Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-10
TEST
FOR VOTERS IS
URGED IN STATE
Changes in Election Laws Are
Studied by Constitutional
Commission
HOME RULE is PROPOSED
Delegates Would Give Munich
palitics Wider Range in
Local Government

f.. First reports OF committees We're
presented to the Constitutional Re
vision Commission at the opening
session to-day, but statements were
/ made by committee chairmen that
! they were to be considered more
or less tentative and subject TO re-
call for further study. IT is not the
Z idea TO have a calendar for some
days to come. T. Dewitt Cuyler. Of
Philadelphia, who could not be pres
ent yesterday. was sworn in at the
opening Hf the r citing by Secretary
of the cGmnA wealth Cyrus E.
} Woods.
/, The Declaration of Rights was re-
/ ported as recommended for no
change together with "a number Of
other sections and among amend
ments favored by various committee
reports We're prohibition of legis-
! lators holding any position of profit
under the State Government. in
: clusion of u literacy test for voters.
removal of the four-year period Of
disfranch 'seme ent for Violators Of
I election laws so that the penalty IN
addition to Imprisonment or fine will
! include absolute Acknowledgement
and the harmonizing of the State
constitutional provision relative TO
, suffrage with that OF the United
States. The committee recommended
the striking out of words referring
( to males and EX-Justice T.. ]. Fox.
! orthampton. at once asked what
I should be included. He suggested
| tho word person" and the matter
will be taken mp later. Two COM
mittees referred municipal debt and
election matters to the committee OIL
cities and charters.
George Wharton Pepper, Phila-
delphia. called attention to the fact
that committee reports must be con-
sidered tentative owing to the brief
time given to study.
| Constitutional amendments pro-
viding for classification of counties,
cities, boroughs and other municipal
| divisions, and permitting legislative
[ appropriations TO charitable and
educational institutions, providing
! there is no denominational or sec
! tartan instruction therein and ad-
! mission is afforded without regard
! to denominational or sectarian
| lines, will be recommended by the
! committee of the Constitutional Re-
! vision Com mission in charge of
study of legislative powers.
The recommendation in regard TO
classification is designed to facilitate
legislation and to enlarge the pres
! ent three classes of cities. The pro-
posed amendment will be an addi-
ton to Article III. and be known as
Section "a. 1t was drafted as fol-
lows: THE Legislature shall have
power to classify counties. cities,
boroughs, school districts and town
ships according to population and
all laws passed relating to each class
shall be general within the meaning
nf t1niC Constitution ht,f
cities and school districts shall not
be divided into more than seven and
boroughs and townships into more
than five classes"
Simplificd Procedure
This committee also decided to
recommend several matters of legis-
lative procedure, doing away with
the requirement of reading each bill
three days at length, for single ap-
preparation bills, and also that the
State might have a civil pension fist,
specifically authorizing judicial,
State, State institutional and teach
ers' retirement systems. Another
amendment affecting cities will au-
thorize creation of advisory commits
sions and State commissions, with
Jurisdiction over municipalities. The
clause forbidding State inspection
of merchandise and that relative to
trust fund investments will be rec
commended for omission.
The committee on taxation is
studying the many methods of taxa
ton which are being suggested all
over the country as well as exemp-
tions. This committee has adopted
the plan of laying side by side all
the proposals for taxation and ex-
emption as a preliminary to COM
parative study and final decision.
The taxation subject is of such para
mount Importance, owing to Fed
eral taxes, that the committee will
give the most careful consideration
to every feature and it may be weeks
before it reaches any determina-
ton. The aim. said Chairman George
Wharton Pepper, is to secure for
Continued on Page 1911