Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-02
PROTECTIVE UNION
CHALLENGES PALMER
tContinued From First Pagel

Continued From First Page]
who may wish to obtain publicity in
that way. but as treasurer of the or
ganization, I feel that the misrepre-
sentation of its membership and its
purposes before the Senate commit
tee on privileges and elections in
Washington yesterday by Congressman
A. Mitchell Palmer requires an ans
wer
Mr.. Palmer has repeatedly attack
ed the union in speeches and state
ments characterized by a carelessness
| of truth which is, to say the least
not commendabe in man who is a
candidate for the high office of United
States senator.
''On several occasions, he has given
Voice to the charge that we have vio-
lated the spirit and letter of the cor
rupt practices act of Pennsylvania and
of the present federal corrupt prac-
tiVes act by falling to file an account
! OF our pre-primary expenses within
the time specified for candidates to
file their accounts.
Meeting Palmer Half Way
heretofore, we have not seen fit to
take serious notice of the accusations
| of a politician reduced to the despe-
rate eXpedients of n losing campaign,
but when Mr.. Palmer appears before
a Senate. committee and makes his
charges formally; when his mis-state-
ments receive an official standing and
are taken out of the class of mere
irresponsible political mud-throwing,
we are very willing to meet him more
| than half way in an effort to put an
end once and for all to the question as
to what the Pennsylvania Protective
Union is and whether or not its Off
GERS are conducting it's affairs in ac-
cordance with the law.
| I'm the strict Interpretation of the
! terms, this organization is not a po-
litical committee, although it is en-
| tirely willing to be so considered. With
so few exceptions that they merely
prove the rule, its members are not
! politicians and have never been active
| ly engaged In politics. They are, for
the most part, not representatives of
what Mr.. Palmer dearly loves to call
the special interests, but they are the
heads or managers or superintendents
of comparatively small manufacturing
establishments who find themselves
compelled in self defense to organize
In an effort to save business and in
dustry from the political quackery of
| men like Congressman Palmer.
| The union is not a Penrose COM
mittee, but it is exactly what its name
/ iimplies-an organization extending
| Throughout the State of Pennsylvania
|
for the restoration of protective tariff
policies and the election of protective
tariff candidates to both branches of
| Congress. Our membership includes
many manufacturers who account
| themselves Democrats and many more
who, in 1912, followed the banners of
the Progressive party. We are all en-
ployers of labor and we feel that it is
our duty to protest against tariff poll
cies, the first disastrous effect of which
| is to endanger their employment and,
at best, to expose them to open COM
petition with the wage-earners of 9TH
er countries who receive from one
half to one-fourth of the American
standard of earnings.
Penrose and Protection
| THE fact that we may have seemed
to lay special stress upon the candi-
dacy of Senator Penrose can hardly
| be regarded as suspicious or signifi-
cant when the pre-eminent import
ance of Senator Penrose in the pro-
tectionist movement is taken into con-
sideration. We look upon him as the
leader and the most powerful single
factor in a great cause and we are for
the leader because we are for the
cause.
IF the newspapers quote Mr.. Pal
mer correctly, he does not appear to
be familiar with the terms of the laws
he is so anxious to defend.
Insofar as the federal corrupt
practices act is concerned. the Penn
sylvania Protective Union has nothing
whatever to do with 1t, being purely
a Pennsylvania organization and hav-
ing within its membership no candi-
| date.
1--WE are, however, amenable to the
corrupt practices act of Pennsylvania
This act provides in Article go, Sec.
ton II, that every candidate for
nomination at any primary election.
caucus or convention, whether nomi-
mated thereat or not, shall, within fif-
teen days after the same was held
If the amount received or expended
shall exceed the sum of $50 file with
the proper officers a full, true and de-
tailed account of his expenses. Mr.
Palmer Is quoted as telling the com
mittee that the limit was thirty days
THE thirty-day limit applies to
general elections alone and it is only
this provision covering the filing of
accounts following general elections
which applies to political committees.
as we'll as to candidates.
Invites Legal Action
THE easiest way to answer Mr.
/ Palmer's objections is to ask him why