Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-11
MCCORMICK SAYS
HE WON'T RUN
Humes Looms Up Since the
Sproul Declaration For the
Amendments Passage

Cormick declared to newspaper in
reviewers at Atlantic City yesterday
that under no circumstances" could
he be regarded as a candidate for
the Democratic nomination for gov
ernor of Pennsylvania. However,
many Democrats have declined to
accept the statement as final and
the partisans of E. Lowry Humes,
United States district attorney for
western Pennsylvania, are contiuu-
ing their attacks upon Acting State
Chairman Joseph +. Guffey as
possible candidate, although he is
booked to start as n stalking horse
on the part of the machine bosses.
The uncertainty in the Democratic
state organization thus far has been
largely due to conditions in the Re-
publican party. The Democratic
bosses have, naturally waited for
declarations from the leading Re-
publicans on the prohibition amend
ment, hoping to take advantage Of
any divisions which might arise on
That issue. The Philadelphia North
American to-day says that the
Sproul declaration commits the Re-
publican party to ratification of the
amendment and gives the interesting
information that "for two months or
more 1T has been known that Sproul,
the party's probable nominee for
governor at the forthcoming pri-
maries. had decided upon commit
ting himself in favor of ratifying the
Federal amendment"
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Harmony Predicted
The Philadelphia Press says in Il
washington dispatch: civilian O.
Sproul will have as his chief plank
In his platform for the Republican
nomination for governor advocacy
OF the national prohibition amend
ment and a local option law for
Pennsylvanial'
The Press also says that the Wares
are in an embarrassing place. They
are being asked by the Governor to
support O'Neil. 1t remarks: ''As
politicians the Wares must tie their
fortunes to rising powers. And
although Senator Penrose has tried
to place his stamp on Senator Sproul
the Vafes are satisfied that he would
be falr to them and, therefore, are
expected at least to remain mega
tive in the primary campaign if they
are not active. Whether they are
active depends to a great extent rp-
| on the makeup of the ticket. They
DO not propose to create a condition
IN the primaries which would make
1T impossible to elect Sproul in No
vember. A condition not far from
harmony it is predicted will prevail
in Pennsylvania politics before the
primary"
State to Be Dry"
The North American in discussing
the Sproul declaration as committing
the Republican organization to pro-
hibition, says:
AT one of the recent conferences
here, it was announced that, as q re-
suit of a canvass of opinion made
by Secretary Harry Baker, of the
state committee, at least fifty-five
of the sixty-seven counties of the
state are lined up strongly dry
Upon this showing of antibooze
strength, it was argued that the
state committee should formally
commit the party to ratification of
the amendment. Further, a PROPOSE
ton was seriously considered to call
upon Governor Brumbaugh to make
good his suggestion of calling a spe-
cial session of the Legislature, in or
der to overwhelmingly ratify the
| amendment at once and get the Ii
quor question out of politics.
During these discussions Senator
Sproul held fast to his own decis-
| ion to declare in favor of the amend
ment, and allow the rising tide to
sweep the objectors from their moor
| ings. His judgment has apparent
ly been indicated, for from Penrose
| down, there has come no dissent to
the declaration made by Sproul at
West Chester on Saturday, in which
| he committed himself, and the tick ct
which he expects to head, to the
Federal amendment. Neither the
candidacy of Highway Commission
er j. Denny O'Neil on a one-issue
prohibition platform, or the threats
of the liquor interests to run a booze
candidate on an avowed liberal
platform, have seemed to bother
Sproul at ALL"
Mccormick Wants Peace
Pennsylvania Democrats can
elect the governor in the Keystone
State next fall If they get together
behind the right man." Vance C.
| Mccormick, Democratic national
chairman, said to a Philadelphia
Ledger reporter at Atlantic City yes
terday. The Democrats cannot win
unless they stop pickering and pick
the right man. | can lay stress upon
this point, because under no circuln-
stances am | to be regarded as a
candidate. My announcement some
weeks ago stands. Given the right
man l believe Pennsylvania can be
carried by the Democrats, support
ed by Independent Republicans.
| There never was a state that needed
a change so badly"
Mr.. Mccormick said he was not in
a position to discuss candidates and
declined to express any opinion as
to the probable course of the state
committee with relation to the ques-
| tion of prohibition.
Senator Sprouts espousal of pro-
hibition gave me something of a
| jolt" he said. TT is hard to con-
ceive of Penrose standing for a dry
Pennsylvania. and it is almost equal
ly difficult to believe Senator Sproul
| would commit himself without con-
sulting the Senator. He may not
have been correctly quoted"
DR.. James M. Munyon