Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-03
PeeHc4 iM
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BY the tx Committeeman

fight for control of the Democra-
tic machine in Pennsylvania which
DDS fair to be as bitter as that sue
cesstully waged by the Palmer McCor-
mick-Guthrie faction against the Old
Guard under the name of reorganiza-
tion in 1911 was launched on sched-
ule time last night when Congressman
Michael Liebel, Jr., of Erie, announced
that he would enter the lists as can
didate for Democratic national COM
mitteeman from Pennsylvania against
A. Mitchell Palmer, the present COM
mitteeman. Under the Democratic
rules the Democratic voters will elect
the national committeeman at the May
primary.
Liebel says he will make the issue
Palmerism, which is a polite way of
saying arrogant bossism. This fight
has been brewing for months and the
fact that it has broken out is taken
to mean In many quarters that Demo-
Gratis look for something and are start
ing to fight for it. Ever since Palmer
was defeated for the Senate by such
big majority he has been losing
ground in the State and his recon-
mendat.ons for federal offices have
caused such protests to the White
House that he has been losing there
too. The campaign that is coming is
going to be a real old-fashioned DEM
ocratic fight for control. one of the
kind that has diverted the State every
now and then.
This is the way the philadelphia
Record, Democratic organ, discusses
the impending row in itsNown party:
Congressman Liebel announces that
the sole motive actuating him in be-
coming a candidate against Palmer is
to redeem the Democratic party in
pennsylvania from it's present de
plorable condition of unprepared-
ness" The election of national
committeeman will take place in the
May primaries. In the interval before
the primaries an active campaign in
Mr.. Liebel's behalf will be carried on
by those Democrats of the State who
| believe that Mr.. Palmer's titlular lead
ership of the State organization is re-
sponsible for the spirit of factionalism
and disunion which has split the party
asunder in the State and has precluded
improvement so long as he continues
to act as national committeeman. In
asmuch as Pennsylvania is one of the
few States in which need exists for the
Democratic party to. put it's house in
order in preparation for the forthcom-
ing national election, the fight over the
national committeemanship will be
watched with intense interest through
out the country. President Wilson
himself, who is again to be the Presi-
dental candidate of the Democracy
is known to have displayed the keen
est concern over conditions existing
in Pennsylvania and to have discussed
with his advisers frequently the posi-
bility of accomplishing better things
Mr.. LiebeIs intention to announce his
candidacy was known in advance to
President Wilson and his chief politi-
cal advisers"
A dispatch from Wilkes Barre to the
Philadelphia Ledger says: Governor
Brumbaugh's visit to the Wyoming
Valley as guest of the United Mine
Workers and his trips to various towns
to-day Sunday had considerable po-
litical significance, although the Gov
ernor did not talk politics directly in
any of his speeches. With the Gov
ernor came some of his advisers
Chairman Mackey, of the Compen-
sation Board, among them, and they
talked the situation in Luzerne over
with Progressives. temperance leaders
and leaders in the union movement
Leaders in the ranks of the United
Mine Workers are friendly to the Gov
ernor in a political way, and his visit
here stirred up interest in the rank
and file. Plans now are under way in
Luzerne to bring out two Brumbaugh
candidates for national delegate, two
candidate for alternate and one for
State committeeman"
i The Philadelphia transit situation
which is becoming more and more
something in which politics figures
was yesterday further complicated by
Il statement from Senator Penrose in
which he urged that the question OF
locating lines be left to the people in
the loan vote and retort by Senator
Ware that politicians should not rush
linto print SO much The Philadelphia