The Washington herald., 1913-11-29
With the Political Procession.
BY II. b. G.

The return Of Senator Penrose to his
apartments at the Willard will be fol-
lowed by many conferences with Pennsyl-
vania Republicans from every section of
the State and by a general going over of
things pertaining to next years primary.
Not all the splendid manipulations in the
old days by the Camerons, father and
son; by Quay and his captains, or by oc-
casional governors, who really knew
something about politics. were equal TO
the crafty yet considerate broad-minded
methods employed by Penrose and his
wonderful organization during the last
few months.
There has been nothing mysterious
about it. yet the work was conducted so
softly, quickly. and forcefully that when
Republicans. Democrats, and even OBJ
stinate and doubtful Progressives discov-
cred what was going on, and what had
been done, they simply gasped some and
spplauded more. The one great ad-
vantage gained by Penrose Is that he will
be the one candidate of the real Repub-
lican party, while the Progressives will
have a half dozen or more ambitious
leaders demanding the Senatorship NOM
ination.
The Democrats have not much hope of
electing a Senator, even with the Pro-
gressive activity promising some help.
and II the Penrcse campaign continues
as il has been going since a year ago,
or, in fact, even since 1910, the coming
of Penrose for a third term will be
easier than any return of the old leaders
in the old days when there were no Pro-
gressives, no primaries, and mighty few
Democrats. A Democratic Senator from
Pennsylvania has been a rare proposition
since long before the civil war. Oddly
enough the only two Democrats in the
Senate since 1850 came in during and right
after the war when there was the COM
plant that things were not being done
the right way at Washington.
The remarkable record of PENNSYLVANIA
in keeping Democrats out of the Senate
is hardly equaled by any other State,
except Vermont and New Hampshire
Charles r. Buckalew, Of Columbia
County, was chosen in 1858, succeeding
David Wilmat, of Wilmat Proviso fame,
who had taken Simon Cameron's place
when Simon went into the Lincoln Cabi-
net.
Bucklew was a Democrat who had held
much office before coming to the Senate,
including three years as Minister to
Ecuador
He had but the one term in Washing
ton. and few months after leaving the
United States Senate was elected to the
State Senate and grateful for the honor
There was a long dry spell for Democrats
in Pennsylvania following the BuckaIew
State Senate term, and after a long wait
of eighteen years he came to Congress
from the Bloomsbury district, serving
two terms.
A dozen years after the Buckalew cleo
tion to the Senate, the Pennsylvania
Democrats had control at Harrisburg
and sent William A. Wallace to Wash
ington for a single term. That term
ended in 1881. and Wallace. like his
friend Buckalew, was glad of election
to the State Senate. When he served
five years Wallace was ever a con-
spicuous figure in Democratic national
conventions, mentioned often for Vice
President, and even for first place in the
years when Democrats had little hope of
success. He died in New York City
just before the Bryan convention of 1895.
a comparatively young man, and had
planned considerable activity in that
years campaign.
Such is the brief record OF Pennsyl-
vania Democrats in the Senate and Il
certainly does not discourage Republi-
cans of the Penrose and regular organi-
zation at a time when Republicans seem
to be getting back to old form all over
the country. New York and Ohio have
see-sawed back and forth with Democrats
and Republicans in the Senate much
more than the Keystone State. Since
1850 Ohio has had Allen G. Thurman for
two terms, George II. PendIeton and
Henry B. Payne for one term each,
Calvin S. Brice for one term. and Atlee
Pomerene, all Democrats. a total of
thirty-six years Senatorial service, asI
against the dozen years accorded two
Democrats from the Penrose State.
In less than forty years New York has
had four Democrats in the Senate