Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-03
Pseit;c4 ;~
Pe~~oqeoo~ia
BY tho Ex-Committecman

One of the reasons assigned in
State Democratic circles for the fail
!. ure of the high council of the bosses
to meet and slate the candidates for
the Democracy of Pennsylvania to
vote for in the primary and the
consequent delay of Acting State
Chairman Joseph II. Guffey, of Pitts
burgh public utilities and Oklahoma
oil fields, in launching his boom for
Governor is the activity suddenly be-
gun in behalf of Judge o. B. Dick
inson, of Chester, for Democratic
honors.
Dickinson is being doomed by q
number of Democrats who are op-
posed to the dry amendment and
who are of the opinion that the log
ical position for the Democrats is
to stay on the fence. setting forth
that the Governor has nothing to do
with the amendment. National
Chairman Vance c. Mccormick is in
sisting on a declaration. The Phila-
delphia Press last week put Dickin-
son to the front and the Pittsburgh
Dispatch is playing him strong. Re-
garding his possible attitude on the
amendment the Pittsburgh paper,
which seems to be taking a big in
terest, says: The judge is ready to
buckle on the armor and go forth
as candidate on n middle of the
road policy on the prohibition issue,
at least until after the May primary
election. His friends declare that if
he finally declares himself, he will
probably remain silent on the ques-
ton of ratifying the federal amend
ment or take the position that, the
Governor of Pennsylvania having
neither to concur in or veto the leg
islative action on thus subject, should
be chosen without respect to this is
sue which will be decided in the
legislative and Senatorial elections.
1t is reported here that, this being
the position Joseph f. Guffey, of
Pittsburgh, would prefer to assume
in the contest until after the pri-
mary election, the Pittsburgher is
seriously considering dropping out of
the contest"
William Films declaration at
Pittsburgh that he is in favor of
O'Neil. Sproul Humes and Guffey,
but because of environment he likes
O'Neil, is rather surprising in the old
war horse. The O'Neil men looked
for a slash at Sproul to come from
Finn and the Sproul men expected
a bouquet.
-O'Neil leaders did not agree on
a state ticket last night. Burke, Lew
is and Kun are looming up for Con-
| gress- and as Penrose and
| Ware are both for Thomas Robins
he may be decided upon. This is a
queer year when leaders and can
didates agree and disagree upon
men.
Senator Sproul is planning his
campaign at his headquarters in
! Philadelphia this week and will
make some speeches next week. Mr..
! O'Neil will be here until tomorrow
night when he goes to Bradford. He
will be in Pittsburgh over the week.
end.
The Philadelphia vice situation
is coming to attract much comment
in newspapers of the state and the
general impression is that it is going
to keep the Smith administration
busy and eventually force the police
| out of politics. Independents, Demo-
Gratis and Town Meeting men are
making much of the criticisms.
According to the Philadelphia
Press Percy Allen Rose, of Johns
town, will fight John NJ. Rose, his
cousin for congressional honors in
| the Cambria Blair-Bedford district.
j. Rem Wylie, of Williamsburg
who is a candidate for the Republi-
can nomination for senator in the
| Forty-third district, has filed his
nominating petition, says the Pitts
! burgh GaZette-Times. He pledges
| himself to vote for the ratification Of
] the prohibition amendment to the
Federal Constitution. He has served
! two terms in the House, where he
supported dry" legislation. So far
| the "wets" have not agreed upon a
candidate against him, and are eX-
! Iperiencing difficulty in finding a man
| of political strength who is willing
to accept a place on the liquor tick
ct.
One of the most notable fea-
lures of the campaigns in the legis-
lative districts is the almost total
absence of Democratic candidates,
| says the Scranton Republican. In
the six districts in the Lackawanna
county, there are only two Demo-
Gratis who have petitions in circula-
| ton; NJ. J. Ruddy, of Dunmore, who
represents the Fourth district, is out
| to succeed himself, while in the Fifth
/ district John II. Munley, of Arch
| bald, has aspirations to go to Ear
risburg as a law-maker. Munley has
made the try for the nomination on
two occasions, but each time has
met with defeat. While little inter-
! est is being shown among Democrats
| in the legislative districts, there is
every evidence that some spirited
! battles will he waged for the Repub-
| lican nomination in several districts.
! Charles T. Hickernell, a Schae-
! fferstown lawyer, is among the lat
est candidates to appear in the Leb-
anon county legislative arena. He
| is dry" Lebanon seems to have
/ a crop of candidates growing like
weeds in June.
! The manner in which Sproul
petitions were signed up in some
York county towns. is illuminating.
! These towns were claimed as O'Neil
outposts. The Sproul papers were
! filled to the edges within two or
three days, as shown by the dates on
| the papers.
The Altoona Tribune takes a
shot at Samuel I. Spyker. county
chairman of the Huntingdon County
! Republican Committee for years,
and now counsel for the State In
surance Fund, because Spyker has
been doing some sleuthing i'm Blair
county trying to set up opposition to
Senator p. w. Snyder. The Tribune
says that Blair people want Snyder
again, while Huntington people say
that county has not had a senator
for twenty years or more.
Representative George w. Will
liams' friends will be glad to learn
that the sturdy advocate of local
] option in Tioga county has fiIed l,ie