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THE MEYERSDALE COMMERCIAL, MEYERSDALE, PA.
NEWS ITEMS FROM
STATE CAPITOL
Moms of Interest Picked Up
, Among the Lawmakers,
——
BILLS STILL BEING INTRODUCED
®lsasures Affecting Persons In All
Walks of Life Making Thelr Appear
@nce—Committees Busy Aeting on
Various Bills 4nil Chiendare & Hulk
Moussa Are Well Pitied.
Harrisburg, Ph, May 1-~A “ous:
dry” Pennsylvania during the rest of
the war is provided for in a prch.bi-
ton bill introduced in the house by
Representative Mitchell, of Jefferson,
one of the “dry” leaders of the legi:-
lature. i!
Mr. Mitchell recently tried to have
another prohibition measure he had
previously sponsored so amended a:
10 make it a “war bill,” but the house
law and order committee, of which
Representative Wagner, Allegheny, an
avowed ‘““wet,” {is chairman, reported
it out with a negative recommenda-
tion.
Undismayed by the committee’s ac-
tion Mr. Mitchell prepared the new bill
which made its appearance today and
about which one of the biggest and b't-
terest anti-liquor fights in the history
of the state is regarded as certain to
be waged.
Representative Isadore Stern hes in-
troduced a bill in the house. passage
of which would silence advocates of
birth control in Pennsylvania. The
bill prohibits the publication, adver-
tising, selling, distributing or other
wise disseminating knowledge or infor-
‘mation tending to interfere with or
diminjsh the birth of human be'ngs.
Violations of the act, it is specified.
shall be punished by a fine of not less
than $250 nor more than $1000 cr im-
prisonment for three months or one
year.
The long expected bill to establish
a text-book commission for fourth-
class school districts of Pennsylvania
tas made its appearance in the senate
Senator Charles A. Snyder, of Schuyl-
kill, made the Introduction of this bill
his last offic'al act as a senator and
as it followed his retirement speech.
in which he took occasion to say that
during his career as a logi¥lator he.
‘was more interested in public sehonl
‘matters than anything else. the <enate
had the text-book bill ym ed! y
vTeported out and by unanimous eon-
#ent put through on first reading.
By the terms of the Snyder bill th-
commission would consist of the eoun-
‘ty superintendent, two superintend-
ents or supervising principals of the
fourth class school districts, and the
two school directors chosen at the eon-
venition of school direntors, All hooks
Tor use In for=th-class scaol districts,
which include places of 5000 p-pu’~-
ton and under, must first be swbm't-
ted to the dena-tment of ‘pub'i~ in
#traction and from thig the suverr.
tendent’' will furnish each texgbock
commission with an authorized list of
Books from which selections: must he
made.
The bill is modeled after similar
‘bifls in other states and; accordine
‘to: the author, is of tremendous im-
portance to the rural achools of th-
wtate. © “A body composed of schco'
men selected for this special purpose
‘will feel keenly the responsibility. of
getting the best books adapted to the
meeds of the pupils.” sald Senator Sny-
der. "Also, when teachers change po-
sitions they will know the books and
the same appHes to pupils, who In
moving from one district to another.
will not have to go over the same mat.
ter on account of subjects being treat
ed differently by the several schon!
book authors.”
The Schantz bill to enable Bethle-
hem and South Bethlehem to comsoli-
date Is through both branches and
ready for action by the governor.
Charles Schwab, president of the Beth-
lehem Steel company, is an advoeate
of this measure.
Recently the house refected the
Thomas bill to prohibit the sale of
deadly weapons or the carrying of fire:
arms without a permit from the
sheriff. It was modeled after the fa-
mous Sullivan act of New York.
If the senate puts through the Pow-
ell hill, which passed the house last
week hy a vote of 105 to 55. and if
it receives the approval ef the gover-
nor, every hunter in the future will
‘have to wear a red coat or a red cap
or a red hat when out in quest of
game. This is backed by manv hunt-
ers and the purpose is to safeguard
human life.
The house has fixed May 1 as the
last day of the session of 1917 upo-
which bills can be introduced. There
are over 1600 bills on the house list
pow. The resolution to fix a time woe
presented by Mr. Lewis, Jefferson, and
an unsuccessful effort was made bv
Mr. Shaffer, Columbia, to substitut
May 1. :
A bil making it lawful for any thea-
tre, moving picture theatre, music hall
or assembly reom to exhibit moving
pictures « Sunday: after torely
oc
and
pri
by R p tative J. W. Smith, o
Philadelphia.
. time the United States is éngaced i+
NEW OFFICIALS
ASSUME DUTIES
Snyder and Kephart Sworn In
Before Senate.
MANY WITNESS CEREMONY
Appeintments of Auditor General and
State Treasurer Not Yet Annoutio-
od—Bil Introduced in Legistature fe
Susjiend Full Crew Law During Wir
With GeFmady. ;
. Harrisburg, Pa., May 8.—Pennsylva-
fifa’ now hax tws hew state officers.
