Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-08-08
(Special Correspondence.1

Philadelphia, Aug. 6.-RepuDllcanS
and Democrats alike are interested in
the contest which is now going on
within the lines of the state Democ-
racy, and it would appear that Colonel
James NJ Guffey will have to keep q
sharp lookout or his leadership will
be given a rude shock at the state
convention -,yhich is to be held at Har-
risburg on the 18th inst.
There is suspicion that former
Judge Gordon, of Philadelphia, is as
piring to state leadership in the Demo
cratic party.
Gordon has always been unable to
cut much of figure in state politics,
because he has never succeeded in get
ting much of foothold in the Demo
cratic organization of his own city. He
and his followers took little part in
the Democratic primaries at which the
delegates were elected to the coming
state convention. They probably do
not control more than one or two out
of the entire delegation.
WORKING FOR THE FUTURE.
But they have taken hold Of the agi-
tation for the ousting of what are
known as the regular Democratic del
egates" from Philadelphia because
they hope by taking advantage of the
sentiment against the Donnelly-Ryan
element in Quaker City politics they
can affect the action of the state con-
Vention.
A rather sensational development In
Pennsylvania politics, however, has
been the resignation of Donnelly as
chairman of the Democratic city com
mittee of Philadelphia, and the cleo
ton of former Governor Pattison as
his successor. Pattison has taken hold
of the Philadelphia Democracy and
says he proposes to put it once more
upon a fighting basis. He has started
out to perfect the organization and is
evidently in earnest.
GORDON DEMOCRATS GAME.
The action of the governor. how
ever. does not suit the Gordon faction
They want the entire Philadelphia del
egation to the state convention ousted
and the recognition of a new set Of
delegates chosen by them. BY this
means Gordon hopes to get control Of
the Philadelphia Democratic Organiza-
ton. Should Gordon ever get this
leverage he would undoubtedly start
in to turn out Colonel Guffey as the
state leader and as the Democratic
national committeeman
Gordon is very close personally and
politically to John Wanamaker He
does not miss any opportunity to help
along the Wanamaker political inter
ests, and it Is assumed that
his present activity in Demo
cratic politics is part of the
Wanamaker campaign to be developed
throughout the state. Gordon's politi
cal relations have for years been with
the David Martin Republican combine
influences. His followers took prom
inent part in the fight against former
Governor Pattison when he was a can
didate for mayor of Philadelphia, and
Governor Pattison's friends are today
circulating copies of a speech delivered
by Gordon, when he was still Judge
on the bench, and made at a public
dinner in the Quaker City in which he
expressed extreme delight over the
election of Warwick who was Patti
sons Republican opponent for mayor
The friends of the former governor
recall the fact that it was Pattison who
placed Gordon on the common pleas
bench by appointment and thus gave
him start in life. After Pattison's
second election to the governorship,
because he declined to make appoint
ments as Gordon directed, Gordon de-
clared war upon him personally and
politically and to this day he is one
of his most vindictive enemies.
Pattison is expected to play a prom
inent part at the coming state conven-
ton. He has already been hailed as
the"next Democratic candidate for gov
ernor," and if he is at all successful
in his efforts to reorganize the Phila-
delphia Democracy, it is quite probable
that he will be seriously considered
by the state Democracy for the COVER
norship next time.
This does not naturally agree with
the plans Of the Gordon Wanamaker
political interests They want to have
either Judge Gordon or Senator Coch-
ran, Of Lycoming county, placed upon
the Democratic ticket for governor. In
that event, should some stalwart Re-
publican be nominated for governor
by the Republican convention, as q
stalwart Republican surely will be
nominated. the Gordon -Wanamaker
combine would turn in for the Demo-
cratic nominee and work to defeat the
Republican standard bearer.
In this they would have a two-fold
object. They would seek to defeat the
Republican candidate for governor and
they would endeavor to defeat enough
Republican nominees for the legisla-
ture to give the Democrats and the
Wanamaker insurgents control OF the
next general assembly, which will elect
United States senator to succeed
Senator Boies Penrose.