Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-26

liminary revision are the represen-
tatives of those influences which
have hitherto prevented any kind of
a revision. They will so no further
than undoubted public sentiment
Will force them to go.
Pittsburgh Dispatch-It is general
ly conceded that some revision is
needed, changing conditions in the
almost half century making it neces-
sary Prohibitions and limitations
deemed conclusive in 1873 are irk-
some in these altered days. Indeed.
as the Governor said: While many
of these are wise, a liberal attitude
upon the part of the courts has
stretched some OF the provisions to
the breaking point, and there is great
confusion as to their Interpretation"
The danger has been in constitutional
conventions called to overhaul an en-
tire constitution that the good may
be tampered with while the obsolete
is being remedied. That has beer
the experience of other states. 1t has
been deemed the safer plan to pre-
fer piecemeal revision, thereby TO-
cusing public attention upon one or
two things that can be thoroughly
debated at time instead of involv
ing the whole document. This is
understood to be the function of the
committee of 25, TO study and sug-
gest revision needed. Its power will.
of course, be merely to recommend
to the Legislature at its next session.
After that public opinion can form
intelligently on the course to be pur-
sued, whether to have n convention
or to proceed with revision by
amendment, as has been done of late
years. The report of the committee
will furnish u basis for a thorough
discussion of the whole subject.
Scranton Rcpublican-The Cover
nor's appointments to this commits
sion will commend themselves to the
people of Pennsylvania. They in
olude the Attorney General of the
commonwealth. the Attorney Cen
eral of the United States, and 23
others. among whom are the Secre-
tary of Labor of the United States,
TWO women, former State officials
ana judges, leading lawyers. former
legislators, city officials, newspaper
men and college presidents. Scran-
ton is honored with a place on the
commission, the selection being Hon.
John p. Kelly, former legislator, dis
trlct attorney and judge, whose
standing and equipment as lawyer,
legislator and citizen admirably fit
MN MIN Tor this very responsible place.
me residents of cities will be graft
ned to note that the Governor has
ADDED experts on municipal law to
the members of the Commission. 1t
mas been realized for a dozen years
or more that one of the most marked
uefclencieS of the present constitu-
uon Is the limited classification of
the cities of the State which have
evidently grown far beyond the ex-
pectauons of the men who framed
the Constitution of 1873.
Altoona Tribune-GovernorS Sproul
made admirable selections for
membership on the commission to
prepare material for the proposed
constitutional convention. The
names of the men and women named
by the Governor appeared yester-
day morning. 1t would be some
thing of a task to prepare a similar
list that would excel the one
selected. Republicans and Demo-
Gratis, members of both sexes. rep
resenting varied callings in life. and
yet all well qualified for the import
ant duties before them, these ladies
and gentlemen will doubtless pro-
duce a document which will be
IlioueLh III every respect and yet
free from the crudeness and the
follies that have become decidedly
prominent in certain circles. 1t is
generally acknowledged that our
present constitution, which, good
enough for the time in which it was
prepared, is now hopelessly anti
quated, needs to be superseded by a
more modern and commemorative
document. One may confidently
look forward to the creation of a
constitution that will be a credit to
the State.