On Tuesday af last week Senator
Charles A. Snyder toek the oath as
auditor general and this week Har-
mon M. Kephart, who for ten years past
has been chief clerk of ‘the "senate,
began the duties of state treasurer, to
which place he was elected last No-
vember by over 200,000 majority.
Both men were sworn in before the
bar of the state senate. This was an
unusual proceeding, but those who ar-
ranged it believed that inasmuch as
they had been conspicuous in the sen
ate it was but fitting and proper that
the oath should be administered to
them in that chamber and in the p-es-
ence of the men with whom they had
been associated.
HON. CHARLES A. SNYDER
Pennsyivania’s New Auditor General.
Neither Snyder or Kephart has made
any -official announcement as yet re-’
garding appointments other than the
former's naming of J. ord Rigby, of
Mediu, 4s olifef of thé bureau of cor-
porations. - Semi-officially it is known
that Attorney John H. Fertig, of Potts-
Ville “will: be deputy auditor general
ang that Attorneys: Gabriel Moyer, of
Lebanon, and Samual Lewis, of York,
will be- given responsible places in
the same office.
] Friends on Hand.
The inauguration of Snyder was wit-
nessed by hundr>ds of Icyal friends,
especlallv from the northeastern part
of the state, where the new auditor
general has resided all his life.
On motion of Senator Sproul. of
Delaware, Lieutenant Governor Mec-
Clain, who was presiding, named Sena.
tors Sproul, Republican, and Sores;
Democrat, of Lycoming, a commit: ea
to escort the auditor general-elect to
the senate chamber. A second later,
Mr. Snyder, walking between his es-
corts emerged from the lounging room"
at the rear of thé senate chamber.
There was a wave of applause as the
trio moved over to the bar of the sen-
ate where the oath was administered
by Secretary Woods. The senate, on
motion of Vare, of Philadelphia, then
took a recess in order that the mem-
bers might congratulafe the new audit.
or general. Forming in line, senators
and attaches of the senate and mony
of Auditor General Snyder’s friends
passed along and with a clasp of the
hand wished the Schuylkill man a sue-
cessful administration.
Secretary Woods also administered
the oath to Mr. Kephart. Before this
was done the resignation of Kephart
as chief clerk of the senate was read,
and William P. Gallggher, of Wilkes-
Barre, was elected as his successor.
The state treasurer-elect was escorted
to the bar of the senate by Senators
Byre, of Chester, and Crow, of Fayette
A recess of ten minutes was taken
to extend congratulations to the new
official. T.deutenant Governor McClain
read Mr. Kephart’s parting words to
the senate. He regretted the sever-
ance of relations and would alwys r~.
member the kindness and ccmpanicn
ship of senators. Gratitnde to Senator
Crow, who had influenced his appoint-
ment as chief clerk and Tater. wos in-
strumental! in having him nominate”
for the state treasurer-hin. wong ex-
pressed in the farewell, “I shall he
with you often,” the valedictory set
forth, “and the latchetring to my f
fice will alwavs ba out.”
Suspend Full Craw Law.
Senator McKee, of Allechany. hag i=
troduced a supplement to the "ull crew
law, providing that the provisions of
the act shall not he in force during th.
the war with Germany and for -cix
months after the clgse of the war Th
bill recites that state and ration -r
STATE MAY TAKE
LAST WHITE PINE
Movement on fo Acquire Fam-
ous Cook Forest.
TRACT IS IN THREE COUNTIES
AIL
Has Over 7,000 Acres and is a Natural
Refuge and Breeding Place of Every
Variety of Wild Life—If Made &
State Park Would Rival Great Yéi-
lowstone.
Harrisburg, Ph, May $.—With the
support. of practically every conserva
tion association and large sportsmen’s
organizations fn the state, the move
ment for the acquisition of a great!
forest by the commonwealth is assum.
ing notable proportions before the leg-
islature.
The Cook forest, iucluding 769
acres in Jefferson, Forest and Clarion
counties, seems to offer the last op-
portunity for the preserv-tion of any
considerable amount of the primeval
beauties of the commonwealth, ani it
is Margely for this reason that its ac-
qui-ition ,and m-=intenance as a stote
park is being urged by the conserva-
tionists of the state.
If passed by the legislature and av-
proved by the governor the hill f~r the
purchase of the Cook forest w'll sa
cure for Pennsylvania the most beau*'-
ful and wonderful pork in the eastern
United States. On It are trees that
were standing when Columbus dise~v-
ered America. They are of the rar-at
of all our American woods. the Penn-
sylvania white pine. Many of the-e
trees are seven feet and more in diam-
eter, 250 feet high and 150 feet from
the eround to the first limb. Nothin~
Hke them exist anywhere in the known
world, .
