Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-27
ORGANIZATION PLAN
TO PREVENT FUSION
SHARPLY OPPOSED
Independent Republican,
Washington and Demo-
cratic Leaders Denounce 1t
as Political Trick.

Forceful statements In opposition to the
plan of the Organization leaders to Grip
pie the power of Independent voters hold
ing the balance of power by making
fusion impossible were made today by
representatives of three distinct parties
George wentworth Carr independent Re-
publican: State Representative 7. Henry
Walnut, Washington party. and Robert
S. Bright, Reorganization Democratic
leader, united in denouncing the plan to
kill fusion.
A bill is to be introduced in the near
future to end fusion absolutely. To do
this it will be necessary to change the
election and primary laws, but organiza-
tion leaders are said deliberately to have
planned that step to prevent fusion In
the mayoralty campaign In this city next
fall and also to enable them to keep con-
troll of the Gubernatorial situation. I'm
der the terms of the bill to be introduced
no candidate for any office could hold
more than one nomination.
Mr.. Bright said:
This is merely another attempt OF the
politicians to tie the hands of the people.
Politicians and election laws passed by
them now tnwart the people at every
move they make for free expression OF
their will AS the people get on to one
set of election laws passed by the poll
ticians, the politicians get up another set,
and as the politicians work at the game
every day and the people only now ana
then, the politicians have been beating
the people out. 1t reminds me of con-
test that has been going on between the
proiectile and armor plate Makers pro-
iectiles have increased In force as armor
plate has been increased in resistance
AS the people show more and more IN
terest in politics the politicians nave 10
resort to more acute and rawer methoas
of resisting them. NTH.
I'm the last fusion campaign IN Phlia-
delphia the Republican machine won oy
only about 1900 votes.
"This was uncomfortably close TOT the
noliticians hence the bills now appear
ing at Harrisburg In that campaign eMU'oVV M
citizens would not register and 45OVh
would not vote after they did register.
Those 900 citizens would have elected
the entire ticket, as Mr.. Rotan had tho
winning ticket and he only got about
1l2 600 votes Thus these bills show that
the politicians never know when those
123 900 citizens are going to wake up"
Mr.. Carr who was the defeated candt-
date for District Attorney on the fusion
ticket in 1918, said:
Senators McNichol and Ware cannot be
acting in good faith when they would
prevent fusion, for they themselves have
often been candidates on the Keystone
and Penn tickets, besides running as Re-
publicans. This is not question of pub
lie policies; II Is a selfish object they
would attain. The Republican party in
Pennsylvania has not shown a progress
slve tendency. 1t has always tried 20
change the election laws for its own ad-
vantage"
This is purely political move At
every session of the Legislature the Or
ganization rearranges the election laws
in order to overcome any advantage that
may have been gained by the other par
ganizatlon plays the game with loaded
dice. That is what this move looks like
to me-"
Mr.. Walnut said:
II have reason TO believe that this
measure Will prove to be unconstitutional.
The men who control the machinery OF
the Republican party are seeking to
tie up all who are In the party At the
last session of the Legislature Senators
McNichol and j. X. =. Hall tried to
amend the primary law so that fusion
would be prevented. This amendment
was rejected. however, by the House, I
see In this attempt on the part OF the
Organization 10 tie up the next mayoralty
election in their own favor. In some
States II has been held that a restriction
OF fusion was constitutional on the ground
that the Legislature which empowers the
printing OF ballots had the right TO say
on how many ballots any one man might
run.
However. I think that bill such as
this proposed might be we'll contested on
the ground Of unconstitutionality.."