Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-02
PseiEG IL
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BY the Exc Committeeman

Perhaps the most remarkable fea-
ture of the very unusual state and
Congressional campaign which never
seems to have gotten started until
within ten days of the election is the
absence of newspaper comment, edi-
torial or otherwise, in the leading
journals of the state. 1t has not been
for want of incidents. The develop
ments of this campaign have been
numerous and stirring. The Demo-
cratic party in Pennsylvania, reor-
ganized and disorganized; has fur
nished one of the most amazing sit
uations ever known in the state, the
national leaders and controlling
powers of the Democratic machine
having repudiated the choice of their
| party for Governor at a direct pri-
mary. The Republican party, which
started off with ONE differences,
has been solidified by the our of
the President and is on the home
stretch with chances of sweeping an
not only the state ticket, but all but
a few of the second largest state,
| uGltbdllOll III TIC COulllI
The headquarters of the two big
parties have been busy places, as
business has been turned over to the
county committees, except in the
case of such Democratic county or
CARNATIONS which do not happen to
be in sympathy with the bosses of
the Democratic state windmill,
whittier the federal otticehold-
ers have brought their cash
The Bonniwell people, backed by the
liquor interests, which know no party,
seem to have ample funds and not to
mind what the Palmer-McCormick
1.-THE gatherers and distributors are
doing.
Men connected with the state gov
eminent and who are in close touch
with the drift of politics in Pennsyl-
vania are of the opinion that PreSi-
dent Wilson's partisan appeal for
election of Congressman has injured
chances of Democrats in a third of
the districts of the state and Re-
publican leaders are predicting that
the Democratic delegation from the
from eight to three or four. The
trend in the central counties, where
the Democrats have displayed
strength the last two years, is now
toward the Republican candidates.
The factional. fight between the Pal
mer-McCormick and Bonniwell ele-
ments of the Democratic party will
have a weakening effect upon the
Democratic candidates in the two
sure Democratic districts and work
! for defeat of Congressman Lesher,
Sterling, Brodbeck and Beshlin. The
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh districts
are without contests, while the home
district of Democratic National
Chairman Vance c. Mccormick is
without any Democratic candidate.
In any ordinary year, when
there was no war or influenza or Ii
quor fight or split in the Demo-
cratic party, such an issue as the
second submission within five years
of an amendment to issue $4,000
900 of bonds for road construction
would have stirred up Pennsylvania
from end to end. Now there is not
much discussion of it. An attempt
by the State Grange, which is butting
against the proposal as usual, to
influence public opinion seems to
have aroused resentment in many
sections and to have been sup
ported chiefly by such political AK
grinding newspapers as those of the
Democratic national chairman.
The attitude of the big news
papers of the state is generally in
favor of the amendment. The Phil
adelphia Public Ledger to-day sums
it up in an editorial which says in
part: when this same amendment
was submitted in 1913 ii was de-
feated, mainly through the efforts
of the State Grange, and the same
forces are to-day arrayed against it.
The arguments of the farmers are
ostensibly directed against a road
bond issue on the ground that be-
cause of inequitable taxation meth
DDS an unfair burden would be
placed on real property while per-
sonal property is allowed to escape
its fare share. This argument wholly
ignores the vital need of good roads
and seeks to postpone n reform
because another remains in abey-
ance. If the farming element would
devote as much energy in furthertng
a sound revision of the state tax laws
as it is displaying in the present
effort to retard the good-roads move
ment it would render a far greater
service to the state Is a whole and
to itself in particular"
Another interesting thing is
that the second amendment on the
list, which relates to Philadelphia
debt for improvements is opposed by
many Philadelphians.
Between ten and eleven tons
of supplies of various kinds. bal.
lots specially printed; poll books
voters registers and other materials
and papers had to be prepared fol-
the voting of Pennsylvania soldiers
sailors and marines at camps, can.
comments, training stations and de.
pots and hospitals next Tuesday by
the department of the secretary OF
the Commonwealth. The bulk OF
these supplies r on their way to
the places where Keystone State
men are stationed in this country
in charge of commissioners and the
rest will be started tonight or to.
morrow. The largest quantity will
go to Camp Lee, where there are
over $4,000 Pennsylvanians re.
ported. Eight or nine commission.
ers will go to that camp alone.
The last of the commissioners
will be sworn in tonight. It is
the plan to have all of the COM