Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-26
CHAPTER XXXVIII
The Cam paign Begins

nNE week from the day that Jerry
~ Archer was stabbed, the contrac-
tor machine. which styled itself the
Republican City Committee. announced
it's list of candidates for the primary
election. The .man proposed for Mayor
was Thomas V. Farrell. a respectable
broker prosperous, capable of making
good speech, a ready mixer" but a
man without personal or executive force.
AS to character, little could be said
against him, and little urged in his be-
half He was good man, but would
not make good Mayor. He was an ex-
cellent figurehead and nothing more.
The public sensed the type quickly,
and they understood the maneuver
Mr.. Farrell was recognized as q piece
OF political camoufage, and the pro-
posal OF his name acted like an irritant
on the community mind. The result was
quickening of interest in the Real Re-
publican organization. and a strange
the candidate to be opposed to Farrell
This was remarkable for up to now
there had been no public talk of Jerry
as candidate for Mayor. He was ad-
mittedly young. clean. hard fighter,
with a flare for publicity and genius
for taking hold of something hot and
then holding It but when Philadelphia
conjured up In it's mind an ideal for
Mayor 1t pictured some man of years
and dignities-not a STRIPPING.
As a matter of fact 1t was Bucking-
ham himself who had started this talk.
He had proposed to make Jerry Mayor
in return for an offensive and defensive
alliance: that had angered Jerry and
son had told this to the reporters; they
had told it to the people. Now as days
passed and more and more encouraging
bulletins came from the bedside of the
wounded man. more and more people
began to think of Jerry as an admir-.
ah1a On nd ta for Ma yOr They IN cd
of new timber. they talked of blazing
new path, and of the time being at
hand for making a radical departure.
At the same time, the business in
the fact that the protective tariff found
an immediate place in his program.
This, they felt, stamped young Archer
as man of sanity and common sense,
and no allegations of radicalism could
outweigh it. Furthermore. the trend of
events had made Jerry the popular hero
the city over, and the best advertised
man in it. 1t was recognized that the
name of Archer at the head of any
ticket would command a popular follow
ing such as no man since Blankenburg
could have enjoyed.
But while this was everywhere the
talk, 1t was nevertheless only talk Vic
tor Robinson. however, skillfully and
deliberately preparing to take advantage
of his friends temporary incapacity.
translated the talk into action.
To the executive committee he un-
folded his plan for bold stroke, which
was nothing less than proposal to hold
a convention of their infant organiza-
tion. Such a thing was contrary to
precedent. The old organization did
things in star chamber: few men
made up a slate and coolly pushed 1t out
to the committee to be ratified.
"Let the party speak," proposed Vic
tor. "The party consists at the present
time simply of its working organization
Let II meet and adopt platform. Let
it name candidates-above all. let the
convention itself nominate the candi-
date for Mayor"
The executive committee fell In
heartily with the idea, particularly be.
| cause It thought II knew whom. the con-
| vention would nominate. Quick actor
| was necessary. The call went out or
Monday The convention was held or
Wednesday night in the Academy Of
Music. The 1900 division leader:
crowded the floor. sitting in front ant
standing behind; the ward leaders oc
| cupied the stage, reinforcing the execu
| tive committee and buttressed by body
of vice presidents chosen solely from
among the financial contributors to thu
| preliminary campaign.
| With delegates taken care Of, thu
Academy doors We're thrown wide open
There was nothing secret. The people
were told the organization was piec'
| of machinery created for their use
| They were invited to observe its work
ings and to indorse it's aims II the.
met with popular approval. And tn
public crowded in. They filled ever.