him all over Phila-
| delphia and the other was the sug-
gestion of Murdoch Kenrick. the
| Moore campaign manager, that peo-
pie should display the American
flag on election day. The Kenrick
idea came pretty late, but 1T the
same time it appeared 10 be very
popular.
| uu6C w hGIiCF lS 1nG
first Lancaster countian 10 be elected
to the superior court bench. lie
was appolnt;d q last winter and his
nomination was made at D. primary
at which he polled over half a mil
lion votes. with only 156 scattering
against him. This is a remarkable
showing and the voting yesterday
was probably as notable.
The State Bureau of Municipali-
ties will compile a list of all bond
elections which were approved by
the voters yesterday. 1t is believed
that when all of the boroughs and
school districts are heard from the
aggregate of the loans authorized
will run high in the millions.
/. Sharon will become a thirt
class city in January and in al
probability Norristown and Greens
burg will soon begin to think thu
same way.
Election of Judge c. d. Cope
land, of the Westmoreland orphans
: court, as common please judge means
that Governor William c. Sproul will
have an appointm ent to make.
Congressman j. Fl am pt oI
Moore is getting mplimentary il
his column in the Evening Publi
Ledger. He has this to say: "Tw,
: interesting figures in the politica
, world who never fail to keep poste,
on State conditions are Harry
McDevitt, the Governors secretary
and w. Harry Baker, the secretar
: of the Republican State Committee