Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-26
PHILADELPHIA
TO GO IT ALONE
Governor Does Not Want the
Controversy to Mix Up His
State Program This Session

Governor William c. Sproul. who
night told Philadelphia newspaper
men that he favored legislation for
| improvement of conditions in Phila-
delphia, but added Il don't want the
Philadelphia controversy to mix up
the State program. Too often in the
past a Philadelphia controversy has
mussed up a program, for the bet
terment of conditions in the State.
There are other parts of Pennsyl-
vania to be looked after besides Phil
adelphia."
This announcement, which will be
hailed with pleasure by thousands
of people and dozens of legislators
who do not care who runs Philadel-
phia politics, will increase the pres
tige of the Governor in the State
Immensely and materially add to the
block of members of the General
Assembly who look to the Governor
for guidance. 1t is the first an
nouncement in all the years that the
Philadelphia row has been dragged
about Capitol Hill that a Governor
has come right out and insisted that
there was something to a session be-
sides Philadelphia bills.
In addition to this interesting an
nouncement the Governor went on
record for most of the bills favored
by Senator Boies Penrose. although
he let it be known that he will not
stand for any ripper legislation and
that he did not think the question
of eliminating one particular fact
ton should enter into a discussion of
legislation
When asked where he stood on
Philadelphia legislation the Cover
nor said: II stand on four points.
The President has IA points for the
settlement of the troubles of the
world, and l have four for Philadel-
phia. l stand for a smaller coun-
Gil, a decent fiscal system. removal
of the police of Philadelphia from
politics and a greater degree of
home rule for Philadelphia-the last
an improvement which will require
constitutional changes"
What do you think of the bills to
enlarge the office of the Philadelphia
District Attorney" the Governor
was asked.
Il think they are good bills and
that they should be passed." he re-
piled.
Every person connected with any
branch of the State government is to
be listed for quick reference at the
Governors Office under a plan which
came out at the Capitol to-day in
the form of a request that the per-
sonnel of each and every depart
ment, bureau, office and other part
of the Pennsylvania State govern
ment be sent in together with the
home address, position in State
service, salary, duties and other
facts together with name of political
backer. This is the first time that
such information has been asked
and it will result in the first authen-
tic list in years being made up. The
Auditor General made an effort
along this line two years ago, but
was not very successful owing to the
attitude of the ruling powers. Now
the list is to be completed and when
the time comes to make changes
there will be no danger of mistakes
and there will also be a means at
hand to find out in short order what
people are on the payroll and
whether they are working.
From what is in the wind here
to-day it is probable that an at
tempt may be made when the Leg
islature reconvenes on Monday
night to reconsider the defeat of the
Wilson bill repeating the nonparti-
san elective feature of the third
class city law. This bill went down
last Monday night after a battle,
receiving eighty some votes to
ninety-four against it.
There is every indication that
there will be lively time next
Monday afternoon when the COM
mittee representing employers and
employees meets to discuss suggested
amendments to the compensation
act. The employers have intimated
that they will not agree to any ad-
vance in rates on the ground that
industry is so disturbed that busi-
ness cannot stand any more. The
employees insist that they were
promised an advance.
Cxolau Mnuou Eouud Altar