Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-03
NEW DEMOCRATIC
I CITY COMMITTEE TO
FIGHT OLD GUARD
Reorganizers Plan Foma-
ton of Separate Body
With View of Eliminating
Bipartisanism.

Tho first move by the reorganization
Democrats to- carry the fight against the
Old Guard faction in the municipal
campaign Of next year by establishing
an independent Democratic city Com
.1ittce in Philadelphia, was made last
night at a meeting of reorganization
workers from 40 wards, held in the head
quarters of the former Palmer-McCor-
mick League, at 1876 South Broad street.
A rehabilitation of the Democratic
party was the slogan of the meeting. A
permanent organization was formed to
carry On the work that was begun by
the league in the last campaign toward
eliminating the power of the Old Guard
City Committee and purgins the Demo-
cratic party in Philadelphia of bipar-
\ tisanism.
THE Progressive Democratic Organi-
cation Committee of Philadelphia" was
the name adopted by the organization.
The following were elected officers:
James Gillespie. chairman; Harry d.
wescott, vice chairman; John w. Glover.
secretary; Joseph Kinsley treasurer, and
William Huston, seargeant-at-arms.
The Wilson Administration was in
dorseds in resolutions that called for the
establishment of the organization in every
election division in Philadelphia for the
elimination of factionalism and bparti-
sanism." All Democrats were asked to
join in movement to formulate, main
tain and preserve u loyal, unfettered and
aggressive Democratic organization in
Philadelphia"
A poliey of reconciliation was urged
upon the workers. Old Guard leaders did
not attend the meeting. The headquar-
ters of the Palmer NJ cCormick League, at
135 South Broad street, will be continued
for short time, until the committee
moves, into the Democratic Club, 1903
Walnut street.
Z The Committee of Seventy. will he con-
tinued through the municipal election of
next year, to fight political corruption.
This was decided last night, at a meet
ing of the Executive Committee of the
committee held in the Bellevue-Stratford
Addresses were made by Thomas Rae
burn White, counsel for the Committee;
John c. Winston, chairman; Charles L.
McKeehan, director; George d. Porter
and e. L. ID. Roach, secretary.
Mr.. White urged that the committee
work to have the Legislature reform
the election laws, to stop Assistance to
voters" and abolish the party square
its efforts for n small City Council of
one body The present dual Councils he
said, were "unwieldy in size inefficient
in organization and unrepresentative of
the city"
That the work of the committee has
resulted in reducing election frauds al
most to n minimum was the opinion ex-
pressed by Mr.. Roach and by Charles
l.. McKeehan. Mr.. Winston said that
"a vast field still lies before the commit
tee, and greater things are yet to be
accomplished
The official headquarters of the Demo-
cratic State Committee viii be moved
from Harrisburg. where they have been
located for more than % years, to Phila-
delphia within a few days. State Chair
man Morris announced today that the
headquarters will be established in Phil
adelphia by December 10. They will be
located In the present branch headquar-
ters, at liI South Broad street, with Rob-
ert T. Keenan, in charge as resident Sec
retary.
Ex-Postmaster Thomas B. Smith will
be a candidate for the Republican nomi-
ration for Sheriff, according to rumors
In political circles. Mr.. Smith visited
Senator Penrose late yesterday afternoon.
but made no announcement after his talk
with the Senator.
William NJ. Hackett, Common Council
man from the 18th Ward. has been added
to the list of dual officeholders in Coun-
ellis. He has been appointed a clerk in
the office of the Register of Wills