Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-24

The Republican Organization in Penn
syivanla today is facing one Of the Bit
terest factional fights In its history with
new and unexpected alignments of forces.
as the result of political developments
since Senator Penrose on Saturday eve-
ming unceremoniously holted the har-
mony agreements on delegates and the
State ticket a few hours after they were
made.
Following the publication today OF state
mcnts from Senator Penrose, the Wares
and the independents who are launching
their reform within the Republican par
ty movement, IL was intimated that un-
less a new harmony agreement were
made. and lived up to, Republican State
Chairman william T.. Crow would Join
the Wares and Governor Brumbaugh in a
Statewide fight over every office. against
Senator Penrose and his new allies.
The open break within the orGanza-
ton ranks followed n statement Issued by
so leaders of the Independent forces, in
which the Independents OF the city were
asked TO participate In the primaries. The
statement. which 4s issued over the
signatures OF John c. Winston and George
ID. Porter. representing the new Porter
Penrose alliance. and a majority OF the
financial hackers of the last independent
campaign, was mild in Its tone.
Congressman Ware at once placed the
stamp OF his approval upon the Cali
issued to the independents, saying that
he and his brother, Senator Ware, had
always believed in open primaries.
SLAP AT CONTRACTORS.
Senator Penrose fired the first shot
that started an immediate tightening of
factional Hines, by following up the
statement OF the Independents with a
statement OF his own, In which he
pledged his cooperation to put an end TO
"a system In which political contractors
E1aA i'll.
the contracts and the inspectors who
pass upon the work.
Congressman Ware, who saw i'm the
Penrose statement not only an attack
upon the South Philadelphia leaders, but
also possible reflection upon the pres
cnt city administration. fired back with
bitter attack upon the senior Senator
He declared that Penrose had been sep
arated from political contractors only
twice since 1894, and asserted that on
both of those occasions Penrose lost at
the polls, He defended the Smith admin
istraton and blamed Penrose for the de-
feat OF the Republican party i'm 1912.
FIGHTS SMITH SLATE.
The statements and dcounter-statements
followed n positive declaration made by |
Senator Penrose that the $3.50 slate OF |
12 delegates-at-large to the Chicago con- |
vention. made public on Saturday By |
Mayor Smith. is not acceptable to him,
At the time the list was announced, the |
ORGANIZATION was nearer complete har-
mony than at any time since negotia-
tions started between the factions for the
approaching campaign, 1t had been
quietly announced in both the Penrose
and Ware camps that agreements had
been reached whereby a harmony slate
OF unpledsed delegates was to be elected
the present four Congressmen-at-LarEe
were to be renominated and both factions
were to support Mahlon NJ Kephart. of
Connellsville. for State Treasurer
The nominatio for Auditor General was
to be fought out at the polls, with the
Wares and the Governor backing Speaker
Charles A. Amber, and the Penrose
forces supporting the candidacy OF
Senator Charles A. Snyder.
Senator Penrose however, suddenly dis
covered the name of former Speaker
George E. Alter In the slate" of dele
gates. Apparently he had not agreed TO
Alter during his conferences with Mayor
Smith on Friday and Saturday, and at
once announced that the list was sub
Jeet to revision
The Wares then came back with the
charge that the 5, or Senator was fore
ing faetional fight IN .he face OF their
efforts TO bring about harmony on |
"50-50' basis. and that the responsibility
for rupture would rest witt Penrose
They then asserted that they had not |
agreed 10 support Kephsrt
Senator Penrose countered with the as |
sertion that no agreement had been made |
about the congressmen-at-large, and said
hat this question was stlll unsettled"
The senior Senator VIII continue to con- |
luct his negotiations over the delegate |
probable. however. that they will get to-
Eether today. Senator Penrose IS In New |
Fork and the Mayor is confined TO his
lone suffering from bad cold.