Conservation associations point ou’
that if the Cook forest is pre-e-ved
and maintained as a state park it wil
be as great a resort for tourists a-’
sight-eers as the Yellow=tone Prk
and the great Redwood tress of. Ca'i-
fornia, and as a matter of fact, it wi"
than these noted parks have attracted.
It has been conservatively estimated
by men who are familiar with this for-
est that it is worth more than $1.000.
000, but <0 anxious has been this fami-
ly to have these mighty trees preserv-
ed as the last of “Penn’s Woods” that
they practically. made a. redutisn of
at (east a fourth of the ‘million by
asking of the state only $700,000 for
the property. ®
. Would -Maintaln Itself.
The value: of the . property was
pretty thoroughly esteblished by nu-
merous investigators, both public: and
private, about six years ago. Sirc~
that time the valuation of standing
timber of all varieties included in the
Cook forest has Increased more than
25 per cent.. The bark of many tre-s
not. previously used is now of van-,
and thers ir a cryinz demand for tes.
pop-wood ard chemical wood.
The Cao} forest. nroposition has at:
tracted the attention of the st-te -s
more than a sentimental project. TI‘
is the only matter of this sort under
consideration by the present legisla.
ture, which will not require a continu.
ous series of appropriations for m-in-
tenance, to say nothing of the question
of the state petting back the princin~'
of any amount it might invest. The
Cook forest by its gas revenue alone
is sufficient to pay all of the expenses
and, maintenance, including the un-
keep of the roads, and above that to
make an annual return to the st-te
of approximately $18,000, of whic- if
placed at compound interest should re-
turn the full price paid by the state
in a little over twenty years.
Endorsed by Many.
The plan to make this, great f-res’
a state park has the endorsement of
the Wild Life League of Pennsylvania,
the Pennsy'vania State Forest A=zso.
ciation, the Pennsylvania Conservaticn
Association, United Sportsmen cf
Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State
Sportsmen’s Association, some sev niy
county and local sportsmen’s associa-
tions, as well as many of the women’s
clubs, histcrical societies and eivic
bodies throughout thé state. Tre ne.
cessity for having the purcha-e ~p-
roved at ‘his session of the leg's'»-
ure arises from the fact that tue e
are numercus heirs to the Cook cs-
tate, the majority of whom desir> t°
have the estate ‘settled up and h-ve.
forced the adoption of a resol tion t~
sell the property at once. T" rug
the influence of one or two of the hei =
this action was held un u=~t‘l1 ‘hi-~ ' s!
apneal was made to the state to buy
and preserve this timber.
If this legislature fails to act, the
lumberman’s axe must fall on the-e
forest giants and something wil! h~—~
vanished from the face of the e~ t-
never to be seen again in all prohab li
ty, for thirty generations of man mst
live and have their being while one ~f
-these monster pines ig attaining its |
full growth.
Ideal for a Park.
For park purposes the Cook fore=* ‘s
ideal. Tt lies in the midst of a regi
noted: for its scenic grandeur: through
it winds the Clarice. river. the m-c!
beautiful of Pennsvlwania streams. ad
down the sloney of the mountains come
tumhling scores of trout brooks. Tre
family pride which. for 150 years, has
kep this magnificent collection of
trees from being cut has algo crused
the openine of roads and paths tra
reach every part of the property to a
probably be visited by more. peanle |
degree that it is suitable for pa~k pu-
Foro pa’
poses todav without any ma‘e-ial im |
auffering fron a shortase of Jahrr
|
vas 1
referred to the committee on railroads
| |
ing to the extraordinary demands made |
NON Indpci-e Wy 1
1aroe nn
1
Hoveda toc £3
fied time of Nabor laws. The bill w
ram eee = - re EY v——
provement. {
The Cook forest today, is the !
refiioe ond hreadine a .
rh 1d life
these gigantic tr 8, th
question that if preserve
tained as a state par}
drawing power Yellow
1 and m=
will riya
FARMERS
The world-wide food shortage has ;
put YOU on the firing line
The Hunger Cry at Home
and Abroad Bids You
UP!
You know the wheat crop is more than
125,000,000 bushels short in the face of
a bigger demand than ever. Other crops
must make up this shortage
.
Here is how you can help:
Give first consideration to the
non-perishable crops. Increase
your acreage of beans and corn.
Sow more buckwheat. Plant
forage crops to supplement
grain feed. Increase your live
stock---especially hogs. Raise
more chickens for quick meat.
If you have more of any kind of seed
than you can use, see that some one
else gets it.
WE MUST FEED THE ALLIES
AND OURSELVES
THE WORLD IS
WAITING TO BUY
Don’t Be Afraid of
Low Prices
If you need help to do your part ask the Loca
Committee of Public Safety for Aid
ISSUED BY
IMITTEE OF PU
NT OF FOOD Si
NN SQUARE—PHILADELI
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