The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-29
The Political Situation in Pennsyl-
yania.

on June 81, nominated for the Governor
ship LEWIS EMERY, Jr., already put for
ward for the same office by those Repub-
licans who have seeded from the So
called regular organization and have
taken the name of the Lincoln party.
Are the fusionists likely to be as success
full next November as they were last
year, when Mr.. BERRY, their candidate
for State Treasurer, was elected, not
outstanding the fact that Mr.. RoosE-
ri had swept the State In 1904 by a
plurality of more than half a million?
At the first glance it seems improbable
that Mr.. EMERY can hope to repeat the
~fusionist triumph of a year ago. In the
first place, fusion is not as yet SO compre-
hensive as it was then. State Treasurer
BERRY was the nominee not only Of the
Democrats and the Lincolnites, but also
Of the Prohibitionists, who cast nearly
"a, 200 ballots in 1904, and who were
credited with nearly 1920, 900 in 1898. Had
any adequate measures been taken at
Harrisburg on Wednesday to conciliate
the Prohibitionists-had Mr.. HOMER l..
CASTLE, for instance, been named for
the Lieutenant-G overnorship-their WI
nominees might have beenwithdrawn and
a formal Endorsement given to the Lin
colnite- Democratic ticket. Possibly this
may be done, even as things are, for the
Prohibitionists showed last year that the
cause Of drastic political reform has no
more %unf1inching and self-effacing friends
than they are. The Harrisburg conven-
ton, however, seems to have Numbered
in putting so severe a strain on their
spirit of s~elf-sacrifce. 1t was rash to
risk the 8 1000 votes which might have
been secured by a nomination for q
minor office in a year when a Federal
House of Representatives is to be elected,
and when Republicans of national repu-
tation in all parts Of the Union cannot
but hope that Pennsylvania's delegation
in Congress will undergo no material
change.
The fact remains that Pennsylvania,
in spite of the tremendous maiorities
which it has regularly given to Repub-
lican nominees for the Presidency since
the civil war, has twice broken from its
moorings and chosen a Democratic Gov
ernor in non-Presidential years. 1t will
hardly be disputed that from the view
point of Philadelphia, and we might add
of Pittsburg also, there. are stronger
reasons to-day for keeping State and
municipal issues in the foreground than
thora -,a-n IN tho fx,n anaoci1no xrhnn
Mr.. PATTIsoN was elected Governor.
The citizens movement, which was em-
bodied in the so-called City party, and
which received indispensable aid from
Mayor WEAvER's cooperation, was an
uprising for good government which last
November swept Philadelphia like a
tidal wave, and contributed the plurality
which placed Mr.. BERRY, the fusion
nominee, at the head of the State Treas
ury. 1t was patent to the reformers,
however, that their victory was only in
choate, and that if the regular organiza-
ton should elect a successor to Governor
PE%NNYPACKER this year, their old op-
pressors would almost certainly regain
their former grasp upon Philadelphia,
and the taxpayers ofthat city, once more
baf1ed and disillusioned, would gradu-
ally relapse into the state of apathy from
which for a twelvemonth they had been
galvanized into self-respect. Under the
circumstances it is natural that the ma
jority of Philadelphians should feel it a
duty at this time to subordinate national
to State and municipal issues, in order
to compass the return of a Governor who
a be relied upon to veto legislation
harmful to their city.
The prospects of q fusionist candidate
for Governor have been improved by
the sagaoity with which the Lincolnite
and Democratic leaders have thus far
refrained from an agreement to coop
crate in Congress elections. So far as
candidates for the Federal House Of
Representatives are concerned, every
Linoolnite Republican and every Demo-
crat has been and should be left at lib
erty to cast his ballot for the candidate
of his own party. Only by loyal adher-
ence to such wise discrimination be-
tween national and State issues can the
reformers Of Philadelphia look for the
fruition of their hopes. The good sense
and foresight hitherto exhibited by the
engineers of fusion in Pennsylvania was
reflected in the cireumspect attitude
maintained by the Harrisburg conven-
ton with reference to the Democratic
nomination for the Presidency. In that
State, as in many another State, the
Democratic party comprises a conserva-
tive as we'll az a radical element, and it
would have been an act of folly to run
the risk Of ~cstranging one factor by a
premature Endorsement Of the other.
The Dem ocratic managers were too
shrewd to be guilty of such a blunder,
and accordingly they forebore to COM
init their party at this time TO a formal
approval OF Mr.. BRYAN's candidacy.
There will be plenty OF time in 1907 or 1913
for PenHs ylvania's Democracy to make
its voice heard upon the subject, and il,
A .--L,II I..-n lN r.