Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-14
PeeI;c4 ;n
Pe~~o4eso~io
BY the Ex-Committecman

| NPAAiShI VI III ldNOT lut
prohibition amendment and the dis.
position of the dry voters to concen.
trate upon a candidate pledged tC
use all efforts to secure it's satisfac.
tlon are rather startling to judge
from the talk heard in corridors oi
the State House and hotels these
days. Quite a number of Democrats
especially those who have become
enthusiastic in their opposition to H.
quor interests, have gone so far this
week as to suggest that the time
might come when the Democrats
would find it eXpedient to endorse q
candidate from another party fol
governor. 1t is needless to say that
the dominant faction of the party
in Pennsylvania would oppose such
a plan and that the wet end of the
| Democracy would fight it.
One of the leaders in the dry
movement last night expressed the
opinion that this was not going to
be a Democratic year and that the
men at the helm of the party in
this state know it. He asserted that
| some of the big men in the Demo-
cracy felt that they could not win
even If Republican split would
| occur because of the manner in
which the liquor issue has arisen.
! Another man equally we'll posted on
! the plans of the drys said that in
| his opinion there would be a fusion
| worked out which would be broader
| than party.
On the other hand dry men who
are Republicans and Democrats
were insistent that party lines
should be maintained and that while
| the prohibition amendment was the
big thing in Pennsylvania politics
this year, it was really a matter for
the legislators to settle and that no
man was greater than his party.
The Philadelphia Evening Bull
letin in the course of a thoughtful
review of the situation brought
about in Pennsylvania by the liquor
issue, urges that Senator Penrose,
as leader of the Republican party,
should take a leaf out of the Quay
book and make concessions to the
opponents of liquor domination in
politics as did the man from Bea-
yer when he put through the high
license law in the eighties.
The Bulletin sizes up the situa-
tion this way: The active forces of
peclally behind this amendment,
circle chiefly around Governor
Brumbaugh and the pugnacious lit
tie candidate for the Republican
bugernatorial nomination in the
primary election of May next, High
way Commissioner ]. Denny O'Neil.
But the real strength of the Prohibi-
ton movement is believed to be di-
rectly among the people, and appar-
entity it is not confined 20 them in
either faction of the Republican
party or in the Democratic party.
According to the best information
that can be had from experienced
observers, it seems to be so formid-
able as to indicate that it may de-
velop into wave" of unusually
large proportions in many of the
counties, especially if it shall be
worked up along the lines of pa
triotic emotion"
The boom of Congressman John
r. *. Scott for the Republican NOM
ination is to have what the Phila-
delphia Record calls "an airing" at
the banquet of the Native Sons of
Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Gazette Times
says that the candidates slated by the
Prohibition state convention are
pledged to withdraw in the event
that it is found advisable to amalga-
mate with other parties.
State Chairman Crow will be in
discuss the state ticket situation. He
joined Senator Penrose on his way
home from st. Louis. The announce
ment of Senator Sproul will come
next week.
-Johnstown people are demand
ing establishment of a branch of the
United States District Attorneys Of
flee for that city. They have already
set up the pins for James NJ. Wal
ters as the attorney to be in charge.
The hiring and firing going on
in Philadelphia just now is attract
ing statewide attention. Hampton
i. Thomas, secretary of the regis
tration commissioners, and a neu-
trail, has been dropped to make
room for a Ware man and the court
officers are throwing out Ware men
and putting in opponents. The nam
ing of John Sloan, formerly in the
Treasury Department here, to a place
in the Philadelphia courts, means
war against Chairman Mackey, of
the compensation board. Another
interesting development in Phila-
delphia was a move to have w. ID.
Disston run for Congress against
Congressman Edmunds.
One of the stories heard about
hotels to-day was that Senator L. II.
Ware had declined to indicate Just
what he was going to do about the
gubernatorial nomination when visit
ed by Frank j. Harris and other Ma
| gee leaders. The Pittsburghers said
that as far as the governorship is
| concerned they are ION the fence"
Councilman William j. Burke, of
| Pittsburgh, formerly q State Senator
and active in the railroad brother
! hoods, is being doomed here as a
candidate for one of the Republican
| nominations for Congressman-at-
Large. 1t is said that the councilman
| has been approached and has taken
the matter under consideration.
! Burke was a candidate for delegate
| at-large in behalf of the Governor
in 1916, and has served on national
committees of the brotherhoods.
THE active participation of
| prominent members of the Sons of
| Veterans organization in the canvass
in support of the nomination of Will
liam c. Sproul for Governor on the
| Republican ticket las been one of
the most important political develop
ments of the last .twenty-four hours,
says the Philadelphia Inquirer. "The
enthusiasm with which a declaration
TO that effect from John Sautter, OF
Pittsburgh, was received at the din
ner of the Sons of Veterans Club,
was regarded as full of Significance" !"
Supporters of Senator Sproul said
last night that canvass of the State
has developed that large majority
of the mon who supported the prog
ressive movement will be found vot-
ing for Senator sproul and that the
Pinchot boomers discovered this and
saw no chance of his making any
kind of n showing at the DrimarIea ~