Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-01
Poeitic4 i~
Pe~~e4eSa~i@
By the Ex-Committeeman

Men active in political affairs are
discussing with great interest the
possible effect of the decision of
Judge Aaron s.. Swartz, of Mont
gomery county, that ballot is rot
invalidated by the voter marking
the party square and also marking
a candidate in a column. The vet
eran Montgomery Judge gave the
decision, as noted yesterday on this
page, in ruling on election of a
justice of the peace in Hatfield bor-
ough. He held that the Democratic
candidate for justice was elected be-
cause one voter had marked the So
cialist square and then voted for
the Democratic candidate for justice.
There was no Socialist nominee for
the office. The place hinged on that
one vote.
Application of this decision would
restore about $4,000 votes to the
Town Meeting party nominees in
Philadelphia, it is contended by
some, and defeat the so-called
Smith-Vare ticket, because many
voters marked Town Meeting and
then voted for District Attorney
Rotan.
The effect may be to stir up the
Philadelphia contest again and to
have the matter reviewed in the
higher courts. 1t is noted by
various newspapers that Judge
Swartz has seldom been reversed.
The silence with which the sug-
gestion of an Embossed convention
to discuss merits of candidates for
state offices in advance of the
primary has been received by the
Democratic machine leaders is being
much commented upon. The
weather is a more pleasant topic
about the Democratic state windmill
than the VanDyke resolution just
now and the refusal to discuss the
subject seriously rather indicates
that it has been placed on the list
of topics which must not be talked
of under pain of being declared un-
true to the faith.
The Democratic bosses who are
to meet on the banks of the Potomac
this week to write down the names
of the men the Democratic voters of |
Pennsylvania are to accept as can
didates for 1918 will hardly call a |
convention, but intimate that the |
of the state committee. |
which will be held after the primary
will answer all purposes.
-Newspapermen and men who |
follow politics say that the signs are |
that the conference on the banks of |
the Potomac to make a slate for
Pennsylvania will likely insist upon !
Vance c. Mccormick, Democratic |
national choirman, running for Gov
ernor again. Some hold that it is !
the presidential plan to have Nc
Cormick with the prestige of the
chairmanship, what ever that NAV
amount to, try his luck again in
the Keystone State and if he wins to
enter the presidential lists, as Patti
son tried to do. Others think that
the national chieftains are sending
Mccormick to Waterloo in order to
clear the path for the Presidents
real choice.
Hugh Evans, appointed chief
clerk in the Lackawanna register Of
wills office, is a brother-in-law of
Federal Judge Wilmer.
John A. Eckert, Jersey Shore
editor, has been appointed mercan-
tile appraiser of Lycoming county.
campaign for a raise in wages
Tax Receiver w. Freeland Ken
drick. of Philadelphia, occasioned
considerable surprise in political
circles yesterday by announcing the
appointment of Daniel Wade as
deputy tax collector to succeed
James e. Heron, who was dis
missed after 20 years service be-
cause of his failure to support the
"50-50 ticket last November. Mr..
Wade was active in Democratic af-
fairs for some years. In 1913 he
was the fusion candidate for Tax Re-
ceiver against Mr.. Kendrick. 1t was
reported at the time that he was put
on the fusion ticket at the instance
of Michael ]. Ryan.
New Castle is to lose it's last So
cialist office holder this week. w.
V. Tyler, city councilman, and for
mer mayor, who held on to q
city job longer than any other
member of his party, swept
into office during the upheaval
here six years ago, is finishing his
term. He held the office of mayor
for four years and was elected a
city councilman two years ago. Tyler
wos out for reelection last fall, but
was turned down.
Auditor General Charles A.
Snyder, who yesterday confirmed
the reports that he dismissed five
Powell appointees from the office
of the Allegheny county mercantile
appraiser, will take up the question
of what changes to make in the
office of the Philadelphia register
of wills where the Auditor General
has some appointments. Mr. Snyder
was not here to-day, but there were
intimations that he would an
nounce his decisions by the end of
the week. The action of the Audi
tor General is likely to be followed
by some moves here.
The fact that January 1 came
without number of people being
given walking papers at the Capitol
created some surprise to-day. Mr..
Snyder had given information that
he would not pay certain attaches
of the State Insurance Fund after
January 1. Indications are that the
Funds officers are going to stand
pat with the backing of the Attor-
ney General.
LABOR NOTES