Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-03
PRIMARY ALIGNMENTS

candidate for Governor, with
John r. K. Scott, candidate for
Lieutenant Governor, by the very
nature of things tends to merge the
campaign interests of Senator
Sproul for Governor and Senator
Beidleman for Lieutenant Governor.
Neither Senator Sproul nor Senator
Beidleman will lose by that. AS be-
tween Mr.. Scott and Senator Beidle-
man for second place on the ticket
there should be no hesitancy in the
selection of the Dauphin county
Senator. Senator Beidleman repre-
sents the State-at-large. Scott is
Philadelphia politician, associated
with those largely responsible for
the factional differences and party
chickering's that have been spread
from Philadelphia to all parts of the
State, and himself doing much to
keep animosity alive within the
party.
Scott has been using the GUS
tomary Philadelphia tactics of mud
throwing at previous mbents-
alleging that Lieutenant Governors
Reynolds and McClain did not fulfill
their duties of presiding over the
Senate as they should, regardless of
the fact that both made records for
faithful performances of that duty,
and Notwithstanding that he-scott
himself-was at that very moment
an absentee member of Congress
out making a political canvass while
important national questions were
under debate. Senator Beidleman
was prompt to take up the challenge
and his dignified reply is in marked
contrast to the outbreak of his op-
ponent.
So much of hypocrisy and disap-
pointed ambition are involved in the
fight against Senator sproul and
Senator Beidleman that formid-
able revolt among those once favor
able to State Highway Commissioner
O'Neil is entirely probable, es-
pecially in view of the Commission
er's failure to declare his purpose to
accept the result and support the
Republican nominee in the event of
his own defeat in the primary con-
test.
Republicans generally are not 60
ing to give support to any aspirant
for public Office who enters a pri-
mary contest and trifies with the
voters on a matter of party prin-
ciple. Central Pennsylvania Repub-
licans have very definite convictions
with respect to party rules, and they
will not be induced in any great
number to support a candidate who
sidesteps so important a matter as
an open declaration on primary de-
cision.
Senator Beidleman is right in con-
. cluding that the people do not want
to hear one candidate make charges
against another and he will win far
more votes by an outline of his own
platform. as he is doing, than by
following Scott's example and call
ing his opponent hard names. Sena-
tor Sproul also is to be congratulated
upon his manly attitude in face of
those arrayed against him. He will
not fail to gain in popular esteem
by ignoring personalities and devot-
ing himself to constructive policies.
AS he has declared repeatedly, the
people are more interested in win
ming the war than in political con-
ieoversy. and he might have added
,4Iat the washing of soiled political
,dnen does not appeal to them in the
least. It is rather to be suspected
that the superheated denunciation
of Senator Sproul is significant de-
velopment of the week. indicating
the realization of his opponents of
their own laundering in the prelim-
mary round of the contest.