Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-06
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BY the Ex-Committeeman

President Wilson's second term
starts off with the Democratic machine
In Pennsylvania facing some of the
worst post office tangles known in
years and conditions among the clam
cring faithful irritated to an extent
which threatens to jar the organiZa-
ton in the only two surely Democratic
districts in the Keystone State. While
the Democrats have been rejoicing
over election of Democratic Congress
men in two Allegheny county districts
where there have been some unkiud
things said about the attitude of some
state Administration leaders, there has
grown up in the sure Democratic dis
trlcts demand for a share of pat
ronage which has brought Congress-
men into direct conflict with National
committeeman Palmer and his pals.
In several other districts there have
occurred ructions which while appear
ing minor have caused observers. to
wonder whether the Democratic ma
chine will not skid bit when it tries
to put over the slate at the State
primaries next year.
In Reading there is an effort to
throw out the present postmaster, Il
protege of EX-Congressman Rothermel
and put in the veteran, John +. An
coma, backed by Congressman DewaIt.
The latter candidates friends declare
there is no precedent for a Democrat
serving two consecutive terms just be-
cause President was reelected. In
Bethlehem Palmer has opposed the
choice of Congressman Steele Just as
he did the effort of EX-Congressman
casey to put in his brother as Wilkes
Barre postmaster. In Birdsboro there
is race to get the place made vacant
by the death of the postmaster and in
several small Democratic towns the
incumbents are being asked to give
some one else chance. Altoona,
where the Democrats have been build
ing up new machine, has a scramble
on for the only federal place in the
county worth while. There are enough
post offices untitled in the State 10
make trouble without this new idea of
putting in new postmasters for the
second Wilson term being started to
worry the patriotic Palmer and his
pals in the year before a State cleo
tion. No wonder Palmer is so
vociferous for an investigation of tie
state government to make political
thunder and the newspapers controlled
by the Democratic bosses are yelling
for economy in the State government
Democratic internal conditions are
something to hide.
The old-time rivalry between the
Republicans and Democrats of York
which goes back to the days when
each tried to outdo the other in cam
paign parades is cropping out again.
Some time ago the Democratic Club
had a big banquet with some Wash
ington topliners. Tomorrow the Re-
publicans will dine with Lieutenant
Governor McClain and a number of
congressional and State leaders as
speakers.
Every time there is "a bond issue
election in the coal regions there is
a row raised, it seems, and nine times
out of ten charges of fraud at the
polls is made. The proposition to
give Ashley $4,000 for a badly
needed new high school has been
taken into court. The plans and con-
tract will be held up in consequence.
With the return of the Third Field
Artillery from the border next week
Democratic State Chairman w. l.. Nc
Lain will be home again to find the
Democratic State machine jingling
from a lot of loose rivets and gener-
ally shaken up as the result of being
steered by Acting Chairman Joe"
Guffey, whose brother is now post
master in his home city of Pittsburgh.
In addition the Democrats are gen.
orally held to have met all eXpecta-
tions and to have thrown away
chances to make record in the Legis-
lature while the State leaders have
stirred up a lot of needless quarrels.
In the language of a Luzerne man:
Its a shame to stack Bill McLuiu
up against such fall of rock when he
has been down serving his country"