The Washington herald., 1912-02-19
THE POLITICAL PROCESSION
By FRANCIS B. oEssNER.

Indiana Democrats in Congress have
suddenly substituted governorship gos-
sip and also uneasIness for the Presi-
Dental possibility talk that was upper
most week ago. Not even the sly
slipping in OF suggestions and editorial
paragraphs proposing Senator Kern as a
dark horse nominee for President has
caused any subsistence OF the sudden
worry over the fight between Boehne
and RaIston for governor. A month ago
It was hardly thought that Boehne would
make such a stir with his campaign.
and, in fact. It was not certain that he
would be a candidate.
Boehne is the House member from
Evansville. and Il rs fairly safe Demo-
cratic district. He is a big stove manu-
facturer, and his oficeholding record
prior TO his Congressional experience was
limited to councilman and mayor. He
was a delegate to the Denver convention
four years ago. but has recovered.
Back OF the Boehne campaign for gov
ernor is an organization which cares
more to put Tom Taggart and his coterie
into the discard for keeps. and Taggart
Is well enough aware OF the design TO
increase his efforts for Ralston. the rival
aspirant for the governorship. While
Boehne comes from a liberal city, he is
favored by the anti-saloon element, and
Ralston is charged with too much friend
ship for the brewery interests The con-
test between Boehne and Raistsn Is be-
coming so bitter that the Indiana states
men at the Washington end are nervous
enough TO suggest that a compromise
candidate. like Congressman Cullop. OF
Vincennes. or Adalr, of Portland, might
lead the party to victory with more ease
and eelerity.
Representative CrnRo's Views.
AS Thomas Spencer Crago. Republican
member OF Congress from the waynes-
burg, Pa. district. had something like
1000 plurality in his first campaign for
Congress two years ago. he is not much
worried about the result in a Presidential
year. when Pennsylvania always does
her finest for the Republican cause.
Crago is a Princeton graduate. but not
even loyalty to his alma mater arouses
any political enthusiasm for its late
president. now governor Of New Jersey.
To the Crago mind the Republicans have
enough to think about without watching
the ante-convention methods Of Demo-
Gratis.
The chief Republican interest in
Pennsylvania" remarked Capt. CraEo,
next to our usual desire to keep a
Republican i'm the White House, is the
nomination and election of four Con-
gressmen-at-large. No other State has
the honor OF eIecting as many mem
bers-at-large as ours, and 1t gives us the
opportunity OF honoring some clever
citizens who have done much for the
party and who would hardly seek a
district nomination. Somehow It seems a
more considerable honor to be called a
member-at-large and 10 have the whole
glorious Commonwealth OF Pennsylvania
as a district, and then think. too, Of
the tremendous majority that the State
usually gives TO a State ticket.
THE four members chosen at large
this year can boast of 10000 or even
more majority, when they arrive in
Washington to be sworn In. In a way,
they can count themselves ranking with
the Senators. providing the Senators do
not object, but 1t is possible the pat
ronage OF a member-at-large will not
equal that of member from a modest
little district The district members will
take care of all that. allowing the at
large members all the glory and re-
! nown. Pleasantries aside, there is
really much public interest in the nomi-
nation and election of these four MEM
bers. The Republicans of the State will
take pains to select men OF fine resords
OF service to the party and in business
and politics. For instance, Col Rook, of
Pittsburg. a millionaire. who runs a real
Republican paper and goes to national
conventions as a diversion, is devoted
and valuable TO his party, and deserves
the reward. Then. either Bob Murphy
or Col. Ed Murphy, his brother. would
do well for Eastern Pennsylvania, and
there are many others well fitted and
deserving. The trouble win be to decide
between so many clever chaps"
Capt. Crago, who won his title by ac-
tual service in the Spanish-American
war. admitted that there was much
Roosevelt sentiment in Pennsylvania but
some hesitation in expression. as no
word had come from the colonel that he
would be a candidate Delegates TO the
national convention from districts are to
be elected by primaryvote in Pennsylvan-
la this year, and there is an intimation
that IL Roosevelt should become an
actual candidate he would be favored
by the primary voters TO a great extent,
Independent OF what candidates for
delegate might think or prefer.
'As yet there has been little sugges-
ton OF candidates for delegates-at-large
in the State said the captain, but
they will appear in due time. In spite
of the apparent Roosevelt sentiment
among voters, II IS matter worth at
tention that most of the newspapers in
the counties and smaller towns continue
loyal to President Taft, and 1 do not
know that so very many OF our Penn
sylvania editors are postmasters. either,
as in Ohio and other States, where poll
tics is something of an exact science
But don't worry about Pcnnsylvania
She will continue true to the Republican
cause, no matter what happens at Chi
cago and we will not have near so
many Democrats in the House delegation
as at present"
The Arizona Senator's.
The old comrades of Marcus AureIius
Smith, the new Ssnator-elect from Ari-