Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-10
FILTERS AMBITION
TO BE PRESIDENT
His Aspirations Rose Suddenly
From the Vice Presidency and
Perplexed Senator Quay
BY JOHN w. FRAZIER

As | WAS primarily responsible for the
~ contretemps that took place in regard TO
the presentation of the name of Edwin II.
Fitler. Mayor Of Philadelphia, for the presi-
dency at the Chicago convention in 1883,
ana as the story of the hitch in that proceed
ing has never been fairly told--athough the
late Charles Emory Smith published an ac-
count of what he thought he knew give
the story, knowing what l know, corroborated
by an autograph letter from Senator Quay.
From the day that Mr.. Filter was officially
recommended to the Republican mayoralty
convention by the High Joint Commission
five members from the Union League, five
from the Republican party organization
Flames McManes aud William H. Leeds, of
the Gas Trust: David II. Lane, Hamilton
Disston and w Elwood Rowan and seven
members from the Committee Of One Hun
dred-until the day Of his inauguration, Mr.
Filter had no other name in his mind for
Director of Public Safety than that of his
longtime friend, William s. Stokley. From
the day OF his appointment as Director of
Public Safety EXMayor Stokley became
obsessed with the belief that he would be-
come the successor of Mr. Filter as the
second Mayor of Philadelphia under tho
Bullitt bill charter. He was warmly
couraged in that belief by McManes, who
strongly dsliked General Louis Wagner,
Director Of Public Works, and was hopeful
of taking his place under Mayor Stokley,
and by Leeds, who was confident that he
would succeed Stokey as Director of Public
Safety.
Upon the assembling of Congress on the
first Monday of December following the inau-
gura aton of Mayor Filter was requested to
spend day two with Senator Quay, and
while there advised him of the ambition OF
Stokley and the backing of McManes and
Leeds, which was likely to include that of
pisston and Rowan. AS Stokley never liked
Quay, and McMIanes was loyal to him only
by the accident OF circumstances that
benefited him personally and politically
Senator Quay said: If the plans OF Stokley
work to alignment it would mean four years
Of antagonism, ominOus to the Senator from
Beaver
Coddling Fitler
And upon Senator Quay asking me what
| I had to propose to dissipate the fog, my
| reply was: Make Filter your friend. He's
| n man with mighty strong viii. as unpend-
| able as cas,iron and put more bees buzzing
| in wagner's bonnet for the mayoralty'
| Senator Quay was pleased with the sug-
| gestion of Wagner for Mayor. stating that
Wagners friends were his friends, but upon
| my telling him that Wagner would meyer be
| Mayor of Philadelphia, the fog seemed To
| envelop him all the more and l explained
| that my object in encouraging Wagner
| boom was to shatter the scheme of Stokley
|. McManes and Leeds; that Mayor Filter being
n man of the highest sense of honor would
do nothing TO advance the chances of either
| of his directors that both We're candidates,
| Edwin S. Stuart, one of the most sincere
| friends Senator Quay ever had In Philadel-
j phia, just quietly walked away with the
| successorship to Filter.
| When Senator Quay asked what he could
do to secure the friendship of Mayor Filter,
told him that within the next ten days
would meet the Mayor. accidentally on pur'