Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-01
Pee;tscs s~
Pe'.~a4esa~ia
BY the Ex-oommitteeman

10 pe attorney general OF the Un1teu
States, which has been his ambition
for years, may have the effect of
starting off again the row in the
Democracy of Pennsylvania, which
Mr.. Palmer split so effectually one
summers day last year by making
charges against Judge Eugene c.
Bonniwell, the nominee of the Dem
ocratic voters of Pennsylvania for
Governor. 1t is taken for granted
that Mr.. Palmer will resign as Dem
ocratic national committeeman from
Pennsylvania and the Bonniwell
Democrats are evidently planning to
make the selection of the State rep
resentative on the Democratic ma
tional committee the occasion FOR
an attempt to seize the organization
controlled so long by Palmer and
his pals.
Palmer's clique will be given more
recognition than ever now. The re-
appointment of E. Lowry Humes as
Western district attorney indicates
that quite aside from the preferment
of Palmer. This is another reason
why the Bonniwell faction will start
after the levers of the State machine
because they dislike Humes as much
as the new attorney general.
While most of the newspapers say
something nice about the honor of
the attorney generaiship coming to
the keystone State some newspapers
make comments not so kindly. The
Philadelphia Press says that Pal
mer's fitness is being taken ION trust"
and that his selection looks like the
naming of a deserving Democrat.
The Public Ledger is complimentary,
but winds up by saying, "it remains
to be seen" how he will work out.
The Philadelphia Record which
has opposed Palmer and his pals in
Democratic affairs prints this char
acteriStic editorial: But it may we'll
be that the President had in view
in making Mr.. Palmer Attorney Cen
eral the idea that he could add
competent lawyer to his cabinet and
at the same time contribute some
thing to the rebuilding of the Penn
sylvania Democracy. AS Attorney
General Mr.. Palmer will, of course,
retire as the Democratic leader of
pennsylvania, in which he has not
been n success, and open the way
for a successor as National Commit
teeman who may be able to re-
assemble the shattered remnants
and rebuild upon lines that will
prove more successful. Mr.. Palmer
has many admirers in Pennsylvania
in and out of the Democratic party
who VIII rejoice in fiis elevation to
the Attorney Generalship of the
United States and who will wish him
every success in his new field. Those
who have not approved of his polit-
iP11 nlpthndc will gir
in their hope that he will add to
his reputation by the ability and
energy he will employ as an intimate
associate of President Wilson"
Visitors to the office of Governor
William c. Sproul this week were
given the greatest shock of years
when they were uShered into the
smaller reception room and saw
the door to the private Office OF
the governor open and the State
executive working at his desk. Ow-
ing to the rush of visitors from all
parts of the State, many of whom
came without any appointments, the
Governor has been compelled to limit
his engagements on days when the
Legislature is in session to the SEN
ators and members, but he has made
lllCll ltti llidL llltN COulu see MIN.
The number of callers at the office
has been something unheard of and
the Governor open and the State
jump to receive lawmakers, State
officials and members of commits
sions coming to present their reports.
But such a thing as the door to the
Governors office being open and
people walking in, transacting bust
ness and walking out has made q
sensation on Capitol Hill. The last
time that was seen was back in the
days of the Tener administration.
Just how Governor Sproul gets
away with the shoals of correspond
ence that gather about him is one,
of the mysteries of the Capitol and
the conclusion is that he goes to
bed late and gets up early. The
mail for the executive office has
reached proportions that were at
tanned in the early days of the war.
Capitol Hill people are discuss
ing drafts of n bill to place all at
taches of the State government on
purely business basis and to have
their duties defined and salaries
fixed by a State Board have been
made and will probably make their
appearance in the Legislature at an
early day. The situation at the
Capitol as a result of the abnormal
conditions prevailing since the start
of the war and the agitation for
bigger salaries have brought home
the necessity for creation of some
body to deal with work and pay
without being hampered with SAL
aries and duties fixed by law which
can be changed only once in two
years.
If the recommendation in the
Economy and Efficiency commission
report for 1917 had been allowed to
become a law instead of being visit
ed with executive displeasure two
years ago the State would have been
able to retain the services of valu-
able men and women who left Capi-
tol Hill after years of experience for
better paid positions in business es-
Establishments. At the same time men
who were devoted TO their work and
who remained could have been given
just treatment and not compelled
TO take pay much less than earned
by women in offices and in manu-
featuring plants within sight of the
Capitol dome.
Briefly. it is the idea to create
board consisting of the Governor.
Attorney General, Auditor General
and State Treasurer with power to fix
the pay and prescribe duties of
clerks and other attaches without
regard to precedent, statutory en-
actment or anything else if the pub
lie interests require it. A lump ap-
preparation could be made to pay
salaries and chances of interference