Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-13
.QU|z OF GOVERNOR
ON FUNDS DEFEATED
Pinchot's Proposal to Have Ex-
ecutive Explain to Legislature
Killed by Revisionists
SCHAFFER OPPOSED MOVE
By a star Correspondent

! Clifford Pinchot's proposal to requir,
! the Governor and heads of Department.
| to appear before the Legislature and bC
/ submitted to Interrogation concernins
state funds was defeated by the com
mittee on constitutional revision anC
amendment at Harrisburg today
Another resolution by George Whar
ton Pepper, Philadelphia, giving them
the right to appear, also was defeated.
Attorney General Schaffer pointed out
that they now have that right. The
Governor. he said can either appear
in person or address the Assembly by
message.
The recommendations for budget
were adOrted.
The first recommendation concerning
the summoning of governors proposed
that the Governor submit an estimate of
the state $ revenues and expenditures for
the ensuing two fiscal years to the
Legislature on or before March |. Mr..
Pinchot proposed to that end it be re-
quired that the Governor and heads of
other executive departments shall have
the right to appear before either branch
of the Legislature and be heard and
shall be subject to Interrogation from
the members.
Mr.. Pinchot quoted his experiences in
Congress to show the need of obtaining
executives information when appropria :
tions are before the Legislature.
Schaffer Opposes Resolution
Attorney General Schaffer opposed
the resolution.
The Governor" said Mr.. Schaffer.
who had previously yielded the chair to
George Il. Allen, should be absolutely
free from the control of the legislative
and judicial branches Many questions
could be asked the Governor which he
should not and could not answer pub
licly."
Former Judge rames G. Gordon. in
opposing the Pepper resolution to give
the executive the right to appear before
the Assembly, indirectly criticized Pres
ideut Wilson. Vance c. Mccormick,
who was Wilson $ campaign manager in
1915, made no response.
1T is injudicious.' said Judge Cor
don in discussing the Pepper resolution.
Il recall the wide wave of public criti-
cism which passed over the country
when a certain public officer appeared
too frequently in legislative halls and
even sought adjoining committee rooms
to hear legislative debates. 1t is an in
vasion of the right of the independence
or legislative government.
Judge Gordon continued that the leg
islative branch was more representa-
tive than the executive. and that its
action could be interpreted as the ex-
preston of popular power.
Hampton l.. Carson, former attorney
general attacked the proposition as one
which would shake the foundations of
the government He said it was in
direct violation of the Supreme Court
decisions on the right of legislative
body to summon the executive for in
terrogation.
He declared the proposal "revolu
tionary in its character and suggested
that it might result in 'some rough
neck on the floor" questioning the Gov
ernor.
How are you going to enforce it if
the Governor refuses to appear?' asked
Mr.. Carson.
Mr.. Pinchot reported that in reviS-
ing the constitution the object was
to make law for the guidance of the
supreme Court, regardless of what it
had decided under the present con-
stitution.
Mccormick Again Attacks Budget
Before the debate on the Pinchot
proposal Mr.. Mccormick again at
tackled the manner of distributing state
appropriations for charitable purposes.
Mr.. Mccormick contended that some
plan should be devised to consider the
bill before acting on other
legislation. He held that legislators
we're subject to undue influence"
He said the plan of holding back |
hospital appropriations until the end of
the session was part of the vicious
syStem,'