Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-12
Pssstssc i ! ;n
Ps~~a,esa~ia
By the Ex-Committeeman

people about the Governor have
been unable to see eliminated yes
terday in warm interchanges of
opinion among members of the
House. Almost simultaneously sem,
satorial leaders got busy on the ad-'
journment proposition and, instead
of putting in the resolution for May
Is began to talk about May s. The
State administration late in the day
presented four of its proposed meas
nres which had been outlined long
time ago. r... y
And about nightfall the harmony
which has hitherto existed among
the members of the Philadelphia
delegation was broken all to pieces
by fight in the House elections
committee over the primary bill said
to have been drafted by George w.
Coles, active in the charter revision
and reform matters in Philadelphia.
This morning legislators of the Phil
adelphia factions were openly at
odds and predictions of battles such
as stirred up the last Legislature
when any municipal bills were con-
sidered were heard.
On top of this the second class
city non partisan election repeater
was reported as ready to come from
committee soon and unless changes
are made to it there will be plenty
of excitement. Hearings will soon
begin on the Philadelphia charter
revision bills and at the proper time
there will be action on the Scott
bills to take policemen and firemen
out of politics. A high old time
is anticipated over the measures
which would forbid contributions to
political committees.
The meeting of the third class
city members yesterday developed
the fact that the antagonisms which
were so manifest last session over
the attempt to eliminate the non
partisan elective feature from the
Clark Code of 1913 were still around
and ready to pop out The bill to
repeal the non partisan elective fea-
ture will enter soon and be the
object of a battle. The only thing
the third class city men seemed to
agree on yesterday was that city
treasurers should be elected by the
people.
Members of the House Elections
SoIniIlItlee uepdleu uHlll long past
their supper hour before the COM
mittee decided to report out the
three Brady bills making changes
in the primary and registration laws.
Messrs. Sewers. Glass and Cox, Phil
adelphia, all Ware men protested
vigorously against acting on the bills
at this time, claiming that two of
the most important had just been
presented and that no one had time
in the rush of legislative work to
digest them. The committee. how
ever, declined to hold the bills. and
the fight will be carried TO the floor
of the House. --.
One of the bills provides a new
board of registration commission
ers for Philadelphia, which is now
with Pittsburgh and Scranton. The
two latter cities would be under
the old act. Numerous changes in
the registration law are also pro-
vided. Another bill makes the
fourth Tuesday of September the
primary day. The third bill changes
the primary law and it was charged
would take from county commits
sioners the power of computing the
returns.
is serving second term from the
Potter-Tioga- Mexican district, will
be president pro tenn. of the Senate
FOR next session. The election takes
place at the close of the present
session. 1t is said Senate leaders
were considering a number of can
didates for the post including Sem
ators DaiX and Salus, of Philadel-
phla; Eyre of Chester, and McCon-
nell. of Northumberla and agree
ment was reached on Baldwin and
petitions circulated through the
Senate in his behalf received the
signatures of a majority of the Re-
publican members. Senator Ware
signed the petition for Mr.. Baldwin
who is one of the most pronounced
Penrose men in the Senate and was
n member of the famous Catlin
Commission which deIved into Ware
contracts during the historic contest
for the mayoralty nomination in
1911 when Congressman w. S. Ware
was the choice of the Ware forces.
The dinner held last night at
the Penn-Harris by the Legislative
League was the talk of the Capitol
today and predictions that it would
have some political effect were free
ly made. SiXty-seven of the legis-
lators from the smaller counties,
some of whom call themselves rural
members and get mad when any
one else calls them that, attended
the dinner and proceeded to talk
like the gatherings of previous
years. The Philadelphia-P Pittsburgh
influence the so called Big League.
was assailed as vigorously as in the
| days of Taylor North and his "Coun-
try Club and the rural members let
it be known that unless they were
given recognition there would be
| rocks in the pa tbs of some legisla-
ton.
The dinner last night was a closed
affair, but If the talk given out after
ward by league members is an in
dication of what they have in mind
from now on a strong and well-or-
ganized third faction in the House is
going to play both. ends and the
| middle. There is no definite
| thought of organizing a third party
in the State" was the rather signi-
ffcant utterance of Robert L. wal
lace, of New Castle, recognized floor
| leader of the league, but the coun-
try members have decided they must
| stand together. The league is not
dry" nor wet" although majori-
ty of the members are "drys." 1t
is not the aim of the organization
to antagonize bills introduced by
members from the large cities of
the State, but we are going to insist
we get our share of legislation"
Among the speakers besides
Mr.. Wallace were Benjamin F.