Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-20
Pee;t;c4 T.
Pe~~o4Gsa~ia
BY tho Ex- Committeeman

The big fight of the session failed
to materialize in the House last
night because the Vickerman and
Fox bills to enforce the prohibition
amendment were withdrawn from
me stage at the request of Governor
william G.. Sproul and the Ramsey
Dill establishing what shall be the
alcoholic contents of a drink was
Immediately after postponed. Every
thlng was in readiness for a battle
last night and the three bills were
on special order when word reach
ed the dry leaders that the Gov
ernor. thought it advisable to with
hold action for the present.
Hurried conferences were held
ana an agreement reached, while
the wet" members marshaled their
forces to slaughter the bills. From
all accounts the VETS had about
enough strength to kill the two en-
forcers as some dry men were
absent and the death of John Nc
Kay, of Luzerne, further weakened
them. When the bills came up their
sponsors moved postponement,
which was agreed to and then Mr..
Ramsey postponed his bill.
1t is understood that the Governor
will assist in the passage of the
Nlckerman and Fox bills when the
time comes to fight them through
and that he is against the Ramsey
bill.
Many Senators were in the House
TO see what happened and events
which would have had material eff
feet on State politics were pre-
dicted.
Tho 1Nil1g yA 10 ;cl,
preme and Superior Courts here are
being attacked by Philadelphia
newspapers who say some judges
are against them. but name no
names. The sentiment among law
yers as evinced by interviews favors
the bills and they are in line with
the Governors plans for concentra-
ton of the government here.
Chairman Harry NJ. Showalter.
OF the committee in charge. was
called to court at Lewisburg to-day
week.
The nomination of Secretary of
Agriculture Rasmussen was sent to
the Senate for a term of four years
from May and imm ediately con-
firmed. This was necessary under
the reorganization bill.
The Senators were not much in
clined to agree to fix a date for
adjournment to- day. They hold that
it should be thought over a while,
which means that nothing will be
done until the Philadelphia bills,
which are getting an airing to-day,
are disposed Of
DR. Thomas E. Finegan, the
Deputy Superintendent of Public In
struction of New York State. offer
ed the superintendency of public in
struction to succeed the late DR..
Nathan G. Schaeffer, is a vice-presi-
dent of the National Educational
Association, an alumnus of Hamil-
ton College and for ten years a New
York State official. He has been ac-
tive in Presbyterian Church affairs
and noted as an educator. His ap-
pointment will likely go to the SEN
ate tomorrow.
Members of the House of Rep
resentatiVes were twice reproved by
Speaker Spangler for inattention
during roll calls during the evening
session. The members were told
they were endangering their own
bills and told they must maintain
better order. Last week with over
$50 members present the roll was
answered by only fifty-two and a
poll of the House ordered.
The bill providing for a consti-
tutional revision commission to be
named by the Governor will be
passed by the Legislature this week.
The measure was passed on second
reading in the House last night. It
has passed the Senate and is the
plan to deal with constitutional
questions this session. The Gov
ernor will name the commission.
Considerable comment has been
caused among legislators and State
officials by two column review of
the Sproul administration by the
Philadelphia North American. This
newspaper has been staunch Sproul
supporter and while it criticises
some of the Sproul appointments
and some tendencies, it finds much
to commend. However, the closing
paragraph reads this way: 'In our
opinion, an impartial review of the
Legislatures record thus far does
not justify sweeping condemnation
AS to the administration. it is free
from corruption, it is more efficient
than many of it's predecessors. and
there is no evidence that any malign
influence dominates it. If Governor
Sprouts popularity shows signs of
waning, that is a phenomenon not
rare at this stage of an executives
experience. That criticism is be-
coming more widespread and in
sistent does not prove that there is
any serious wrongdoing, or that the
Governor has lost all claim upon
the confidence of his fellow citizens.
1t is still within his power to write
the verdict upon his administration,
to emerge from the trying ordeals
ahead of him with credit to himself
and with notable accomplishments
in the service of the State"
Our Hinerdnt Government