Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-09
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Pe~~o4GOo~i0
THE NIBLICK
BY the E1-CommitteemAn

Notwithstanding the efforts of the
Democratic leaders, bosses and chief
tains in Pennsylvania and their con-
trolled newspapers to keep it quiet
there is already a fight under way to
determine which one of the factions
OF the Democracy shall have the honor
of representing Wilson at the next
Democratic national convention. This
fight will be even more bitter than
that in 1912 when the reorganization
element downed the Old Guardsmen
and won the recognition of the scholar
in politics. There are intimations now
that the President is making his own
inquiries as to Democratic conditions
in Pennsylvania and that since last
Falls rout he has not been as much
impressed with the strength of the
reorganization wing as he was before
he went to the White House. AS has
been pointed out in this column the
reorganization bosses face the fight of
their career, the test of their stand
ing before the Democracy of Pennsyl-
vania, next Spring.
The Washington correspondent of
the Philadelphia Inquirer contributes
some interesting sidelightS on this
condition to-day. He says: "Mr.
Palmer insists that Pennsylvania DEM
ocrats are united in support of a sec
ond term for the President, but there
are Pennsylvania Democrats in Con-
gress who do not agree with him. Mr..
Palmer predicts that the seventy-siX
delegates to the next convention from
the Keystone State will be lined up
solidly behind the President. There
are Pennsylvania Democrats in Wash
ington, however, who dispute this
claim and say that the delegation will
not be tied hand and foot for the Pres
ident, as was the case at Baltimore In
1912. These Democrats, while not
outwardly opposed to second term
for Mr.. Wilson, dispute the right
of Mr.. Palmer to choose in advance
all the delegates from the State and
in addition say for whom they shall
vote. 1t can be said on authority that
at least eight of the delegates from
four Congressional districts will go to
st. Louis next year without instruc-
tions. The so-called Old Guard Demo-
Gratis of the House from Pennsylvania,
four in number, are understood to re-
sent the Palmer dictation as to dele
gates and will take it upon themselves
to see that the Democrats in their dis
tricts have. an opportunity to say
whether or not these delegates are to
be under the control of the Palmer
wing of the party or are given the
right to vote as they choose when it
comes to choosing the nominees of the
party"
Prominent Republicans and men
who observe political conditions who
have been here this week on business
at the Capitol or who have stopped
off on their way from Washington and
the States two big cities are of the
opinion that the sentiment of the rank
and file of the Republicans of Penn
nj ic haf Wi hn
tional fight over national delegates in
this State and that if Governor Brum-
baugh wants the delegates for, Presi-
dent all he has to do is to ask for
them. The Republican organization
in Pennsylvania is, in fact, in better
shape than 1t has been for a long
time. 1t swept to victory by good
votes in every county last month and
there is generally voiced hope that
the exigencies of Philadelphia politics
will not lead to a Statewide fight in
which the State administration will
figure.
Senator Penrose was in Philadel-
phia last night and to-day talking over
the situation with Senator McNichol
and other friends and letting other
people talk. Regarding the controver-
sy over the craftsmanship of Common
Council, which has become a State
, wide matter now, the Philadelphia
Record to-day says: Mayor Smith
yesterday had nothing to add to his
former statement that he was for
Gaffney to the finish. He was also
asked what his attitude would be with
| relation to State politics. 1t was eX-
planned to him that there was likely to
be an open fight between Governor
Brumbaugh and Senator Penrose for
the control of the delegates to the Re-
publican National convention, and that
his position in the matter would be in
lteresting. AT this time, he replied, I
do not see why I should make any
statement of that kind. am inter-
ested in Philadelphia only and in get
Iting ready for my administration.
But he added. significantly, when ]
do make a statement on that subject.
! 1t will be in unmistakable terms The