Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-14

Taking newspapers OF Altoona
which is we'll up in the alphabetical
list OF third -class cities, for example
we find the Altoona Mirror weeping
over the repeater and blaming the
politicians as did the Harrisburg
Patriot in one of its characteristic
editorials. The Mirror SAYS: What
the party bosses could never get the
third class cities to agree to, they
succeeded in influencing the Legisla-
ture to enact and the Governor TO
approve. Instead of selecting the
best men for office from all the
citizens at large, we will now choose
them from political parties" The
Altoona Tribune makes this con-
servative comment: We have never
thought much OF the nonpartisan
method of nomination and election:
il has never secured a better class
of officials and has tended to de-
crease the interest of the people in
both the primaries and the election
We have likewise objected to that
provision of the Clark act which per-
mits council to elect the city treas
urer. II will be prudent however,
to study the act in all its sections
before indulging in unreserved ap-
proval or condemnation"
The York Gazette and Daily
goes almost as far as the Harrisburg
organ OF the worst Democratic ma
chine known in the Keystone in
years. This York paper says il is
"a lamentable step backward" and
then remarks; 1T is silly and ridic-
ulous to elect men to direct NUM-
cipal affairs simply because they
happen TO belong to one political
party or another"
The Pottsville newspapers saw
the approval of the bill caused CON
sternation" among the politicians
who did not seem to think II was
going to become a law. Easton and
Lancaster peoples seem to have re-
ceived the news with indifference,
while i'm other parts OF the State
! Democratic newspapers OF the same
stripe as the Harrisburg machine
organ are throwing dust on their
/ heads, and at the eyes of the public,
/ by saying the politicians did il.
/ The Reading Herald, which has the
| faculty OF getting considerable
| from out OF Berks politics has this
! TO say: 1T has no material effect
/ on the Socialists. because in either
/ event that party would vote for can
] NlutltH OF NHtir own lOF once. Bnt
/ in both the Democratic and Repub-
! licah ranks things are different.
Each party had representation at
! city hall and between the two there
/ was mutual understanding. The
new law will change all this and
put everybody up in the air as to
| results"
The Reading Eagle feels badly
about II, saying the Governors ac-
! ton surprised and chagrined"
many of Readings city officials and
! people, IL says some candidates.
/ including Democratic candidate
for mayor called II "a freeze out"
Up In Carbondale and Pittston.
| where they are very practical in
! their politics. the newspapers re-
! cord great activity among the candi-
/ dates for oftice on getting petitions
signed and In perfecting their lines
| Hazleton newspapers say the elec-
| tion this year in that city will be the
'liveliest" in years.
This is the way a PHILADELPHIA
! Press dispatch from Allentown
/ views the situation In the Lehigh
| metropolis. There was n wave of
satisfaction throughout Allentown
the last two days over the action OF
Governor Sproul in signing the nom
partisan repeater for elections In
cities Of the third class. For sew
eral terms under the nonpartisan
law the Allentown city Council con-
tained Socialists and near Socialists.
whose handling of the public funds
has resulted in extrayagant waste
of public funds In unsuccessful at
tempts 20 demonstrate their theo-
ries: a multiplication OF offiees for
the beneft of Socialists, and an in
crease In the tax rate without ade-
quate improvements"