Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-05-20
PoGitic4 ;m
Pe~aeqGSa~ia
sy the Ex-Committeeman

Incomplete and conflicting returns
OF Tuesdays primary election have not
only prevented anything like accurate
results being worked out, but have
siso exasperated people all over the
state TO such an extent that there are
| heard suggestions from many quarters
Tor return to the old convention sys-
tenn. The experience of the people of
TINS state ever since the enactment of
the statute that State nominations
must be made by popular vote has
LEI pven ,tni ,tHns'itisIaetoTy because of the
long ume required to get official re-
suits, Under the convention system it
was known in pretty short order who
were elected delegates in counties or
legislative districts and the convention
quickly settled things. Now the votes
must oe ohicially computed by county
commissioners and certified to the
state Capitol, which will then work up
an official total for the State.
II begins to look as though the re-
suit of the election for Republican
delegates and alternates-at-large and
OF the contest for the Republican
nomination for Auditor General would
not be known for a week, which is
absurd, to say the least
The Philadelphia Record, a Demo-
cratic newspaper, says to-day that
radical changes in the primary law will
be made by the next Legislature and
asserts that Penrose is in favor of re-
turn to the convention system, al
though friends of the senator say that
| he had made no announcement on the
subject. The article notes the general
dissatisfaction with the primary and
says that an effort will be made in the
next Legislature to revive state con-
Nentlons and city conventions.
Senator PenrOse who snent last
night at Williamsport. will go direct
10 washington from that city to-day.
He speaks at the cornerstone cere-
mony at the State institution at Muncy
and will pass through here late to-day
on his way back to the national capi-
tai. He will go to Chicago about
June l.
Governor Brum baugh is in Phila-
'delphia or its vicinity for the week-ond
and is in consultation with friends
over the outlook. The Governor will
return here on Monday. 1t is said that
he has engaged rooms at Chicago for
the convention.
-Brumbaugh headquarters last
night put out a statement reiterating
the claim that forty-four national dele
gates had been elected who would
stand by the Governor, but did not
state for what or how long. 1t is gen.
orally taken to mean that the Brum-
baugh headquarters is claiming cleo
ton of men who will vote for the
Governor for President, but not go
through with any other program he
and his advisers may start. The head
quarters statement claims the election
of Aiken and Benedict in the Seven
teenth district and assails some Pen
rose claims. The Penrose people coun-
tered last night at Philadelphia by
claiming at least flfty-five uninstructed
delegates. Neither side produced any
thing substantial on which TO base
claims and it all goes to show the
singular condition brought about by Il
primary law under which results can
not be known for week.
The Pittsburgh GaZette-Times says
that it will take eight days to COM
plete the count of the vote in Allie
gheny county.
The Philadelphia Inquirer to-day
says that ii looks as though the Gov
ernor would be the only one of the
Ware -Brumbaugh candidates for dele
gate-at-large to pull through. Other
newspapers say that William S. Aaron,
OF Altoona, first man on the list. is
likely to be along with the Governor.
baugh and Henry Ford are running
neck and neck on presidential prefer
ence.
One vote was cast by the Key
stone party in Luzerne county.
AS over 700 members of the Union
League Joined in an invitation to
Colonel Roosevelt to make a speech
before that organization, he will be
invited Notwithstanding the movement
in the other direction a few days ago.
1t seems to be pretty generally
believed that the anti -Brumbaugh
forces in the next Legislature will not
go after Governor Brumbaugh on the
lvA, ~ 4
paign, but unquestionably there will
be attacks made upon Mayor Smith,
of Philadelphia. Senator Penrose is
said to be determined to push his plan
for a change of government in that
city. which would mean ripper bill
His overwhelming victory in the
Williamsport district has been noted
with pleasure by the many friends here
of Edgar r. Kiess, who has been re-
nominated as the Republican candi-
date for Congress. His Tioga county
opponent. w. +. Champaign, wired
him congratulations and the assurance
that 'the Champaign Republican Club
of Tioga County will be with you" In
the township where he was born he re-
ceiVed every Republican vote cast.
Hughesville, his home town, gave him
a handsome vote.
Although Congressman Michael
Liebel. Jr., has wired to National Com
mitteeman A. Mitchell Palmer assur-
ances of his cooperation in the reha-
bilitation of the reorganized Democ-
racy it is believed that the meeting of
the Democratic State committee will
not be harm monious. State Chairman
Morris is said to be willing to drop
any plans to run again in the interest
of harmony. In this event Bruce
Sterling, of Fayette. will he offered as
candidate. Local optionists may
buck on Sterling.
Two brothers named Willard were
elected to Philadelphia council. They
are on opposite sides of the fence.
Contests are already threatened in
the Republican State committee. Ma
gee and Ware men are said to be pre-
pairing them.
Court officials in half a dozen
counties have raped election boards
for defective returns of the primary.
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