Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-28
TO lNDIcT LEGISLATURE
is TO lNDlCT VOTERS
The Men In Harrisburg Are No Better
and No Worse Than the People
Who Elected Them

ITO lNDlCT the Legislature whose nc-
L tivitics nre drawing to close is to
iudct the people of Pennsylvania
The members Of that body represent the
people They were nominated NJ the pri-
maries and elected by popular vote. They
represent not only the average intelligence
but III" average Of public spirit and Of 10y
aity 20 the best interests Of the common
wealth.
It is no answer to say that many of the
members were IN reality picked by the
political bosses and have tnkcn their orders
from those bosses The boss system, so
far as II exists. exists with the knowledge
aud conScnl Of tho voters They seem to
prefer to have their political affairs man
aged in that way. They delegate politicaI
control to mon willing TO assume it and the
bosses play their game TO suit themselves.
1t is just as easy for the people to abolish
the boss system as it was for the House Of
Representatives 70 unseat Speaker Spanger
and to put Major Whitaker in the chair in
his place The power rests with them.
They may exercise it whenever they feel SO
disposed.
Every state and every city has the kind
of government for which it is fitted To
put it more brutally, every state and every
city has the kind of government which it
deserves.
AS the people Of Pennsylvania are neither
wholly good nor wholly bad. their Legisla
tur" partakcs Of their qualities. 1t has
served selfish interests and il has also acted
for the general good A final verdict on its
achievements cannot be rendered until after
it has adjourned today. for many important
measures have not y"t been acted upon.
These have been hcId MP until the closing
DAYS and hours Of tho session in order that
,T,,l,t h., tb, do.
for the passage Of the speca. and local bills
in which the members are Interested Votes
for mrrtorous bills favored by the Governor
have been traded for votes for bills which
individual members are interested in. Old
lcglsativ" war horses laugh N the inno-
CpnCe Of a member who votes on every bill
according 10 it's merits. They would ask
him what his vote was for il not 10 be
used To got what he wishes for himself or
his own district. This is the truth, cynical
as II may seem.
Yet the prospects are favorable for tho
success Of the constructive" program outlined
by the Governor in his opening message to
the Legislature.
The Governor Urged m" creation Of a
State Council Of Education to tax" the
place Of the Stat" Board OF Education and
the College and | niversity Council. The
purpose ~ this was To concentrate IN one
body the direction of the educational policy
of the state. The plan had the Endorsement
"f Dr. Finrgan, the superintendent Of pub
Ii" instruction. VINO has set out to raise
"ducat tional standards and To do his utmost
lo remove from the state the stigma which
has attached 10 1t because of its low rank
rs compared win other states The council
is likely 10 be pstabilshrd.
The bill raising the pay # teachers and
hNiug the qualification Of the teachers to
receive the increased pay * already in II"
hands Of the Governor. u. in conjunction
with me creation Of rhN Council of EduCn'
tion. will mark the beginning Of new era
for the public schools
This program however. cannot he carried
o., without an increase in III" revenues
To provide the money n series OF revrnu"
nIIS have been drafted and they are on
rnPir hnsl passage lnrs y written
They viii yield between so, ,OOn. 600 and
Sl2 900 900 tur greater part Of which will
Do used for th" bcttcrment ~ Tho schools
4 reform oi equal importance Is Cont"H.
u.u,pd by ne Governor rhrough the creation
~ a department II Public WrlfHr" To take
over the functions Of IN" State ROnrd Of
charities. n" Iunaoy Commission and m"
Prison Labor Commission. The establish
unonr II III" new department ghnGid save
the people between half million aud
million dollars wear through h" careful
scrutiny ~ the appropriations for "haritnbI"
institutions which receive stat" ard
Tn" distribution of public money {" char
'abi" inSritNUons has been accompanlrd by
~rnndal Tor years. Much Of m" norrv has
been PAID out. not on any scientific or ~
r"i,r gent plan bJ' 'hrough fuvorIriSu ana
IL payment of poIItrn. drnig y, one has
denied the existence ~ rhu aOuses. bur until