Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-29
'Psestsca In
ps~~eqgsanSa
BY the Ex-Committceman

1t is very evident that more is
going to be heard in the next Legis-
lature of Pennsylvania about home
rule" for cities than in any previous
year and the manner in which the
representatives of the third class
cities discussed the proposition at
the convention of their League at
Allentown indicates that the smaller
municipalities are going to be lead
ers. The last Legislature passed for
the first time constitutional
amendment to pave the way for
enactment of laws which would pro-
vide n general scheme for govern
ment OF cities, leaving them free to
prescribe the detailed system best
suited to their own needs. This is
what has been wanted for a long
time and ii it had been in effect
in 1913 Harrisburg, which had oper-
.ated very successfully under the old
act of 1889, would have been able
to escape much of the difficulties it
has encountered under the Clark
code.
1t is expected that third class city
laws will be made an issue in most
of the smaller cities next year
lISIt ultN DS All CllOIl W ISSlOIe
the nonpartisan elective feature, but
| by that time it will have been so
be dly discredited that a strong move
ment will be under way to do away
with it entirely. The big feature
will be demands for liberal amend
ment of the third class city code, so
as to include some of the things
not put through this year, and the
home rule" constitutional amend
I IgANt tlNE ET.Il -fgnfV aNNNl
ests will fight the home rule" prop
ostion. The amendment will have
to be passed by the next Legisla-
ture and will be voted upon by the
people in the fall of 1921.
Auditor General Charles A
Snyder, who was author of bills for
home rule" in third class cities
while in the Legislature, has again
aroused much interest among the
officials of such cities by a sugges-
ton that an arrangement should be
made for a State fund from which
cities could borrow money for i'm
provements such as paving, sewers
and other objects for which it would
not be advisable to wait for a local
election on a bond issue. The State
could advance the money which the
city could repay by special taxes or
Il bOib lSSuCs
Discussing the propositions for
amendment of the constitution to
relieve cities, the Scranton Repub-
lican says: Perhaps these amend
mentS would solve some of the prob |
lens that now confront Scranton
and other cities of the State. Third
class cities as well as Scranton now
suffer from the restriction of only
three groupings. The Electric City
FaNNaT N1g,sy 4
the municipal giant, Pittsburgh, and
cities the size of Hazleton and Car
bondale find their needs are differ
ent from those of Erie, Harrisburg
and Wilkes Barre. A larger classi-
tication would enable Scranton and
Reading to get in a group by them
selves and the other incorporated
towns to group themselves accord
ing to size. That would be fair and
equitable for ALL" 4
-Slackers in registration are as
sailed by the Wilkes-Barre Record
vigorously. 1t says. 1T should not
be necessary to urge citizens to
qualify themselves for the exercise
of the most sacred civic privilege
that can be conferred upon them.
Next TO the Stacker in time of war
the most despised of slackers is the
person who for no good reason alb
serts himself from the polling place
on election day. when the fate of
government whether good or bad
depends upon the selection of men
competent and honest and disposed
TO regard tax revenues as a high
trust"
Writing in the Philadelphia In
QJirer, George J. Brennan says:
Judge Harry White, of Indiana,
jurist, legislator, financier and SOL
der, on a visit to Philadelphia last
week met a number of the officers
OF the American Legion and he ac
cCptel their invitation to address a
meeting 20 be held under the
auspices of that organization at
which Civil War veterans will be
asked to recount their military ex-
periences for the edification of the
young men who saw overseas service
in the recent World War. Judge
White has a fund of valuable anec
doteS and personal "reminiscences of
historical interest covering his serv-
ices in the State Legislature at Har-
risburg, the lower House of Con-
gresS, his career as a lawyer and
Il jurist and his services in the Union
Army and his Incarceration in Libby
Prison and subsequent escape there
from"
Some of the school boards of
the State are inclined to be some
what indignant over the failure of
the school teachers increase law to
| be more specific. In certain sections
I of the State questions have arisen
which solicitors for the boards have
suggested be referred to the State
authorities. There are also some
/ districts where it is said that teach
/ ers luay not get the salary increase
/ at all because of the inability of
| the school boards to increase the
Z tax limit or to borrow money. 1t
rather seems as though the teachers
salary question will figure consider
ably in tho politics of Pennsylvania
next year.
| Assurances have been given to
people in a number of departments
of the Capitol that there will be
no shakcups or reorganiZations until
after the primary election. Rumors
have been afloat of numerous
! changes to be undertaken next week,
| -Newspapermen throughout the
State are sending congratulations
to w. H. Schwartz, the editor of the
! Altoona Tribune, who is just "A
years of age. He works harder
than the city editors of many a
newspaper and the Tribune editorial
! page is always worth reading.
Congressman j. Hampton Moore
is getting vigorous in his replies to
the attacks being made upon him.
He says Judge John NJ. Patterson
was one of the character witnesses
for Mayor Thomas B. Smith and
that Thomas Robins, chairman of