Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-21
PasIsce H.
Ps~nsiesa~ia
BY the Ex- Committeeman

Senator Boies Penrose has once
politics in Pennsylvania with the
choicest subject for discussion.
Right in the face of predictions and
declarations that the nonpartisan
feature of various election laws is
doomed he is out with the state
ment that he does not think it ad-
visable and men on Capitol Hill who
had been writing off that delecta BILE
idea in choosing of officials have
shown signs of agreeing with him.
A month ago no one would have
given anything for the chances of
the nonpartisan judicial act remain
ing on the books and there were
predictions that it would be repealed
for second class cities. The feeling
was so strong that the third class
city people who do not like that
feature of the election clause in the
Clark act started out to have it re-
pealed.
The concensus of opinion on Capt.
tol Hill is getting toward the point
where men are sure that the time
is importune to change the election
laws.
The senior Senator is just back
from Washington where he has been
very busy on big Legislation and the
currents have reach ID him from all
sections of the country. The Phila-
delphia North American credits the
Senator with this remark,
II am sick and tired of changing
the election laws. My personal opin-
ION is that the popular primary has
come to stay and we seem to get
along fairly we'll with the nonpar-
timent exists in the Legislature to
change the method of electing
judges, am unable to say as L have
not discussed the subject with any
one"
The Pittsburgh Gazette Times
in commenting says: 1T is signifi-
cant that the repeater of the nom
partisan law presented by Repre-
sentative Hugh A. Dawson, of Scran-
ton, has been held up all week. This
measure would wipe out the entire
act Mr.. Dawson says it is his in
tention to have the measure reported
from the Municipal Corporations
Committee next week, and at the
same time he will introduce a new
bill which provides n method for
partisan elections in second class
cities and does not disturb the non
partisan law in so far as the judic-
iary is concerned. This procedure
would indicate at least that a tip is
out to prevent legislative interfer-
ence with the judiciary.
Last week the members of
the House representing third class
cities conferred on the question of
repeating the nonpartiSan election
provision of the Clark act A large
majority of these legislators favored
the repeal and the Wilson bill to
accomplish it has been reported
from a House committee. In the
meantime John A. Gardner, city
solicitor of New Castle and a leader
in third class city legislation, has
been communicating with the third
calss city Representatives He is
pointing out that under partisan
elections opportunities will be af-
forded for the Socialists and I. w.
w. element to cause trouble in some
of the cities, while a continuance
of the nonpartisan provision would
block this. The Gardner letter is
said to be having the effect of slow
ing up some of the Legislators.
Another interesting impression
which seems to be gaining ground
on Capitol Hill is that there will not
De muCn OF an eIIOTJ 10 push Jne Dill
for an investigation of the State
educational system. The idea ap-
pears to be going about that it
would he better to allow the Cover
nor to carry out his thought of reor-
ganizing it from within.
The story has been revived that
a bill to provide for a salary of $10,-
900 for the superintendent and the
appointment of a big educator to
change things around will appear
soon. The salary is now $1,000 a
year.
Names of DR.. ]. l.. Eisenberg.
head of Slippery Rock State Normal
Schools and former city school sup
erintendent of Chester; DR.. J. George
Becht. secretary of the State Board
of Education. and DIR. Chessman
A. Herricks. head of Girard College,
are heard for superintendent
The bills for the department of
conserva ton and the new State
Police bill are to be presented within
week.