Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-22
WARES AND OPTION
TO FIGHT PENROSE
Coalition Formed to Gain
Control of New General
Assembly
RACE FOR sPEAKERsHIP

An alliance OF the ware forces and the
locat option forces in the Legislature II be-
ing forrped for the purpose Of fighting
Senator Penroee for control when the new
General Assembly organizes the FIRST week
m January.
The downtown leaders however, have not
indicated what the attitude OF the twenty
Ave members OF the House from Philadelphia
who arc their followers will be when the
local option bill IL voted upon.
The Wares are stil 'on the fence" In
regard to the liquor question. Just as they
wore when local option was defeated In the
last session. and they steadfastly refuse to
give any indication Of their plans on tho
Issue IN the coming session.
State Senator Edwin II. Ware, when
asked today whether he would throw his
support to local option next year declined
60 commit himself
That an alliance against Ponrose is being
formed with the local optlonlsts, however,
was stated authorltatively today
The union is being made, II was declared
not to show the local option strength in
the Legislature. but TO organize all Of the
Statewide .nnti-Penrose forces In both
branches, and. II possible. prevent the senior
Senator from controlling the Legislature
Senator Peurose clalmr 1O2 members OF
the House. There are 100 Republicans,
thirty-seven Democrats and one Socialist,
q total OF 207 members.
The faction which will control the LeRl-
stature must have elghty-hve Of the 169
Republican votes in order 20 elect the
speakes and. with him. the other officers
OF the House.
According to Ware headquarters there arc
sixty Republican members OF the House who
are pledged to vote for local option. The
Wares claim between twenty-five and thirty
of the forty-one members from Phlladel-
phia. So the downtown leaders are counting
upon the help OF tho local optonlsts TO beat
penrose In the spealership fight.
The oloseness OF the fight is shown by the
fact that at least SIX of the Republicans
who are pledged TO vote for the bill are
counted as Penrose followers. Should they
decide to support the Penrose candidate, tho
vare-Brumbaugh faction would have small
chance of electing the Speaker.
POSSIBLE CANDIDATES
II Is also being pointed out by the local
optIonists that the sixty Republican votes
credited to them by the Wares do not repre-
sent their full strength. They claim many
OF the Democratic votes, In addition to the
Republicans.
The Wares as yet have not placed
candidate for Speaker in the field. but
friends OF Thomas +. McNichol and Edwin
r. Cox are actively booming them.
Richard j. Baldwin Ia the active Penrose
candidate, and has declared that no was
IN the speakership fight to a finish
The Penrose leaders today expressed
confidence In their ability TO organize tho
Legislature and announced their plans.
They have agreed 10 stick to the old
caucus rule of selecting the Speaker of the
House and other officers of both House and
Senate. The call for the Senate caucus will
be issued by Senator William @, Sproul, of
Delaware County, the senior member of
the upper house In point of service and
the call for the House caucus will be issued
by Henry Gransback. sr., the Oldest MEM
ber of that body.
The Committee on committees" which
has selected the members Of the various
committees of the two branches. will be
done away with this year II the Penrose
forces win the speakership fight and the
Speaker himself win name the committees,