Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-17
CITY REFORM BILLS
] TO DRAG WEEK MORE
Hearing Tuesday on Attorney
Generals Suggestion Will
Delay Actual Progress
Rum LEGISLATION TO WAIT

Little progress is expected on the
charter bills and other Philadelphia re-
form measures in the Legislature dur
ing the coming week.
The hearing called for next Tuesday
I at the suggestion of Attorney General
Schafer to discuss le,al phases Of the
bills will prevent final action on the
philadelphia measures in the lower
branch of the Assembly and may re-
suit in nothing being done toward put
ting the measures through for another
week at least.
F-pniovernor Sproul and the attorney
general are studying the bills carefully
and expect to receive some light next
Tuesday on parts Of the bills which are
not quite clear in their present shape.
After the hearing the Governor and Mr..
Schaffer should soon be in a position to
know just what amendments they will
stand for and what they will not.
1t is foregone conclusion that the
bills, particularly the charter measures,
will be amended, but to what extent
has not been indicated. There may be
some radical changes and again some
of the provisions of the bills which
have met with objection may he toned
down bit to satisfy the opposing che
ments.
Proposed Changes
Among the changes suggested in the
charter bills are revision of the con-
tract clause so as to permit the city
to award work to private contractors
on bare majority vote instead of
three fourths maiority; the election of
members to the proposed short council
on the basis Of wards instead of sena-
torial districts and the elimination Of
the bill to supplant the present civil
Il service commission with one commits
sioner and also the measure which
abolshes the Office of director of sup
plies and creates a purchasing agent for
the city and county.
Other changes which have been pro-
Exposed include the striking out Of the
provision in the main charter bill to
make the city solicitor appointive by
the Mayor, and also the provision to
put the present office of receiver of
taxes under the jurisdiction of the city
treasurer.
The clause relating to the appoint
ment of the city solicitor may stand,
however. as Attorney General Schaffer
/ Is said to favor that idea.
1t is almost certain that the liquor
legislation now pending in the House
will be killed because both the Gov
ernor and the attorney general feel that
the Legislature should do nothing until
Congress has acted When Congress
has passed an enforcement measure and
enacted legislation defining what consti
tutes an intoxirant the Legislature will
probably concur with the action.
The parade of the Iron Division this
week cut in on the legislative program
to the extent that little progress in the
way of legislation was accomplished
The majority of the legislators were
more bent on helping to honor the
former Pennsylvania guardsmen than in
Keeping the wheels of the legislative ma
chinery moving.
Independents Impatient
Independents who have grown restless
over the long session. which at the
start promised to be brief. threaten to
try to force an early adjournment. As
the general appropriation bill has so
far failed to make its appearance, >hc
Independents are not expected to get far
with their program.
One reason for the delay on the ap-
Preparation bill is the inability of :ne
ways and means committee to find new
sources of revenue. Something along
this line was scheduled to be done this
week, but the Iron Division parade was
blamed for the change in program.
Legislative leaders plan to thresh the
4 matter out at conference this week.
Until the revenue measures are decided
ISupon the proposed increase in teachers
salaries must be held in abeyance. as the
source of the money needed to pay the
States share of the proposed increase
must be found before the salary raiser
can be- put through.
Another measure which should be
acted upon soon is the Ramsey resou-
tion to pave the way for woman suf-
frage. Ii passed the House weeks ago.
but is still held in committee i'm the