Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-16
'Peeit;ce sn
PsxnetGsania
BY the Ex-Cornmittecman

The vigorous manner in which the
applications for liquor licenses are
being attacked in a number of the
counties of Pennsylvania right in
the face of the strong probability of
the ratification of the Prohibition
teresting conditions now observable
in the state. While the proposed new
charter for Philadelphia contains the
germ of the disturbing elment in the
legislative session which will begin
in earnestin week or so, there has
always been a possibility that the
liquor Question would be injected
into the 1919 session just as in years
gone by. e 'tr
1t is very evident that the people
who have been combating the liquor
influence in politics do not intend to
allow any legislative considerations
to interfere with their efforts in the
license courts. In Allegheny county
alone remonstrances have been pre-
pared against 200 licenseholders and
in other counties similar moves are
under way.
In view of the attention being
given in political circles in Pennsyl-
vanta to the makeup of the COM
mittees of the legislature just now
there is much interst in q speech
made in Philadelphia by ex-Repre-
sentative Fletcher w. Sites. of Mont
gomery county. The Public Ledger
quotes Mr.. Sites this way: What
one is most impressed with when
sitting at Harrisburg Is the fact that
the average intelligence of the men,
bers of the House appears to be
rather lower than one would expect
who knows the intellectual majesty
or Pennsylvania and the wonderful
opportunity for service in a body Of
that kind. But don't imagine the
Legislature is made up entirely. of
lunkheads;' 1t is dominated by fif-
teen or twenty men whose ability
would be remarked in any body of
men," Mr.. Sites characterized the
Speaker Of the House of Representa-
tives as the Gear" of the State.
Mr. Sites succeeded ex-Speaker
Charles A. Amber as member of the
House from Montgomery and was
spokesman in the session of 1917 for
the faction which dominated the
House in the session of 1915 when.
~'~t' <hthpiOi was SpcdheT, OF
as he phrased 1t. Last year he un-
dertook to contest the Montgomery
Bucks Republican congressional
nomination with Congressman Wat
son instead OF running again for the
House as friends wanted him to and
was defeated along with other state
administration candidates.
FROM what state newspapers saw
there Will be an attendance of dele
cations from the counties at the in
auguration of Governor-elect William
G. Sproul far beyond anything known
in years. For the first time in quite
q while men UP the state have been
encouraged to send delegations. -Four
years ago there were some moves to
have various counties represented in
the parade, but the Philadelphia
contingent wanted to make a big
showing and men who had broached
the subject got tired and dropped
the projects. There will be more
inauguration clubs here next week
than known in twenty years.
AN interesting stir is under wav
in Carbon county because the sbaris
Is protesting to the county commis-
sioners that they allow him six
cents pers day less for the mainte-
nance or prisoners than the county
pays the eastern penitentiary. The
sherin wants to be put an the same
OASIS and suggested that the county
snouid either advance the rate to
MIN or else arrange to have more
prisoners kept in the county prison.
-One OF the interesting items Of
speculation about the Capitol now is
what the State Commission of Apri-
culture Is going to find out when n
gets here next week. Governor
Brumbaugh has urged that the com
mission be given power or abolished
The belief is that the new Governor
VIII abolish 1t rather than 20 throngb
years. 'Niee