Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-10
PoeiEcS In
Pe~~oqGSo~ia
BY the Ex-Committeeman

The news came out of Washington
last night that the effort of Senator
Cummins to set up presidential candi-
dates in Pennsylvania might result in
bringing Philander c. Knox to the
front as a candidate. The North
American publishes a dispatch from
the national capital to the effect that
rather than see Cummins rounding up
delegates unopposed in this State,
Knox's friends believe they might with
propriety ask for a Knox delegation
from Pennsylvania, and this is es-
pecially appealing in some quarters,
for Knox has the approval of Repub-
lican leaders of all points of view and
of the Progressives as well. However,
nothing definite has been decided.
State Senator James P. McNichol,
who is depended upon to lead the Pen
rose forces in the city i'm the event of
the anticipated fight between Governor
Brumbaugh and the senior senator
for the State leadership, held a con-
ference yesterday with Mayor Smith,
of Philadelphia, to discuss the Phila-
delphia situation, according to the
Philadelphia Record. Although neither
the Mayor nor Senator McNichol
would make any comment on their
meeting. 1t was believed in organ
iZation circles that McNichol had
sought out Mayor Smith TO ascertain
where the Mayor would stand if the
two factions in the organization came
to a clash.
The meeting, according to Mayor
Smith, was requested by Senator
McNichol. and the Mayor agreed to
take lunch with the Senator in the
Bellevue -Stratford. For almost an
hour the two were engaged in an
earnest discussion. Following the
luncheon the Mayor met Attorney Cen
eral Francis Skunk Brown.
"I took lunch with Senator McNichol
and we discussed politics, but further
than that l am not at liberty to talk"
was the explanation given by the
Mayor when asked what significance
was attached to the conference.
Continuing, the Record says: "a
thing that worried the McNichol fol-
lowers was the confident manner in
which Governor Brumbaugh and the
Wares, with the open aid of the Mayor,
fixed a slate for delegates-at-large to
the Republican national convention
and then followed up their attack by
placing Speaker Amber in the race
for Auditor General. The latter move
was considered a direct slap at the
leadership of Senator Penrose, as he
is known to have opposed the Amber
candidacy. and to have refused the
olive branch extended to him in the
shape of permission to select the
nominee for State Treasurer. The Pen
rose workers expect him to make a
declaration by the end of the week,
and that he will call upon his friends
throughout the State to prepare for
war in the May primaries.
Who shall lead the forlorn hope
against Knox for the Senate is said by
the Philadelphia Public Ledger to be
troubling the Democrats. Says that
newspaper:
Democratic State leaders yesterday
declared that they hoped to be able to
reverse Secretary of Labor Wilson'S re-
fusal to become the Democratic can
didate for the United States senator
ship against Philander c. Knox, the
Republican candidate.
with their candidate for United
States senator decided upon, Demo-
cratic State leaders would determine
quickly upon the personnel of the rest
of their ticket, including that for dele
gates and delegates-at-large to the
national convention"