Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-21
Psetic4 IL
Pe~~sqeSa~io
by tho Ex-Committeeman

the word is going the rounds that
the voters of Pennsylvania are to
have their Democratic ticket made
up for them again by a small coun-
ell of machine bosses to be held at |
Washington and that their action will
be approved at the White House
and sent to the Keystone state as the
desire of the national administra-
ton. A little less than four years
ago half dozen Democratic bosses
from this state did the same thing
at the National Capital and the re-
suit was that Vance c. Mccormick
and A. Mitchell Palmer were put be-
fore the citizens of Pennsylvania as
slated candidates only to be repudiat-
ed by maJoritles running into the
myriads.
The last fortnight there have been
reports among the Democrats that
while the country was to be lulled by
intimations that talk of politics was
not patriotic, now the Democratic
bosses were to frame UP their slate
for Pennsylvania on the banks OF the
Potomac and then promulgate IL
from the state windmill on the banks
of the Susquehanna. The Philadel-
phia Evening Ledger thus sums up I
developments: "A caucus of the
State Democratic leaders, to pick
candidates and decide upon the first
step of the gubernatorial campaign
for next year, was called to-day. II
will be held in Washington the first
week of January, when Congress re-
convenes. Among those who will at
tend are Vance G. McCormlck, ma
tional chairman; A. Mitchell Palmer,
national committeeman from Penn
sylvania and Joseph F. Guffey, acting
state chairman. Coincident with the
notice of the caucus was the appar-
emily authoritative news that Sec
rotary of Labor William B. Wilson,
who has been mentioned by Demo-
cratic state leaders all along as their
choice for the GovernorShip, has de-
clined to run. According to several
state Democratic leaders who We're
in Philadelphia to-day, he has told
the state committee that he much
prefers to stick to his present post.
Vance c. Mccormick, who was de-
feated for the Governorship three
years ago, probably will be the cholce
of the caucus as the Democratic
standard bearer next year. The only
other man who is being considered,
according to the Democratic state
leaders in this city to-day, is Joseph
F. Guffey, of Pittsburgh. In the event
of the selection of Mccormick as the
Democratic candidate for Governor,
Guffey, who has been acting as CHAIR
man of the Democratic state commit
tee for more than q year in the alb
sence of William S. Mclean, OF
Wilkes-Barre, who has gone to war,
will be duly elected chairman OF the
state body. Should Mccormick de-
cline to lead the Democrats OF the
state in next years battle, Guney Will
be the choice of the party leaders,
according to the advance intorma-
ton"
The movement for the renom-
ination of Superior Court Judge
w .!liam d. Porter, which has been
taking form at various meetings or
county bar associations for some
weeks and which it is hoped will re-
suit in the state escaping another
scramble 1T the primary, was gwen
a big impetus at Philadelphia yes
terday by prominent men without
regard to party or faction. The Fhil-
adelphia Inquirer says Of it: Judge
William d. Porter returned 20 his
home in pittsburgh yesterday after
having received assurances that the
leaders of 10th factions of the Ite'
publican party in this city will sup
port hi, and'dacy to succeed NM
self on the Superior Court bench.
Judge Porters term expires next
wear and his successor will be elect
co next November 1t is the aim
O? the supporters of Judge Porter
that he shall receive more than fifty
Der cent. of the vote cast at the
primaries on May 21 next on the
Nonpartisan ballot, which would
mean that his name would be print
ed on the fall election ballot without
IL competitor, the primary vote viz
tually re-elccting him. Judge Por-
ter is finishing his first term of ton
,.ears on the Superior Court bench.
He had previously been a Common
Pleas Court judge in Allegheny
county.
Senator Boies Penrose, who
spent part of the day in Philadel-
phia yesterday, said last evening:
II shall be pleased to vote for the
reelection of Judge Porter to the
Superior Court. He has made a very
creditable record and 1 believe that
he will be supported by members
OF the bar generally throughout the
state. irrespective of their political
affiliations. l have always favored
the reelection of the judges of the
Superior Court, and in the case of
Judge Porter I am particularly
pleased to advocate his continuance
on the bench"
The Philadelphia Record tells
llllS lillcISSlliS StOAS 1OOub
political events in Philadelphia yes
terday: "Penrose forces put the
Smith Ware administration sup
porters lover the ropes" in test of
strength in Select Council yester-
day in what is recognized as the
first skirmish for control of Coun-
ellis since the serious break of almost
two years ago, when the Mayor lined
up with the Wares against the Pen
se-McNichol faction. The attack
was somewhat obscured by the fact
that the fight was made upon a bill,
passed by Common Council without
opposition, to reimburse the Amer
lean Bridge Company, for $22,-
290.47 for loss due to delay by the
city in providing concrete founda-
tions for the steel work the company
was under contract to erect for the
Frankford elevated line. There
were 40 of the 4S members of the
chamber present, ard four did not
vote, while 23 voted for the meas
ure and 13 against. The bill re-
quired a two-thirds vote of SO in |
the affirmative. If the measure had |
merely required majority vote,
which is 25 members, it could not |
have passed. The result is sig |
nificant that, while the majority |
vote is held by the Vare-Smith fac
ton. it is not sufficient to control |
financial legislation"