Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-04
Peeit;ca i~
Pe~~oqesa~ia
BY the Ex-Committeeman

ard j. Baldwin, of Delaware. for the
Republican caucus nomination for
Speaker of the next House to-day
secuted talk of compromise and de-
clared that there was no more chance
of q dark horse winning than there
was of Representative Edwin r. Cox
being selected at the caucus. The par
tisans of Representative Cox retorted
that they were for Cox to the finish
and that If the Baldwin people did not
know they were beaten they would
within q few days when some sur
prises would be sprung. The Cox
people, who are aligned with the
Brumbaugh-V Vare Magee wing, tnti-
mated to-day that there would be
swing to Cox that would jar the Bald
win people and make Senator Penrose
go to the seaShore.
The Brumbaugh people planned on
Saturday to follow UP the declaration
of A. Nevin DIETRICH. late chairman of
the Washington party state committee,
for Cox with some endorsements of
the South Philadelphian by upstate
Legislators, but they did not arrive and
Detrich's declaration was somewhat
discounted by the way he prefaced 1t
and by the fact that his name has been
much mentioned for place under the
Brumbaugh administration.
Paul n. Furman has taken active
charge of the campaign for Cox at the
State Capitol and 1t is understood that
good many men connected with the
State government will become active
on their home members. The Ware
brothers are looking after CoX's end in
the east and Commissioners Magee and
O'Neil in the west. Governor Brum-
baugh will be in the South most of the
week and when he comes home some
Grafton.
Representative Joe" Phillips. of
Clearfeld county, came out with q
suggestion that a neutral should be
agreed upon for Speaker. Phillips did
not say that he favored himself. He
comes from the county of Secretary of
Agriculture Charles E. Patton, who is
more or less concerned on whether he
is going to be confirmed next session.
The Penrose people last night
gave out an endorsement of Baldwin
for Speaker by Senator Sterling r.
Catlin, of Wilkes-Barre, which is
rather significant. as Catlin Is a power
in LuZerne and has been very resentful
of Patton's removal of Food Inspector
Walsh. Catlin is strong with labor in
his county and his declaration that he
favors Baldwin and has heard that so
many men from his section are for the
| Delaware man is regarded as upsetting
the plan or the Cox people to make
| Baldwin an anti-labor candidate. The
administration people to-day said that
| they had discounted the Catlin en-
dorsement and that it did not mean
that Cox would not get votes from
that county.
I -Baldwins headquarters gave out
endorsements of him by Representa-
tives John A. FitZgibbon, new member
from Mexican, and Henry T. Albee,
whom the administration is charged
with having tried to defeat last month
| in Potter county, and G. Jay Good
nough, of Cameron. They intimated
that there would be more, which drew
the shot from the State administration
trenches that the Baldwin people were
putting out sure things" to make q
pretense.
The Philadelphia Inquirer says
that the Baldwin people have chance
to get seventeen votes in Philadelphia
and will get more than half in Alle-
gheny, which is, of course, disputed
| by Mr. Furman.
The Philadelphia Record calls at
tention to the fact that Mayor Smith,
of Philadelphia, will be a big factor
and that the mayor is likely to have q
rough time of it. The North American
says the mayor is for Cox, but the
| Record says that while the mayor is
generally conceded to the State admin
| istration, he may not come out in the
open because the Penrose people may
put through some of the new charter
| legislation asked in that city which the
mayor does not want. The Record
also notes that the mercantile apprais-
ers, all Ware men, are also uneasy be-
| cause their appointments will fall
within the giving of Auditor General
elect Snyder, who is not exactly a
Brumbaugh adherent
| The Philadelphia North American
announces that Representative H. At
lee Brumbaugh, of Blair. is still hold
ing off his speakership ambitions.
What the Governor has to say about
them is not printed as yet.
According to the Philadelphia In
quirer this is the plan of the Pen
rose people: "The program of the
Penrose supporters as far as it has
been outlined is to seek to control the
organization of both the Senate and
the House independently of the State
administration and so support legis-
lative policy which shall later on be
outlined by Senator Penrose. Re-
| trenchment in the expenditures of the
State government with the abolition
of useless offices and unnecessary eX-
penses it is declared will be slogan
with which the Penrose followers will
go to Harrisburg at the organization
of the Legislature. Penrose men
claim that they will readily dominate
the State Senate. that a number OF
State officials whose appointment by
the Governor requires the approval OF
the State Senate will fail of confirma-
ton and that there will be heavy cuts
in departmental appropriations"
The Democratic attitude in the
speakership as outlined in Philadel.
phia on Saturday by National Com
mitteeman Palmer is as follows;
There will be no alignments made
with either of the warning factions
and no bipartisan alliances, as lone
as 1 have anything to do with the
State organization. If Penrose stands
for clean elections and progressive
legislation. we'll and good. If the
Wares do likewise, well and good. Oui
moves will be governed by the merit
of the measures introduced in the
Legislature, as they affect the interests
of the people of the State. We will
be the guardian of the public interests
and by the looks of things a guardian
will be necessary when the Republi-
can factions come together in Harris
burg" Mr.. Palmer declared thai
local option is not a party issue and
that the Democratic members woulG
vote according to their party pledge:
made in their home counties and &C.
cording to their personal beliefs. He
said that the Democrats will not sup.
port either Republican faction in it,