The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-05-02
.FuNNISM LASTED JUST ONE
YEAR
Began With High Hopes and Ended
| in Pathetic Fizzle-Reorgani-
zation Talk.

I1dTIlSDuIB, d., May y INN
ism which began with such high
hopes and extravagant promises of
political reorganization one year
ago this month ended for all practi-
cal purposes last week in a fiZzle
when it was announced, after organ
ization Republican leaders had open
ly defied Finn, that the Republican
state convention would not be re-
called as per the Finn threat of the
previous week.
Flinn's essay at political leader
ship lasted somewhat longer than
the proverbial flash in a pan, but it
did not prove to be of much greater
Importance in spite of its full twelve
months of existence. The finish for
finish it was no matter how much
longer the Finn crowd elects to
carry on the bluff, was a trife dis
appointing both to those Immediate
ly concerned and to the man in the
street whose interest in politics in an
off year is second to his interest
in baseball. After the way the erst-
while boss performed at one state
and two national conventions and
during the campaign of last fall it
was natural to expect that something
! spectacular would result no matter
whether he won or lost in his contest
with the Senate leaders. What actu-
ally happened went to the other ex-
| treme. 1t bordered on the pathetic,
and it was not without some justifi-
cation that one observer declared the
retreat reminded him of a yellow
canine retiring rapidly and with his
tail between his legs from a personal
encounter that was not to his lik-
| ing.
State Chairman Wasson, who was
in at the finish, said after the open
session of the Senate Committee on
Elections at which Films bluff was
called that he could see no excuse
for the recall of the State conven-
ton, but it is said here openly and
not denied that the real reason for
not carrying out the threat is that
Finn and his lieutenants have the
very best of reasons to believe that
If that body were to be reconvened
control of it would be seized by the
Organization leaders and conven-
tion road roller put to work in a
way that would make the perform
ance of the ponderous machine used
at the meeting last year seem trivial.
At least one influential Republican
newspaper has editorially dared the
Washington party leaders to recall
the convention, but up to the pres
ent neither the Washington party
leaders nor their newspaper organs
have seen fit to take notice of this
challenge.
One of the things that is going to
hasten a closing up in the Repub-
lican ranks no matter how hard po-
litical agitators may work to keen
the factions apart is the menace to
Pennsylvania Industries in particular
and the prosperity of the nation in
general in the Democratic tariff
| tinkering. Business men in this
state are beginning to realize that
the situation is serious and already
they are casting about for way in
which party differences may be set
tied and united front again be pre-
! sented to the attack upon the Ameri-
can tariff system. In this connection
the leading part being played by
Senator Penrose in defense of Amer
lean industry is much appreciated
Although his political interests were
threatened by an attack from the
rear Penrose remained right in
Washington attending to his duties
as a representative of the great state
OF Pennsylvania. There is little pros
pect that anything can be done tc
prevent the passage of a tariff bill
that is acceptable to the more radical
Democratic tariff "reformers" but
Senator Penrose will lead that fight
1T is possible to make against the
program of the party in power, and
he already is looked upon as the
leader of his own party at the ma.
tional capital.
No date has yet been fixed for the
adjournment of the Legislature, al
though it is known that the House
Committee on Rules at last has the
matter under serious consideration
1t is reported with some show of au,
thority that the date that seems tC
find most favor is June 10, This
really is an outside limit, but Speak.
er Alter does not wish the impres
sion to go abroad that legislation is
being either held up or jammet
through. In the meantime, and il
keeping with his purpose to give
every measure a fair show, he /,
keeping the members right down t.
the grind. Last week for the frs
time assemblymen who wanted tt
slip away Thursday morning were
refused leaves of absence. It wa
rather comical, to say the least. t.
watch the actions of men who haC
brought grips to the capitol will
them for the Thursday morning ses
sion after they discovered that thu
bars were up. They did not wish t.
ask for leave and be refused AM
they did want to get away. Some O
them just slipped away, but thost
who pursued this course ran consid
cradle risk. The calendars ar,
crowded now and pretty soon it will
be difficult to revive legislation tha
happens to go down in the absenc
of its friends.