Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-01
"MEN ON THE FENCE" REAL ARBITERS
IN FIGHT FOR SPEAKERSHIP OF HOUSE

Continued from Pnee One
day by squad Of Philadelphia city dc.
toctives.
The Grundy interests are strongly repre-.
sented here today by almost the entire lobby
| that fought the child labor and worimcu's
compensation bill last session. Under tho
personal direction Of Joseph r. Grundy they
are active among the incoming members
elect
The railroads and other corporations also
are represented by the biggest lobbes that
have been seen In Harrisburg since the
| days OF the Quay fights and the Ponrose-
| Wanamaker fight. The liquor interests.
| though, are, strangely enough, keeping out
| of the fight. They have taken no sides and
| apparently are not maintaining any force
| Of workers in the speakership contest To-
day It ls being whispered around that Cox
| s Just Rs acceptable to them Baldwin
The first showdown on the conflicting
claims from the two camps will be made
this afternoon when the Allegheny County
members caucus. The Baldwin people are
claiming seventeen OF the twenty-four votes
from that county, while Public Service
Commissioner william A. Magee, Ware
Brumbaugh leader In Allegheny claims
either eleven or thirteen votes for Cox.
PENRosE HOST AT DINNER
Senator Penrose gave a dinner to tho
Allegheny County delegation at the Castle"
house on Chestnut street occupied for the
session by most Of the Allegheny County
members, last night Thirteen attended
the Magee people, with the exception Of
Representative Geary, remaining away.
There has been no change In the Lacka-
wanna and Luzerne county delegations.
Cox will receive one vote. that Of Fowler,
from Lackawanna, and two. those of Nc
kay and Morgan. from Luzerne Fred e.
Ehrhardt. Of Scranton. who announced his
candidacy for Speaker several weeks ago.
will not 20 into the caucus but will vote
for Baldwin.
The fight between Cox and Baldwin
threatens TO spread to the selection of a
chief clerk Of the House just as the speak
ership contest resulted In 1913 Thomas
Garvin present chief clerk, mas been one
of the active managers Of Baldwins cam
paiEn, and the Nare- -Brumbaugh forces are
threatening TO place Frank B. Morrison.
sergsant-at-arms Of the last House, and
poItica, lieutenant OF John r. K Scott in
the field against him No opposition will he |
made against the election of Senator Ed |
ward Il. Bedelman of Dauphin, as presi- |
dent pro tenn. of the Senate. and of William |
S Lieb, OF Schuylkill, as resident clerk OF |
the House
The Governors statement follows
The speakership contest will soon be
settled. But the issues involved can
never be settled until they are settled |
right. Those who speCiousiy proclaim
that this tx factlonnl fight tor the
BOOu OF lIlS OF lilHI ledueF III any Guy
or county utter what they know to be a
falsehood The sole question is this:
Can the Republican party survive II
controlled and dominated by discredited
leadership and delivered to the special
interests that have at every turn
cheated the people?
viii It not bo well TO heed this sit
uatlon and avoid making an ir-
retrievable blunder? Must we not
render servlce-real honest service-it
we are to have the support of the
people? A party that is dishonest cam
not endure. Some Of us sense this sit
uation. We feel 1t keenly. We want the
Republican party to rid itself of the
bossed and controlled leaders who have
wrought its defeat. We cannot do this
II we support MIR. Baldwin. 1t will be
accepted as a victory for reactionnry
and servle leaders who owe much and
do all for special privileges, and who
care not one whit for deccncy or right
or justice.
DARES "ANY ONE TO REFUTE"
These same men in 1915 were equally
resolved to put Mr.. Baldwin into the
Speakership. They finally yielded and
Mr.. Penrose gave me definite assur-
ance that he would support Mr. Am
bier He SO told Mr.. Amber later in
the same day. In less than day
thereafter he as definitely set about
TO defeat Mr.. Amber He did not
succeed, These facts | dare any one
TO refute,
The evening of the day of the Re-
publican meeting at williams Grove
In the autumn of 1914 the same Sena-
tor. then candidate, told me that
both the then Commissioner Of High
ways and the then Secretary Of state
were impossible and ought not TO he
retained. Subsequently, at Blairs-
VILE in the stand on the public square
he assured me he would have them
resign. lie did not do So
He also declared at Pittsburgh on
August 26, 1914, when the party plat
form was under discussion. that he
was sure Of his election and that he
didn't care anything about the re-
mRinder of the ticket. This was on
the eve OF the State campaign. Can
any fair or loyal Republican follow
such men?
The people look to the party in power
10 give them an honest and a definite
service. They resent rightly any at
tempt TO deceive or to cheat them
Their interests are at stake. [ shall
steadily stand with them and against
false leadership | shall continue to
insist that this Government shall never
betray any one that justice and de-
cency and right shall prevail, and upon
that issue and that alone I shall con-
duct my administration and shall de-
vote all my energies.
The control of the Republican party
In Pennsylvania by the special interests.
OF which the Senator is tile aclInowl-
edged political agent. must and should
be broken II the party is to live. Moth
ing is settled in this world, / repeat.
until it is settled right.
PENRosE's STATEMENT
Senator Penrose issued an Immediate
eply. in which lie charged "lrregularity"
n the part of the -Brumbaugh forces
uring the last campaign, and paid his re-
n |
cott"