Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-29
Pot;t;c4 ;H
Pe~neqesania
BY the Ex-Com1nitteemnn

Practically every county in the
State may be affected by the ruling of
the Allegheny county court in the con-
test which has been started in Pitts
burgh to get ballot boxes opened. over
fifty boxes have been attacked, so to
speak, and the Allegheny judges are
considering the situation. The Pitts
burgh Post, the Democratic organ of |
Western Pennsylvania, has this to say
about it: Because of the great i'm
portance of the case, 1T was said that
the judges wanted to go into the sub
ject thoroughly before rendering a de-
cision. Their decision will establish
precedent in which politicians
throughout the State are interested. |
Their Interpretation of the act of 1913 |
will affect every county in the State. |
Should they uphold the decision of !
Judge Macfarlane, in which the letter |
held that any five men could petition |
to have the ballot box of any district
opened, five men could have every bal !
lot box in the State opened in the con-
test for judge of the superior court. |
1t is believed that the judges will not
open the doors to such a contest. If
bhSS lllIOW the uOOTS open WlQet II Is
almost certain that they will be petit
toned to open every ballot box in the
State. Leaders of both factions of the
Republican party are afraid of this, |
and they are of the opinion that the
decision of Judge Macfarlane should
be modified. If 1t is not, it is certain
that the judges will be called upon to
open every box in the county, and
probably the entire State. The judges
gave no intimation as to when their
opinion would be handed down, but
1t was believed generally by both fac
tions that decision would be render
ed to-day. Interest in the decision
was shown by the fact that over a
thousand citizens called various offices
in the courthouse yesterday seeking
information regarding the matter"
Transfer of officials from Wash
tngton was decided upon by Postmas-
ter General Burleson yesterday as cure
for the defects in the Philadelphia
postal service. Coincident with the
announcement of this policy, the Post
master General stated that T. F.
Frazier, chief clerk OF the First AS
sistant Postmaster General in Wash
ington, will go to Philadelphia as
superintendent of mails and will be ac-
companied by t. P. Johnson, of the
same bureau, who will become one of
the assistant superintendents. 1t was
specifically stated that the changes
meet the approval of Postmaster
Thornton.
The Republicans thus far have
made no effort to begin their cam
paign in Philadelphia and will not take
any steps until after the meeting of the
City Committee next Friday. Thomas
B. Smith, the mayoralty candidate,
70 O..
terday to rest after his primary cam
paign, which consisted of making 12
flve-minute speeches in 21 days.
-Slowness of the official count for
superior court judges is eXasperatlng
a good many people, who are anxious
to learn what has happened. Thus far
only a score of counties have filed
! their official returns at the Capitol.
Some system for speeding up the Off
| cial returns will probably be devised
for the next legislature.
| Threats are being made to revive
| impeachment proceedings against Dis
| trict Attorney r. Fl. Jackson. of Allie
gheny, who is active in the ballot box
investigation.
| Elk Director Porter will start bis
campaign with movies" to-day. He
has opened headquarters.
| President Judge Charles L. Brown,
of the Philadelphia Municipal Court,
yesterday wrote letter to the Com
mittee of One Hundred, protesting
against the statement made by the
committee to the effect that the court
employed members of councils as
clerks and court officers. Judge Brown
said that there is not a single member
of councils in the courts employ over
whose appointment the court has any
control. The committee issued a
statement admitting its partial error.
John r. Halsey Republican coun-
ty chairman of Luzerne, has been NOM
mated for district attorney on most
of the tickets in that county. He is
we'll known to number here.
Representative William Luxem-
berger appears to have cinched the
Democratic nomination for county
controller in Lackawanna.
The Pittston city council has dis
missed Chief of Police Newcomb and
seven patrolmen because they refused
to stay interned in city hall on Pri-
mary day.
-Luzerne county candidates will
elect their chairmen of county COM
by the Democrats as we'll as Republi-
cans.
The absence of any statement by
State Chairman Morris to the effect
that the primaries were a great Dem
ocratic victory is attracting some at
tention.
The one place in Luzerne county
where there is not one Democrat is the
Upper Lehigh district of Butler town
ship. OF the sixty votes cast there at
the recent primaries the Republicans
got them ALL This appeared suspi-
cious to the counting board when the
official returns were opened, but no
fraud was discovered. The poll has
for years been a Republican strong
hold, but once in while from one to
three Democrats come to the surface.
Republican leaders never make any
special efforts at Upper Lehigh because
they know in advance that their inter-
ests there are perfectly safe.
Charles Eckenlaub, who received
the highest vote for city controller on
the nonpartisan ticket in Altoona,
withdrew from the fight in favor of
his rival nominee, Calvin Myers, who
lost both legs, an arm and part of his
remaining hand in railroad accident.
The job pays $50 o month.