Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-20
M'AFEE'S PASSING
MARKS THE END OF
POLITICAL DYNASTY
Ex-Secretary Held Office
"a Years, and 10 Years
He Was the Invisible
Government.

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 20, - "A dynasty
passes with the passing Of McAfeel"
This today is the view In political cir
cles, where he ls best known, of Robert
! MoAfee's failure 10 obtain reappointment
as Secretary OF the Commonwealth under
| Governor Brumbaugh.
There is not political leader subleader,
| lieutenant or follower of any one of the 81
varieties of factional Republicansm in
Pittsburgh or Western Pennsylvania who
regrets the "dethronement Of Sir Robert
as the action of the new Governor Is face
tiousy termed.
There is almost glee" over II In polit-
lcal circles
McAfee. n "payroller' for n quarter Of
a century almost when he soft-pedalcd
down the Capitol steps for the last time
closed 81 years of practically unbroken Of
flee holding.
An onceholder at 80, when Just 12 years
over from Ireland McAfee, ceasing to
he such at the age of 66, Will take with
him into retirement the consolation that
for 2 of the intervening years he drew
never less than $1,000 year, most OF the
time 5000 a year, or an average of 5000
yenr, and in all, annexed from munich
pal or State strong boxes the tidy little
total OF Sl2G,oOO.
THE INVISIBLE GOVERNMENT"
Robert the Silent" "Pussyfoot" or, as
the more virulent call him. the "Poison
Shooter" is credited with the "distInc-
ton" of having been the invisible gov
eminent" Of Pennsylvania for more than
a decade.
Never once going before the people So
Letting the Endorsement or approval OF
their votes, McAfee is credited with
welding supreme power In affairs or the
Commonwealth under two Governors
Pennvpacker, who first appointed him.
and Tener, under whom McAfee's influ-
ence reached it's highest flower.
Under stuart, whom he served for four
years. there are qualifications regarding
the extent OF the McAfee influence.
McAfee, born in County Antrim. Ire
land. in 1Si9, came to the old city OF Alle-
gheny in 1863, was elected to Select Coun
Gil in 1881 and served 10 years, unsalared;
served nine years as Director of Public
Works, $4,000 year; two years as Com
missioner of Banking under Pennypaoker,
$4,000 a year and two years under Penny
packer, four under Stuart and four under
Tener as Secretary OF the Commonwealth,
ten years in all, at 5000 year.
PILLAR OF OLIVER FACTION.
Locally effects of the McAfee turn
down, which may have Statewide con-
sequences, are looked for. McAfee was
a towering pillar through the State pa
tronage he welded in what is known as
the "Oliver faction" in city and county
politics, the organization headed by Sem
ator George T. oliver. At present the
oliver organization is in control both in
the city and county administrations, or
was in control in city affairs until the
scandal broke, when the shortened City
Council of nine, whose members, paid
s65OO year each, elected to give Pitts
burgh business administration" came
up to the close of the present year with
a sl,400,OO0 shortage In municipal funds.
Senator divers announced determina-
tion not to be a candidate for recollection
in 1917, with McAfees retirement, will
kick the main props from under the To-
cal oliver organization. Whether this |
faction will be strong enough to keep
together despite these losses Is one of |
the big speculative questions today. The |
corporation support which elected him |
Mayor has never pleased Joseph G. |
Armstrong, a one-time labor leader. He |
wants to jump. He never liked the |
oliver afiiliation and has been restive un-
der this and the corporation yoke the |
year he has been in office. Next fall a |
majority OF the City Council will be |
elected, five members, and Mayor Arm |
strong already has been casting about |
for new affiliations.
There may be an entire new deal po-
litically, with the result much wished for
in other quarters OF the State, that
Pittsburgh will develop at last a leader
big enough to cement all factions
1t is accepted politically that the first
requirement of that leader will be that
he be an out and in the open supporter
OF Governor Brumbaugh.