Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-02
Poehica in
Pe~~o4eOo~io
By the Ex-Committeeman

Last vestiges of hope for harmony
in the selection of the speaker of the
next House of representatives disap-
peared last night in the smoke of an
interchange of broadsides between
Senator Boies Penrose, champion of
Representative Richard j. Baldwin,
and Senator Edwin H. Ware, spokes-
man for the State administration
forces. east, west and central and
sponsor for Representative E. r. Cox
There will be more firing in Philadel-
and the prospects for a short legis-
lative drive with vigorous assaults on
the work mapped out have given way
to indications of a bushwhacking
campaign with oratorical pot shots
and investigation raids.
The broadsides at Philadelphia were
sharp and will reverberate all over
the State. Senator Penrose in his
comments said that he felt confident
that Baldwin would win and said that
the Ware brothers did not have the
State in their vest pockets and COM
menting upon the fact that the Re-
publican majority in the State at the
last election was $4,000 outside of
Philadelphia, said that the people of
leadership. The Senator from South
Philadelphia came back with the
intimation that Penrose was inter-
ested in the McNichol firm.
Senator Penrose said in part
From all / can gather, MIR. Baldwin
is the natural choice of the Republi-
m hnrG T,n0 nd
knowing as 1 do his qualifications and
fitness, l am glad that my friends are
actively and earnestly supporting his
candidacy. He and they will continue
in the contest without compromise
until the finish, and any attempt al
coercion of State employees in viola
ton of every propriety and of those
principles of civil service pledged in
the last Gubernatorial, campaign will
fail to intimidate Republicans in the
| Legislature. Neither can promises OF
appointments and the use of patron.
age, which, in the case of n legislator
verges upon bribery, change the pur-
pose of the legislators in what they
think is right"
The Ware rejoinder was as fol
| lows: There is no complaint from the
people of this city or State as to legiti.
mate contractors taking part in the
| active work of the Republican party
Every election held for many year!
| in this city has been a splendid vic.
tory excepting when the Penrose lead.
ership tried to steal the Philadelphia
gas works in 1905 and again when il
| tried to force a nonresident on the
voters for Mayor in 1911. The objec
ton to contractors if there ever wa!
any, was removed, as far as I am con.
cerned, when he ordered the Catlir
| \ Nj YYafe ect4 70 4axv 20
tracts and found them absolutely
clean and fair to the city. Penros,
and McNichol have been conferrinf
daily over the speakership question
for weeks. which shows that Penrost
is only opposed to one contractor
And it is no sure thing that if legally
authorized investigation was made
that Mr.. Penrose would not be founC
silent partner in a contracting bust
ness"
| THAT the newspapers of the Stat,
which pay attertion to politics expec
bitter factional fight over ths
speakership is certain from the way
they treat the developments of yester,
day. The Democratic Philadelphia
Record naturally helps it along ant
says that harmony is now impos
sible." while the North American say,
that IAN open clash" has come. The
Philadelphia Inquirer says the fighr
has only started. while the Pittsburgh
Gazette Times and Pittsburgh Dis
patch look for warm times.
The Philadelphia Ledger. which
comments upon the fact that the
Penrose statement is longer and more
earnest than the usual senatorial an.
nouncements, also says that the Brum.
baugh-Vare faction is not gaining and
that the Governors own friends ad.
NIT Baldwin will win. The Ledger
also says that George w. Williams
of Tioga. NAV decide to run and also
notes that H. Atlee Brumbaugh OF
Blair, cousin of the Governor has am
bitions. had prepared to launch a
boom when the row started and had
sent out some letters. Tho Ledger
gives results of some polls and says