Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-15
EVENING Chat

ucauy all of the fusion movements at
tempted for the so-called redemption,
regeneration or reclamation of Penn
sylVan1a, according to the mood of
the insurgent, have been attempted in
the last twelve or fourteen years, and
that in only one instance was it sue
cessful. And that was when the DEM
ocrats were united and had the united
support of independent elements,
which it is very apparent from news
dispatches it does not have in this
campaign. This single exception in a
long list of hard-fought campaigns
and severe defeats was when William
II. Berry ran for State Treasurer In
1870, On two other occasions when
ne ran with coalitions behind him he
went down to disaster. When he was
successful 1t happens that he was
picked out by Colonel James NJ. Cuff
iey' then the Democratic boss; backed
by every Democrat in the State with
votes and money and supported by
10000 or so independents. 1t was
the last time the Democrats were
united in a State campaign. They
were united in the presidential cam
paign of 1912, and although they made
valiant try they did not deliver Penn
sylVania for Wilson in the year of a
great opportunity. The history of fu-
sion movements in recent political
history may be said to go back to the
campaign of 1901, when there was
fusion on e. A. Coray, of Luzerne, for
state Treasurer, and Harmon Yerkes,
OF Bucks, for Supreme Court. Both
were beaten by the Republicans after
very vigorous campaign, resembling
In some features that being waged
now. In 1902 Robert E. Pattison ran
n hA TAA.. H., I'LL ~
ernor and thousands of Republicans
openly voted Democratic, scorning to
make use of the Anti i-Machine and
Ballot Reform parties which sprang
up in the warm days of early Fall
and were nipped by the November
frosts. Yet Pattison was beaten
100000. Then came the Berry cam
paign, with the anti-Pattison and Pat
tiSon Democrats united on the Mayor
of Chester and with his name carried
by the Lincoln, Prohibition and In
dependent parties. He defeated ].
Lee Plummer, of Blair county, by 90,-
600 after a campaign in which every
thing broke his way. The very next
year fusion between the Democrats
and Lincoln party men was effected on
Lewis Emery, Jr., but Edwin S. Stuart
defeated the nominee after a terrific
struggle. There was the, usual row in
the Democratic party this year. Then
Democracy split and many of the men
now prominent in the party espoused
the cause of Berry as the Keystone
party candidate and then went back
to Democracy. 1t is also contended
by Democrats that the reason that
they did not carry the State in 1912
was because many Democrats voted
for Roosevelt
Justice Howard c. Fry, of the new
borough of PaXtang, has started out
to attend to business at a new stand.
The borough's arm of the law has
equipped an office with all documents,
publications and appliances for the
adjudication of disputes and justice
sits enthroned upon the top of the
bookcase. 1t is estimated by the
friends of the Judge that it will take
thirty-four fat years in Office to en-
able him to get out whole on his ex-
penditures for equipment of his JUS
tice mill.
Speaking of PaXtang, it is probable
that one of these days the law will
come down with a tightening of the
grip upon some of the automobile
owners who speed through its limits.
1t was all right for folks who had held
back while traversing the very bad
stretch of city highway known as
Derry street to put on speed when they
reached the pike when it was in the
township of Swatara. But now It is
in the borough of Paxtang and the
folks have ideas on the subject of dust
and speed which will not harmonize
with some opinions of automobile
owners.
One of the instructors in the High
School was having fun with the new
freshman class the other day. The
class was large and the fun was COM
lmencing to be on members of the
class. Finally it was asked who was
the first man. A student opposed to
co-education shouted in reply: Eve"
/ was much interested to see in the
| pictures of the German and other
troops taken in the war zone the men
presenting their individual drinking
cups for water" said Dr. Samuel G..
! Dixon, State commissioner of health.
| The foreign armies have evidently
found that it is far safer to have the
men take precautions than to suffer
from outbreaks of preventable dis
cases."
According to reports, Charles r.
Michael, who was in charge of the
Philadelphia Ledger bureau in this city
during the 1913 session of the Legis-
lature. is to come here for similar SER
vice during the important session of
! 1915. Mr. Michael has been in charge
I of the Ledger bureau in Washington
since leaving HI risburg. Frank ].
Price, who was in charge of the Led
ger bureau this year, will likely go to
Washington.