Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-28
PseI;cA S~
Pe~~AaGOo~in
BY the Ex-Committeeman

This is the final week of the
strangest state and Congressional
campaigns ever known in Pennsyl-
vania, and the contrast between the
methods of the Republican and
Democratic nominees for governor
as striking as the difference between
the conditions prevailing in 1918
and 1910.
Senator William C. Sproul and his
colleagues on the Republican state
ticket have determined to stay at
home in Difference to the mandates
of the state and local health author
tiles against meetings and the cam
paign of the dominant party in
Pennsylvania will be waged through
county and district organizations.
Judge Eugene G. Bonniwell, the
Democratic nominee for governor,
who has been going about the state
meeting people and issuing state
ments, seems determined to continue
that course. He got out another
statement in Philadelphia last night
in which he assailed Senator Ware,
Mayor Smith and others. The North
American says that Philadelphia
liquor dealers and saloon men have
been told to produce 100000 for
the Bonniwell campaign. The Demo-
cratic state organization is attending
to its own knitting, allowing Mr..
Bonniwell to run his own affairs, but
striving to elect Democratic CcT-
gressmen,
The general impression is that
President Wilson made trouble for
Democratic Congressional candidates
in Pennsylvania by his appeal and
that Secretary w. G. MaAdoo made
it worse.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
newspapers comment on the unusual
features of the campaign and the at
titude of Senator Sproul in refusing
to tour the state in an epidemic is
generally approved, while criticism
is made of the "gumshoe" work of
Judge Bonniwell, especially by the
Philadelphia North American. The
Philadelphia Inquirer, in warning
Republicans to work, says: They
must not be caught mapping, and
the only surprise on election day
should be the surprise of the enemy
at the size of the majority for Sem
ator Sproul and his associates on the
Republican ticket"
Writing in the Philadelphia
Press ]. o. Hauser discusses the
quietest campaign on record and
predicts that only about $50, 900 men
will vote in Pennsylvania this year
instead of the 1,111,000 who voted
four years ago. He says also: Sen
ator Sprouts estimated plurality
over his Democratic opponent is
placed at 10000. This has sur
prised some persons because Cover
nor Brumbaugh won by 134,S25 in
year when there was a hard con-
test. They argue that as popular
candidate as Senator Sproul, with
the opposition badly split, should do
better. They forget that If he does
as well as Governor Brumbaugh he
will be doing better in a year like
this. The estimated plurality of
$50, 900, while perhaps a little con-
servative even under the circum-
stances, was doubtless framed to
meet the conditions of a shrunken
vote"
The Press intimates that Palmer
and Mccormick having nothing to
lose on a state ticket were interested
in getting the President to mix poll
| tics and war in his appeal for Demo-
cratic congressman.
The Presidents action will en-
hance Republican chances in at least
three districts-the 18th, goth and
| 23d-in this state and maybe in the
| 26th and 2Sth.
Dispatches from the coal region
are that Judge BonniwelPs tour
through Luzerne and Schuylkill
counties, which are hard hit by in
fiuenza, was coolly received and he
made little headway. In Philadel-
phia the city Democratic committee,
while taking a different attitude than
the Palm r-McCormick controlled
state Democratic committee, is 60
ing through the motions of support
ing the wet" judge, but in the Ian
guage of one man: mot working
| heads off"
Newspaper reviews say that
| Bonniwell has lost what.grip he had
on Democratic voters in 1ackawanna
and that he was disappointed in Lu-
zerne, while his campaign has gone
to pieces in Carbon and Lehigh. A
Reading dispatch says: Even the
Liberty League, an organization of
liquor sellers, which worked for him
| during the primary campaign, is do
ing nothing for him now, the mem
bers being convinced that Bonni-
wells wet cause is hopeless"
-Sproul will carry Delaware
county by 10000 predict that coun-
| ty's Republican leaders.
Announcement in Philadelphia
late Saturday that Congressman
John r. K. Scott would be substi-
tuted for William T. Connor as a
candidate for the House in the
Eighth Philadelphia district, is one
of the most interesting occurrences
in state politics for long time. 1t
is taken to mean that the Wares will
struggle with the Penrose people
over legislation affecting Philadel-
phia and that they propose to have
a say in matters in the House. There
is no more daring, resourceful floor