Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-05-25
MONDAY EVENING. MAY 25
PENNSYLVANIA THE ARENA

N/ of an oracle, A. Mitchell Pal
w mer announces that Pennsyl-
vania Is to be the arena in
which will be decided this year the
future of three great national political
parties. Mr.. Palmer also declares
that the Democrats cannot and will
not merge their principles with the
policies of the Washington party and
that fusion is impossible. All this
sounds like the whistlng of boy in
a dark alley to keep up his courage.
Palmer knows that there is no hope
of his party's amalgamation with the
Washington party in Pennsylvania and
he seeks to make capital for himself
by declaring against fusion, knowing
that fusion is impossible.
AS to Pennsylvania being the battle
ground for the three political parties,
the wish is manifestly father of the
thought. The Democratic bosses hope
by further division of the Republi-
can strength this year to achieve an
other victory which cannot be won I'M
der any other conditions. Mr.. Palmer
declares that the fight is between the
two wings of the Republican party
and he would have it appear that the
defeat of one faction would mean the
supremacy of the other in 1916.
1t is perfectly clear in this early
period of the campaign that the DEM
ocrats of Pennsylvania are building
all their hopes of success upon the
breaking down of the Republican
strength in order to make possible
the success of the White House ticket.
If Pennsylvania is to be the arena
for test of the principles for which
the three parties as now constituted
stand, then no better arena could have
been selected. This great State has
been developed through the Republi-
can policy of protection to home in
dustries, and there could be no better
place for final test of the proposition
that American labor and American
manufacturing interests shall be pro-
tected against the cheap labor of Eu-
rope and Democratic free-trade
policy 1t may be we'll to determine
that question for all time, and we
may as we'll know now as hereafter
whether the workingmen of Penn.
sylvania prefer the theories of the
Democratic party to the established
and approved policies of the Repub.
lican party.
Colonel RooseveltsWay or may not
conclude to further aid tpe~Dem oerae,
by division of the RenuP4ear Vote, stf1
he is too astute POLITICIAN to betsSvs
that he can make sucR an appeal fol
hand-picked candidatsSas was made
for himself two yesTa ago. Nor will
he find in PennsIgaafia the fallov
ground of 1912. tIngs are differen,
now and it is goiE tR be extremsls
difficult for cole9ef Roosevelt, admit:
ting his vigoroIs, bsHsd dnality and per.
sonal popularity, on, any other leader
to further divids The Republican
forces. There is a. sdisMasct trend bach
to the Republican party, and no me~
spectacular appeal will osuffes to wir
Republicans to the supptTt Of eandi
dates and policies opposedSto.the Re.
publican party.
It ought to be a cIear-cut issue anf
the leaders of the Republican part,
should recognize at once the import
ance of thorough organization and 3
vigorous campaign. If the Republican
party Is to be attacked from twf
angles, let the forces of protection bt
prepared for the assault. Even Colone
Roosevelt must have discovered tina.
there Is no hope whatever for tn,
election of Mr.. Pinchot and Dear
Lewis in this State. Whatever suppor
they may receive will be reduction
of the Republican vote and nothins
else. This is what Palmer and hi
associates are praying for They real
ize that without such a breach in the
Republican lines there is no possibilit,
of Democratic success.
Colonel Roosevelt has no more us,
for the Wilson administration and III
weak policies than have the Repub
lican leaders, and it is doubtfu
whether he will risk giving furthe
aid and comfort to the Democracy b,
diverting few thousand Republican
votes to the candidates of the Wash
tngton party In this State
Republicans are awake TINS year a,
they have not been awake for som,
time. and as the campaign develops |
will be discovered that thousands O