Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-24
BRUMBAUGH GAINING
POLITICAL POWER BY
BREAK WITH M'NICHOL
Clears the Track for Bring
ing His Local Option
Measure to the Floor of
the House in Second
Week of April.

HARRISBURG. March 2i-Governor
Brunbaugh has the upper hand in the
present political crisis and is taking ad-
Vantage OF his break with Senators Nc
NichoI and Grow by strengthening his
position in the local option night
The Governor has cleared the track
for bringing the local option bill to the
floor OF the House the second week in
April. Child labor and workmen's com
pensation will be rushed throush the
House before April 6. when the public
hearing on local option will be held, and
they will be fought out in the Senate.
McNicho and Grow have agreed to this
arrangement Not only that. but the two
Republican Organization leaders who
g''laid down the law" to Governor Brum-
baush on Monday night are explaining
that they did not express their personal
views during that conference and are
denying that they nat-footedly Informed
the Chief Executive that they would fight
the local option measure bitterly. Their
present attitude however, does not mean
that the bill will pass II only indicates
that McNicho and Grow are doing all
within their power to prevent a public
break with the Governor.
The attitude of Senator Ware. who ap-
pears to be inclined to support the Gov
ernor, Is the cause of the new attitude
of McNichol and Crow, and has given the
Governor the opportunity to strengthen
his lines IN the local option fight.
Senator Ware sim refuses to declare his
attitude on local option, and Governor
Brumbaugh is taking advantage of his
silence. He has enlisted the aid OF two
Ware leutenants. who are acting inde-
pendently OF their leader, It has been exc
planned, and they are arranging for the
immediate passage by the House OF the
Governors child labor bill and the Ad- !
ministration workmens compensation
measure.
That a new political alignment faces
the Republican Organization IL the local
option bill is vigorously fought by the
leaders has been made more apparent
during the last "a hours The Governor
has let il be known that II McNiChol |
and Grow conduct too vigorous a fight
against the bill he will fight McNichol
in the mayoralty contest i'm Philadelphia
this fall.
Both McNichol and Crow are taking
their medicine" smilngly for the time
being. They have as yet made no move
against the Governor to offset the ad-
vantage he gained by threatening their
political machine.
The reason is Senator Ware. who is in
reality the keynote OF the entire situa-
tion Senator Ware is inclined to remain
independent of McNichol in this part Of
the tight, and many leaders here believe
that he will join forces with the Cover
nor should the latter really enter the
mayoralty contest.
Senators Ware and McNichol held con-
ferences with the Governor yesterday.
and at their conclusion Senator Ware said
that his talk with the Governor was
satisfactory
Governor Brumbaugh last night said
that his position was stronger than be-
fore, and that he was in the local option
fight to a finish
The Law and Order Committee of the
House will hold a meeting today. and II
is expected that arrangements will be
made at this meeting TO hold the public
hearing on the bill on April g. as the
Governor has requested.