Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-22
IMPORTANT BILLS
FORLEGISLATURE
Administration Measures
Expected to Make Ap.
pearance Next Week
REAL WORK TO BEGIN
Committee Chairmen Will In.
troduce Laws Backed by
State Government
REAL WORK TO BEGIN

Important administration measures
are expected to be introduced in the
Legislature during the coming week.
JUS which of the bills to be backed by
Governor sproul are to be presented has
not been made known.
With the advent Of the administra-
ton measures the House and Senate are
expected to get down to the real work
Of the session. So far, with the excep-
ton Of the passage by the Senate of the
Eyre bill to ~reorganize the State High
way Department and the passage by the
House of the Vickermar resolution to
ratify the national prohibition amend
ment, little of any Importance has been
done by either branch.
The Eyre bill reached the House this
week n was given first reading. 1t
will appear on the Houses second read
ing calendar Monday night.
All of the administration measures, 1t
is understood. will be introduced by the
chairmen of the committees under whose
jurisdiction they come.
Would Relieve Embarrassment
This plan is expected to relieve the
administration of the embarrassment
which might result IL certain members
were picked to introduce these bills.
There has been considerable rivalry
among some of the members for the
coveted honor of introducing the ad-
ministration measures and dissatisfac-
tion would be bound to develop among
those who failed to win the distinction
of sponsoring one of the bills.
o~xy ~ Tho v,apahnrC pAapn k~ la,,~
the idea that the job of sponsoring one
Of the administration bills would be re-
garded back home as a certificate of
character from the Governor. Some of
the department heads are understood
to have been DESTROYS of finding a way
to have the bills introduced without
specifically designating the sponsor.
Their desire In this respect is said to
have been due to the fact that they
wished to avoid turning over important
measures to members who were seek
ing the honor because of the effect back
home.
The Senate is expected to dispose OF
the Vickerman resolution to ratify the
national prohibition amendment next
Tuesday. 1t will come up for second
reading Monday night. Those in close
touch with the Senate predict tina the
resolution will carry in the upper cham.
Der by several votes more tbs the
twenty-six necessary for a constitutional
majority.
Delay Drowned Upon
There had been some talk of at
tempting to hold the resolution over I'M
I'll successors to Governor Sproul and
Lieutenant Governor Beidleman were
elected. h plan was frowned upon by
Republican leaders. who are reported ia
have notified Chairman Salus. of the
Senate Law and Order Committee, that
quick action was wanted.
The House made some Roadway this
week with the mass of bills before It az
q result of Speaker Spangler's plan Oh
cleaning up the calendar each day. The
Speaker kept the wheels moving con.
tinually in the lower chamber, but fail.
ed to clean everything up on the fnal
day.
When the House recessed at IL O'Clock
noon Wednesday many of the member
caught the first train home. The result
was that there was less than a quorum
when the House reconvened and Il wal
impossible to a k up third readinl
measures.
After the adjournment the speake,
that the same policy woult
oS hSNt WcCh. AZ the DUST
ness of the House grows from week ts
week the Speaker said a night session
probably would be held next Wednesday
Charter Week After Next
Philadelphia's proposed new cit,
charter measure will not make its an
pearance in the Legislature until weel
after next. A measure which woult
radically change the present mode O
R0yarDmanf IN the sapnnd-ryoo On ,ttt~c -
Pittsburgh n Scranton has been In
troduced in the lower chamber by Rep
resentative Hugh Dawson, of Lacka
wanna, chairman Of the House Way
and Means ComNittee.
II would abolish the 1918 nonpartisal
law, which requies the nomination an,
election Of mayors and the members o
the commission form of councils In thos
two cities to be nominated and electe,
pm partisan tickets.
Also the councilmen would be electe,
on a representative basis instead Of a
large as at present. Neither counc|
Is to ave less tina Ave CT more thal
seventeen members. It Is similar Il
some respects to the proposed Phila
delphia charter bill. which provides 70
the election Of twenty-one councilmel
on q representative basis.
Public Hearings Expected
Public hearings are expected on
number of measures now pending in tn
Legislature. One of the bills for whic.
a demand for a, hearing a been mad
in Senator Daix's measure to restric
the sale of small firearms.
While this bill is designed solely I
prevent the sale of firearms by u
scrupulous dealers to irresponsible pei
sons 1t is meeting with determined oppo
sition. Attempts during previous ses
sions to restrict the sale of firearms In
variably has met with the same opposI
ton and have always resulted in tn
defeat of the measures.
A hearing also is anticipated on tn
bill introduced by Representative job
r. X. Scott to require state highway
to have a driveway for horse-draw
vehicles on each side. Horsemen fror
all over the state are expected to Civ