Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-11
Peei;ca IL
Ps~~o4eso~ia
BY the Ex-Committeeman

Return of Governor Brumbaugh to
the State Capitol to-day is expected by
administration people to be followed
by series of conferences on the
speakership contest and the State
Executive will be urged to a more
vigorous effort in behalf of Represen-
tative Edwin r. Cox. 1t is understood
that several of the administration
leaders will counsel radical action
even so far as to demand changes in
personnel of departments If attaches
can not induce their home members
to swing in for the South Philadel-
phian.
Governor Brumbaugh was assured
few days before Thanksgiving Day
that Representative Richard j. Bald
win could not be nominated for speaker
of the House. 1t was also intimated
that all that was needed to solidify
the elements opposed to Baldwin was
a declaration by the Governor in favor
Of Cox, who had been agreed upon
few evenings before. The statement
was issued and the Governor left for
North Carolina, believing everything
was as lovely as represented to him.
1t was found that reports of some of
the ''pickets" were unreliable and on
top of discovery that men claimed
were the other way came the an
nouncement of his candidacy by Rep
resentative George w. Williams. of
Tioga, the local option leader, and the
ner in the local option fight of 1915.
1t is also intimated that Mr.. Cox did
not find things as lovely as had been
represented to him either.
In the next few days State adminis-
tration leaders will tell the Governor,
what they think about it and Private
Secretary Ball, who has been most ac-
tive in behalf of Cox, will inform him
of what he has found out. The Gov
ernor will then be asked to determine
whether he wants to make a relentless
fight with all it's possible consequences
in the session or whether he will so
campaign in behalf of Cox as not to
arouse any new antagonisms.
The Baldwin people have an
nounced that the two Lebanon coun-
ty members have signed a statement
declaring for the man from Chadds
Ford for speaker, and intimate that
there will be more. According to the
Philadelphia Inquirer there are twen-
ty legislators in the anthracite field
for Baldwin. They include five in
Luzerne county, five in Lackawanna,
three from Northumberland, four in
Schuylkill, one in Wayne and one in
Carbon with the upper end member
from Dauphin.
Friends of Edwin r. Cox declare
that he made a dent in the Baldwin
strength in Western Pennsylvania by
his visits to Allegheny county and that
he will turn up with members from
the big steel county who have been
counted for the Delaware man. On
the other hand the Baldwin people say
that Cox's visit to Allegheny county
was the worst thing he could do as
1t brought out the men who are be-
hind him and their combined efforts
did not gain him anything.
Democrats in this State are get
ting somewhat apprehensive about
William Jennings Bryan. There Is a
plan made to capture the Pennsyl-
vania governorship in 1918 when the
national administration will throw all
of its influence into the fight for it's
slate. With the peculiar attitude Of
the President toward prohibition and
local option in the campaign just end
ed there are fears that Bryan may set
out to make fences for himself by
backing some slate of his own in
pennsylvania Bryan is popular with
the rank and file of the Democrats in
the State and IL he starts to buck Will
son and Wilson's choice there will be
merry doings.
The Democratic State windmill is
being kept open and ready for
emergencies. 1t is the plan to have
the Democratic members of the House
caucus in the headquarters and moth
ing will be said about local option If
it hurts any members feelings The
attitude of recent candidates on the
subject will not be referred to out of
consideration to them and Difference
n tho praaidonf