Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-05
DEMOCRATS SEEK
VAINLY FOR CANDIDATE
FOR U. S. SENATE
Harmony" Destroyed by So
Called big Four" and Party
Prestige Only a Reminis-
cence, Says b. G.. Bromley
HURT BY REoRGANIZERS

Under the guidance of National Com
mitteeman A. Mitchell Palmer several
conferences were held this week at the
Bellevue-Stratford. Prominent upstate as
well as local Democrats were in attend
ance.
single available candidate for the United
States Senate. while the harmony" talk
fell on deaf ears
The Impression prevails that an entirely
new deal must be wrought out before
party activity In this state can be re-
yiyed Many look upon the present sit
uatlon as the passing OF the big Four
Palmer. Mccormick, Blaksee and Morris
who have dictated the "reorEanizors'"
program for the last three years.
Among those talked OF for the Senate,
Secretary of Labor william H. Wilson and
Edward s. Lynett. of Scranton, both hatly
declined. while the frlenos or the scholarly
Henry Budd of this city. declared 1t would
be an Insult to ask him to make the
vicarlous sacrifice again
Roland S. Morris, state chairman, when
questioned at his office in the Land Title
Building, after the conferences. expressed
wild regret that no one seemed anxious
TO serve the party at this juncture, but
thought At candidate would be secured
"after little.' This view was not echoed
by others consulted, who appeared to
agree that a proffer of support from the
present party leaders in the State would
be looked upon as more or less of a joke.
Neither Vance Mccormick. of Harris
burg. nor Assistant Postmaster General
James s. Blakeslee, the other members of
the big Four" had any part in the re.
cent conferences.
The opinion was general that the Big
Four" had about reached the end OF their |
Federal patronage and could not proceed
much farther in the process of "reorgan-
izing" the party out of existence so far as
State and local issues were concerned.
CHAIRMAN BROAILEY'S VIEWS.
"It is a depressing fact" said b. |
Gordon Bromley, chairman of the Demo- |
cratic City Committee, that after three !
years of Democratic rule at Washington, !
party interests in Pennsylvania have |
reached the lowest ebb of which any of |
us have recollection. 1t reminds one of |
the Roman conquerOr who secured peace
by making a desert out of the country.
''If the so-called 'reorganizers' have
made a serious effort at any time to con.
suit the ideas or wishes of any except |
a chosen few of their own followers / !
know nothing of it. 1t is far cry from
the days of Randall and Pattison to
what we see in the State today. Har-
mony is farce that consists only in
ratifyng the views Of your self-named
leaders"
Joseph p. McCullen. who has been
prominent among supporters of Public
Service Commissioner Ryan said: There
was a time when it meant something to
be called a Democrat Such men as
George w. Bddle, Samuel Dickson or
Simon p. Wolverton were proud of the
title, without reference to office. We have
fallen on evil days and under present
leadership in this State men of large
calibre seem to be at a discount It is
peBhaps, not surprising that the Office of
United States Senator goes a begging. AS |
Democrats however. we can live in hope, |
and that seems about all we have left
There may be revival under new con.
ditions"
BRIGHT HAS NO REMEDY.
Robert S. Bright president of the Demo.
cratic Club had no remedy to offer for
the present inertia in the party His
he said. had been with the
''reorganzers," but he could not see any
for the Senatorship in sight at
present He hopes that the Presidents
recent speeches might stir up some local
but was a. loss to say Just
how this could be brought about Other
members of the club who sat about the
new headquarters at 1i32 South Penn
Square today were mostly silent, butwhen
they spoke of party prospects in this