Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-14

TRUCE in LEGISLATURE
ENFORCED BY PENROSE
List of Candidates for Chief
Clerk of Senate Shows Brum-
baugh Weakness
Bv n star corysspoudsr,


mat the truce In the factonal fight with
IN me Republican organization was brought
aoout. IN the Senate al least. By the Ware
brumoaugh faction giving In 10 the Pen
rose forces on purely political issues IL
SHOWN In the lively hgh, that has devel-
oped over the selection Of the successor Of
Chief CLERK Harmon ". Kephart who as
sumes Office a. state Treasurer May !, and
IN the indorsemeut ~ Senator Clarence
). Buckman. Of Bucks. for president pro
tempore next session
Nearly dozen candidates have cropped
out Tor kepharts JOB There ig not a
Nare-BrumhauEh follower among them
The list Includes such men as Charles
Johnson. Of Montgomery County former in.
surance commissioner and a strong Penrose
follower. Fred Mcdonald Republican
county chairman Of Chester Comfy and a
follower of enrose and Senator T Larry
Eyre former Congressman Taylor North
ot JEFFERSON County william Mason. or
Erie. who was formerly Journal clerk of
the Senate. and Walter Gather. Of Pitts
burgn. secretary 70 Governor Tenei and ex-
Public Service Commissioner.
STILL OTHERS
In addition to The above the Penross
leaders in Armstrong Fayette. Beaver and
Cambria Counties are after the place for
constituents Of theirs
The position Of chief Clerk of the SEN
ate pays a salary of $4,000 a year
The indorsement Of Senator Ruckman as
the next president pro tempore Of the up
per branch is regarded in political circles
as virtual admission by the Vare-Brum-
I baugh forces of the strength of the Pen.
rose-Grundy control Of the Senate
| Senator Buckman is serving his frs, term.
and comes IN for reelection next year in the
| observation-disclosures district He is looked
| upon as the representative NJ Joseph r.
| Grundy head of the Pennsylvania Manu-
! facturers Association. which bitterly op-
| posed the present child labor and work
| mems compensation laws
state Senator Edwin r. Ware. as the state
| administration floor leader In the Senate
last session. when the laws were enacted
1 vigorously opposed the Grundy forces Sem
ator Buckmsn included.
Senator Buckman. however az chairman
/ OF the Appropriations Committee Of the
| senate. has earned the reputation Of be-
! ing absolutely fair 70 both factions and
| has made name for itself as a hard
! worker.
Senator Var, was the first member Of
the Senate to sign Senator Buckman's
! nomination papers He explained indorse-
ment Of Buckman as follows:
II was the first to sign his papers Sena
| tor Buckman has always treated US
i absolutely fair and when heard that he
was a candidate. We did not place can
didate OF our own in the field"
THIRTY-THREE sIGNERs
In ALL thirty-three Senator's seven more
| than. majority. signed. Buckman's papers
| They included every member Of the Senate
who was present, except Senator William
! j Burke, Of Allegheny. who declined u
! sign.
Senator Burke is the representative oi
the railroad men in the Legislature. and be
cause Of Senator Buckman's stand on tbs
full crew repeater last session he would
not ndorse him for president pro tempore
I The Legislature today continued ~
routine work Of passing legislation. Th'
apparent harmony still prevailed. with tn
Democrats in the House playing the onl,
politics in evidence.
The action Of the two Republican faction
IN resting on their oars" in their factiona
fight is regarded simply as method
adopted to prevent the Democrats from
gaining strength for next years Statewid
battle through factional Republican
fight"
II any other evidence were needed h,
politicians that the probe" is dead, tn
action Of Ware Brumbaugh leaders and tn
Penrose forces on the fight over the chic
'clerkship and in indorsing Senator Buck
| man for president pro TEN. is regarded a
final by the legislative leaders.
II is not believed the death Of Secretar!
!
stirring effect upon the politics of Penn
syvania. Though the office carries with
about fifty positions. there is feeling tha
. no shakeup as likely for the reason tina
the Governor will probably appoint the lat
secretary's son. Paul J. Houck, Of. Schuyl
kill County, to the vacancy.
FEW DIE IN OFFICE ~
II IL a rather remarkable fact that sine
the creation Of Pennsylvania as common
wealth but three elected State officials die
in office Besides MIR. Houck, the othe
were A. Wilson Norris. who died in 1885
Auditor General. and william r. Har
who died in 1889 while State Treasurer
Two men afteS being elected 10 State Office
died before taking their seats. They wer
David Stanton. elected Auditor General I
1871, and j. Fl. Stober elected State Treas
urer in 1915
designations from elective State Office
have also been infrequent No Governo
: ever died in office, but one resigneda Gov
. | ernor Francis r. Skunk. He voluntaril
{ stepped down from that high Office In lsf
before the expiration of his term. He wa
the grandfather Of the present Attorne
t | General, Francis Skunk Brown. The onl
5 other designations on record are those {
Matthew Stanley Quay. as state Treasure