Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-08-24
REPUBLICANS Do
NOT FAVOR FUSION
Good Enough Men in Their Own
Party For School Board,
They Decide

Following a canvass of the Repub-
lican voters of the city during which
1t was ascertained that the rank and
file is opposed to fusion on the School
Beard ticket, the Republican city
committee last evening declined the
proposal of Democratic City Chair
man Morganthaler to enter into such
an agreement. During the meeting it
was brought out that no perfect fusion
could be agreed upon in view of the
fact that the proposed parceling out
of places would not take into consid-
Grafton the Prohibition or Socialist
parties, which always poll a consid-
ers BILE number of votes. 1t was also
evident that the Republican commit
teemen were considering the candi-
ducies of A Carson Stamm, DR.. c. E.
L. Keene and Robert A. Enders, who
Yesterday announced themselves for
the School Board. The general
opinion was that with three such indie
pendent and representative candidates
in the field the party had no reason to
go to look elsewhere for nominees.
Report of Committee
The action Of the committee was
taken after the reading of the fol-
lowing report of the subcommittee ap-
pointed some time ago to ascertain
sentiment for and against School
Beard fusion:
Your committee appointed to get
the sentiment of the voters and draw
up in accordance Herewith an answer
TO the proposition of Mr.. Morganthaler
beg leave to report.
I'VE interviewed many good citi-
zens, principally of our own party, and
L. I ., "a Ffea a1
with few exceptions all were opposed
TO the idea of fusion in the manner
suggested. Many reasons were ad-
Vanced for this opposition, some of
which we embody in this report.
Under our system of government
parties are necessary and party organ
izGtion is absolutely essential to the
best results for all the people. Unless
the integrity of the Republican party
is maintained by proper nominations,
the party itself must decay and cease
to be of any service to the people.
Fusion means the breaking down of
all party lines and in our Judgment
this would be disastrous to the Ameri-
can system of government.
School Board Important
"All good citizens will agree that
the selection of candidates for the
School Board is one of the most i'm
portant matters which can engage the
attention of party leaders and party
organizations. Instead of a fusion ar
rangement, however. it would be much
better, as we view it, for all the po-
siderauon of the voters clean and
capable candidates for the School
Board so that the voters may deter
mine for themselves the nominees
most likely to discharge with satisfac-
ton to the public the important duties
in Of fhas
educational interests of Harrisburg. A
wider preference would thus be pre-
sented to the voter and there would be
opportunity for a more general ex-
preston of public sentiment
The Republican party has never
stood in the way of any feasible plan
for civic improvement, political or
otherwise, but has always been a party
of progress and construction.
We respectfully recommend that
the committee disapprove OF the
proposition advanced by Mr.. Morgan
him, sending him copy of this re-
port"
Owes Sends Reply
This morning City Chairman Owes
sent the following letter to Demo-
cratic Chairman Morganthaler. to-
gether with a copy of the subcommit-
tees report:
AS indicated in my formal ac-
Acknowledgement of your recent letter
proposing a fusion of all parties upon
candidates for school director in Har-
risburg, the matter of final decision
was left to the committee of which 1
am chairman at a meeting held Au-
gust %, 1915. Your proposition was
not approved and the reasons there
for are set forth in the report of the
committee appointed for the purpose
and herewith attached