Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-05-02
RYAN DOES SOME
CHALLENGING. TOO
Asks Vance c. Mccormick Some
Pertinent Questions Regard
ing Labor and So Forth
CLAIMS HE WILL CARRY CITY
Adds Philadelphia to His String
on a Claim of Four Votes to
One For Vance

Michael j. Ryan, who is contending
with Vance c. Mccormick for the
Democratic nomination for governor,
added to the joy of the State and the
variety of the Democratic family row
by issuing a quartet of. challenges to
Mccormick. Early this week McCor-
mick challenged Ryan to make good
on some claims that he would carry
Philadelphia, picking him up on state
ments about registration which did
not agree with Information received at
the Democratic windmill in this city.
Last night in the course of a speech
at Scranton Ryan came back with
these remarks addressed to McCor-
mick:
Continuing. Mr.. Ryan said
venture this prophecy that in my
home city 1 will beat him at least four
TO one. and in his home city, where he
is best known, and with whose people
he has had dealings, financial and
otherwlse, | will beat him nearly two
10 one Now, having answered his
challenge and his question, it becomes
my turn to PROFOUND a few inquiries.
FIRST challenge: What explanation
nave you of the charge of Senator
Beldleman, of Dauphin county, made
IN the Senate of Pennsylvania in Nav
of last year, that you were a nartici.
pant In the raising of and beneficiary
OF campaign fund of $4,000, used
|" depauch the voters of Harrisburg
10 eject you mayor, and that you sat
IN an adjoining room with the door
open, so that you could hear the entire
program of purchase and corruption?
second challenges: On July 81,
1so1, ana Tor years previous thereto,
David A. Orr was the owner and
edltor OF the Harrisburg Patriot. On
that day you purchased The Patriot,
ana on the very next day, August 1.
l9o2, you struck from off the editorial
page that distinguishing badge of
honor, the union label, and you have
Kept 1t off from that day until now.
why did you so do, and do you NOT
thlnk that 1T is mark of insincerity
to use no stronger phrase, that you
SEND your political printing, now that
you are a candidate, from out yolr
printing shop in Harrisburg to another
SHOP so that it may be stamped with
the union label? Are you friend of
union labor only when you are can
dldate for Governor, and if not, why
have you repudiated union labor these
twelve years?
Third challenge Did you not, as
mayor of Harrisburg. veto an ordi-
nance which, when first introduced.
proposed to pay $3.50 a day for eight
hours work to laborers employed by
that municipality, and afterward
amended to nine hours, which would
be at the rate of 16 2-3 cents per
hour, and did you not give as your
reason in your veto message for refus-
ing to pay the workingmen of Harris
burg $1.50, the present rate of 15
cents per hour is above the average
rate of wages paid for ordinary labor in
this locality. and it is not fair to the
taxpayers of this city to increase that
rate TO l6 2-3 cents per hour and did
you not make the poverty and the
need OF the very poorest of the ranks
OF labor your reason for your action
when you declared that, considering
the great number of applicants to the
city departments for work, the wages
now paid seem to be entirely salts
factory? Are you not personally, to-
gether with the Mccormick estate, the
largest taxpayer of Harrisburg, and if
not the largest, what is your relative
rank? Please tell us, sc that we may
know how much you saved yourself
by your veto.
Fourth challenge: The working
men of Pennsylvania have clamored
Tor an e1ght-hour day. With Is cents
an hour. which you think is sufficient.
they might make in Harrisburg $1.20
per day. Pennsylvania is a great in
dustrial State, and it's labor is trained.
educated and desires to be well paid
DO you think that the workingmen of
pennsylvania, engaged in mine and
MILL at forge or furnace, on the farm
or IN shop, or store, will entrust to
you the framing of workmen's com
pensation act? A Democratic victory
is only possible through the adhesion
to the party of the masses"