Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-12
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~ the Ex-Comnitteeman

~ the Ex- Committeeman
Representatives of the Progressives
| of PENNSYLVANIA made political MS
tory late yesterday afternoon When
they determined that the Washington
party state committee, the official or
ganization of the party in Pennsyl-
vania, had served its purpose and de-
cided not to organize 1t. This action
was followed by the endorsement OF
Charles Evans Hughes, Republican
candidate for President, and by
resolution approving OF the course of
| Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in declin-
ing the Progressive nomination.
The conference yesterday consisted
of men elected to the State committee
in May, delegates and alternates to
the Chicago convention and was of
the free and easy kind. 1t lasted for
three hours and there was not g.
moment without its thrill. William
Finn, Clifford Pinchot, Robert K.
Young and other leaders in the fight
of 1912 who consider that the Wash
ington party has fulfilled its mission
and who are for Hughes, dominated
the meeting and resisted the constant
taunts of w. p. Boiand and others
who endeavored to make trouble. The
radical element of the party even
went so far as to abuse the Colonel
proposed Progressive League which
was suggested to form q rallying point
for those who were for Hughes, but
who would not join with the Republi-
cans just yet.
There have been political meetings
| in Harrisburg which have been
stormy, but not many more lively
than that of yesterday. Boland was
on his feet most of the time and as
sailed Finn as usurper of authority,
called State Chairman DIETRICH a steam
roller operator and accused him of
party treason and charged that
Pinchot had sat idly by and allowed
the party organization to be dissolved.
| He had a lot of support among the
radical element, including g. couple
of the Dauphin delegation which used
to be hand in glove with Finn, but
which now appears TO be as jealous
for third party as are certain Demo-
Gratis who wish to prevent reunion of
the men who went different ways four
years ago. Several times the action of
| DIETRICH was challenged, but he came
back with the rules and despite
charges Of steam roller" gang rule
and other things he had the rules on
his side. William Finn was the same
old Finn, quick at repartee and al
ways ready with his answers. In spite
of the patent fact that he did not
| have a majority of the men present
with him he got what he thought was
best and he never lost his temper.
Probably the most thrilling scene
of the meeting was when the propo-
sltion to establish the league was
| under consideration Boland got on
/ his feet to make another attack on
DIETRICH, who had just made his vale
dictory, and in the course of his re-
] 800, Il III nj
| ex-forester left the chair and walk
ing straight up to the angry Scranton
man said For heavens sake, give us
a chance to do something here. I'm
willing to talk this over with you until
! hell freezes over, but not now. For
! heavens sake, man, give us a chance"
| Boland vented his wrath and subsidized
! When 1t was all over he went up and
shook hands with Finn and Pinchot.
| However, 1t was a much divided
crowd that filed out of the meeting.
! They were all for Hughes, but they
did not like the way the third party
had disbanded. They pinned their
hopes to the proposed Progressive
! League as place about which to
gather. William Finn, however, said
plainly that he was going to vote the
Republican ticket and so did others
| Messrs: Pinchot, Young and others
are not yet ready TO become full
fledged Republicans again, but will
wait the course of events.
Candidates for State offices, United
State senator and congress-at- large
on the Washington party ticket are
to-day without any party organization
| behind them as a result of the failure
of the progressive conference yester-
day to take any action on the sub
Ject. The row which occurred in the
meeting over the dissolution of the
State committee caused the subject
to be overlooked ana the suggestion
of Robert c. Bair, of York, one of
the candidates for congress- -at-large,
that something be done was lost sight
of when the clash occurred over the
proposal to concur in the action of the
Progressive national committee. Just
what will be done men identified with
| the late party organization said to-
day that they did not know. The
matter is really up to the candidates
| themselves. If they choose to run they
may do SO, but they Will not get much
support from the proposed Progress
siVe League and the men who have
paid the freight" in past CAMPAIGNS
have turned in for Hughes.
At the Capitol to-day it was said
that none of the Washington party
candidates had withdrawn. Candi-
dates who were here yesterday said
that they did not know what they
would do, 1t is likely that most Of
them will withdraw.
Clifford Pinchot is expected to make
announcement in Philadelphia to-day
of the committee to draft the outline
for the Progressive League which 1t
is intended to form shortly to bring
the progressives together, Whether
the league viii decide to encourage
any candidates to stay in the field is
not known, but the general impress
sion here to-day was that the Repub-
lican state candidates would be ac-
cepted and congressional and legisla-
tive district leaders left to work out
their own plans. The third party as
such is practically off the map, al
though those who are never reconciIeo
will probably flock together. The
great bulk of the progressive voters
will vote Republican. William Finn
said yesterday that he estimated that
over ninety per cent. would follow
the lead of the Colonel, who is for
Hughes.
Much attention was attracted at
RI