Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-07
Pet;t;c4 ;~
Pe~~eqeso~io
By the Ex-Committeeman

rather indicate that there was good
ground for the remark of Mayor
Thomas B. Smith, of Philadelphia.
to the effect that it looked as though
Senator Boies Penrose could get any
thing he wanted in the General
Assembly of Pennsylvania. The Sen
ator scored in both ends of the Cap
itol yesterday and wound up the day
by taking dinner with the Governor,
who is to have the final say on the
| bills. Indications, the Senator said
last evening, were that the Philadel-
pha bills would be in the hands of
the Governor in a week or so.
If this is carried out it means that
they will be promptly approved and
that reporting out of bills carrying
appropriations will be under way by
the middle of the month and date
will be set for final adjournment.
There are some men in the Legisla-
ture who are advocating final ad-
journment on May 20 and it is be-
lieved that, with hard work, that
date could be made the day for
closing up the work.
There is little doubt but what the
average legislator is hailing with
the greatest relief the beginning of
/ the end of the controversy over the
| DlllS.
The Wilson bill providing for
the repeal of the third -class city
nonpartisan elective feature is just
now matter of considerable i'm
portance in the Legislature. In spite
of assertions by the Governor that
il is not his bill and that he said
that he did not want 1t to come to
him, the plan is to put through the
measure, which passed the House
finally on Monday night. The men
behind the bill say that the Senate
will pass it. If it goes through, an
effort will surely be made to pass
the bill abolishing the system for
second-class cities. There have been
charges made that the Wilson bill
class city repeater. In any event,
some of the most astute of the sec
ond-class city politicians are taking
great interest in the Wilson bill
They have been here from both of
the second-class cities watching it.
The State administra tion plans
to push along the State Police bill. !
which is now in the Senate. and
legislation which will enable the
State authorities to buy or condemn
the land needed for the barracks
near the State Arsenal is on the way
through the upper House. The State
Police will proceed mptly to or
ganize the new troop after the bill
is signed.
The Attorney General is getting
ready his amendments on the anti
sedition bill, which is to be the next
big test of administration strength
in the House.
- District Attorney Samuel p.
Rotan, of Philadelphia, was in the
House yesterday when the bills in
creasing the staff and detective
force for his office passed on second
reading without a chirp.
Paul w. Houck, who retired
yesterday at noon as Secretary of
Internal Affairs, was at work on
compensation matters before night
fall He was appointed to succeed
James w. Leech, of Ebensburg, as
a member of the Compensation
Board and took the oath a few
hours later. He will sit with mem
bers of the Board at sessions this |
week. Mr.. Houck, who was ap-
pointed Secretary of Internal At |
fairs by Governor Brumb baugh and |
received a salary of $4,000, was |
named by Governor Sproul to sue
ceed one of the officials who figured |
in the famous recess appointment" |
controversy and will receive a sal |
ary of $1,000.
Secretary of Internal Affairs
James F. Woodward will make no |
changes until after the close of the |
Legislature in his department. 1t |
is intimated that a new deputy will !
be named, hut the Secretary has
declined to discuss any possibili- |
ties.
John w. Thomas has been ap. |
pointed justice of the peace for |
Dorrance township, Luzerne county. |
John G. Bell, former ATTORNEY
General, was here among members |
of the Legislature and visiting State !
otficials. He accompanied Provost |
r. F. Smith, of the University of
Pennsylvania, to this city for dis
cussion of legislation. 1t was his
hrst visit in several years.
Representative George w. Will |
llams, OF Tioga, called to the chair |
In the House yesterday, was given |
a hearty reception by his colleagues. |
Mr.. Williams is a stickler for par |
hamentary procedure and observes |
all of the forms.
1T commences to look, as a re- |
suit of the hearing yesterday on the |
scranton mine cave as though some
thing in the nature of an agree
ment would be reached and that
troublesome subject would be |
cleared up as far as this session is |
cncerned. Steve Mcdonald, one of
the speakers, said that about three |
tourths of the city is undermined |
and that the best course would be |
to agree upon damages.
The Philadelphia Bulletin saws
editorially: The Supreme Court of |
the state, oVerruling the action of |
the Board of Registration Commits |
sioners and rebuking those officials
for disregarding the franchise
rights of citizens, and the Senate,
on the same day, passing a bill pro
viding for the reconstruction of this
board, form most suggestive CO.
incidence. In addition to
the determination of the law. a bit
of advice is offered the Commits
sioners, containing, between the
lines, an implied rebuke for the
practices which have brought the
Board before the bar of the court" :"