Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-12
CONSTITUTIONS may be left At the business
sfaos Of Every Evening.
The Campaign in Ponnsylvania.


Like unto their political brethren in
Delaware, the Republicans Of pennsyl-
vania arc divided into two hostile camps,
and they threaten to go into this years
campaign with two tickets IN the field.
! As governor is included in the State
/ officers to be elected, and the Legislature
to be chosen will have a direct bearing
upon the selection Of successor 10 sena-
tor Penrose in 1909, the Importance of the
State camHaign will be recognized ready.
In addition, national politics may be fur
ther affected by the loss Of some Repub-
lican Congressmen, as the Republican
disafiection affects every part OF the State
and is not likely, II carried TO the extent
Of open division at the election, to give
way 20 union on the Congressional tickets
The division Of the Republican party
into two hostile factions is due to the
revolt against the old Quay machine in
the State campaign Of last year That
revolt resulted in the election Of Demo-
crat, William II. Berry Of Chester, to the
Office Of State treasurer, and Of the anti
machine ticket in Philadelphia. The
Lincoln party, which represented the
anti-machine sentiment IN the State OUT
side OF Philadelphia, and the City party,
which conducted tho anti-machine cam
paign IN Philadelphia, worked In unison,
and the solid Democratic vote was cast
in favor of the tickets Of the City party in
Philadelphia, while the Lincoln party in
dorsed the nomination Of Berry for State
treasurer This combination proved in
yincibe and the old Republican machine
was disastrously beaten in city and State.
But already there are signs of disinte-
grafton in the anti-maohine forces, and
naturally the machine will take advan-
tage of this situation to strengthen itself
for the more important political campaign
Of this year II still calls itself the regular
party organization, and no doubt will
hold on to that title until It shall be
wrested from it by some other organiza-
tion Of Republican voters But the Lin
coin party, which shows less evidence Of
internal dissensious than are found in
the City party Of Philadelphia, will bS
first in the field with a straight ticket foi
governor and other State officers, ano
then il viii be up TO the Republican or
ganization the machine 20 say whether
il will accept these nominations or plac,
machine Republican ticket in the field
Assuming that the Republican faction
viii go into the contest In divided state
with two separate and distinct tickets il
the field the attitude of the Democratic
organization becomes a matter of grea
interest What will Il do - viii il Civ
is hearty cooperation to the Lincoli
party, or viii il run a straight Democrati
ticket, hoping to profit by the Republican
division and secure the election Of
Democratic State administration
Time WAS when there would have bee
no question as TO the Democratic att
tudo IL would have been one Of non
interference between the two factions
but Of straight Democratic aggressivenesl
Conditions in Pennsylvania hsve sadl
changed however. and il must be al
mitted that the Democratic vote he
dwindled so frghtinlly that even
divided Republican party gives no assu
ance Of Democratic SUCCESS. The vot
at the Presidential election Of 1908 show
that in such contest the Democrat
party ticket would he third in the coun
In that election, Roosevelt received $40
e4e votes and Parker SS5, ,4S0, maiort
for the former Of SOS. $40. or nearly 200
600 more than the total Democratic vot,
Democrats may claim that condition
have 80 improved since then that the
vote viii be larger and the Repuhlica
vote smaller. this year, but the chang
viii have to be a radical one il It can owe
come this large Republican margin 10 a
extent sufficient 70 open the door Of hoy
70 the Democratic party in a contest Wit
the hostile Republican factions.
The moral Of such a situation voul
seem to be that the duty Of the Democrat
organization is to throw its fortunes vii
the lincoln party in order to insure u
defeat OF the Republican machine.