Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-05
BAKER THWARTS
CAPITOL SCHEME
state Committee Chairman
Stops Move to Abolish
Printing OF Bile
CHANCE FOR DARK WORK

Somebody at the State Capitol at
Harrisburg, under the guise Of econ.
omy, has proposed a scheme whicn
would make It infinitely easier to slip
through bad legislation and snake
amendments to bills In the session or
the Legislators which opens next month.
The scheme proposes that the custom
OF printing copies Of all bills introduced
into the Legislature and printing a'eu
copies of the bills as amended. be abol.
ished to save cost Of paper and print.
ing. These copies Of bills and amend .
ments make IL possible for those POI =.
lowing legisla tiOn to know just what
Is stipulated In any proposed measure
at any point In its passage through the
House and senate.
Baker Thwsrts Plan
First news of the plan came to W,
Harry Baker chairman Of the Repub.
licnn State Committee, today nc the
headquarters. 500 South Broad street
lie was called up on long distance tele.
phone by his secretary ut Harrisburg
who told him the Department Of PubliC
Printing Of which Robert G. Miller I.
the head. wanted to know whether Il
have paper provided for the copies oI
the bills an dthe further suggestion wa,
made that TO eliminate the copies wouil
save lots Of money.
Baker replied promptly that he woult
not "stand for dark lantern methods
md when 1t was pointed out that soni'
one should sponsor the order for thu
paper, Baker said he would take tha
responsibility
"That's the limit" commented Bakel
as he put in a long distance call for tn
State Department Of Public Printing
When he got the department be toll
the officials in charge that thcy. bette
60 slow about hampering public IN
formation f.','n % .!I by failing :" provide 10
Il was interested in the first place.
continued Baker, "in getting thes
copies supplied. They are inv aluabl
to newspaper correspondents and to th
representatives of civic organizations
such as those of women, which follo'
bills from point to point IN the As
srmbly, from the time they are firs
offered, right through their passaR
through committees md both house!
Lack OF the copies would seriOusl
hamper those interested in getting 9
the exact status of legislation and woul
make 1t possible for all sorts Of trlcker
to be attempted which would not
discovered until the bill had passed tt
Legislature. Why they talk Of savin
u thousand or 80. In the end it migt
mean the loss of millions In practic,
effect. What a protest would 60 u
over the State from women's organiza
tions should no copies be supplied. {
far as I am concerned there will be \
dark lanter methods"
Interest Smoothing Path
Mr.. Baker Is able to take a defni
stand on the question not only becaul
he Is State chairman, but also becau'
he Is secretary Of the Senate.
In political circles this particuli
development was received with de-
interest. 1t indicated to observers tn
special interests were striving, in AZ
vance, to smooth out their legislati,
pat hby making It difficult to keep tai
or what was going on in the field
legislation. These interests are all q
more concerned for the reason that Il
Governor elect intends to listen to 1
Interest except that Of the Common
wealth.