Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-28
Poeittca i~
Pe~~oqeOo~io
By the Ex-Committeeman

TT is just barely possible that
! old man Berry may get 1t into his
head that he has been called this
year and in spite of the comfortable
| federal job he holds as collector of
the port of Philadelphia. decide to
run for the Democratic nomination
| for governor" was the rather sur
| prising statement made here this
morning by one of the best-posted
men on the currents that run and
run into the Pennsylvania Democ-
racy. You see this is peculiar
year. The Democrats are split up
the back over the liquor issue, and
Berry has never yet gotten away
from the idea that he should be gov-
ernor of Pennsylvania. Mccormick
was one of his chief hackers in 1910
and Berry thinks this is his year
again. Whether he will buck Nc
Cormick is what is interesting the
folks"
The Democracy of Pennsylvania
is split and the reorganization crowd
seems to have a subdivision. The
machine elements want Acting State
Chairman and Petroleum Admin
strator, Joseph f. Guffey. Pittsburgh
gas magnate in private life, for
gubernational nomination, but some
of the fellows who run the machine
have misgivings about what the act
ing chairman thinks of the prohibi-
tion amendment and would prefer
to have an out and out dry" man as
their choice. This division of opin-
ion prevented any decided action at
the weekend powwow in Philadel-
phia. Men like DeWalt and Sarig,
lob, I,@H : Il lsE
tricts, said that the question of pro-
hibition had to be met and the voci-
ferrous dry" man began to shout.
There must be considered. too, the
Old Guard element with such men
as Col. Jim" Guffey. uncle of the
acting chairman; Judge John NJ.
Garman, of Wilkes Barre; Charles
p. Donnelly, of Philadelphia, and
other skillful men of another day
who have seen many changes and
been changed and short changed.
They have been on the outside grind
ing their teeth for some years; but
are reported to be grinding axes
now.
Berry is said to hope that he will
be loudly called by the dry" people.
He is strong with some elements and
his friends are saying that he can
make better mbinations than Cuff
fey and that he is an old and eX-
perienced campaigner, better known
and has his own organization to
supplement that of the state ma
chine. The bosses want Guffey, but
fear to make Berry lukewarm, and
they certainly don't want to get the
Old Guard out again.
The contest for the vacancy in
the prothonotaryshop in York county
has narrowed down to MCLEAN
Stock and Ex-Representative Robert
S. Frey. The appointee will serve
three years. J. ]. Gerry, deputy
prothonotary, is not candidate and
there does not appear to be much
support for Jacob Hay. Banking
Commissioner Lafean will name the
man to get the plum.
Things are going to be interest
ing in Montgomery county this
spring. With Representative James
S. Boyd and Insurance Commits
sioner Amber, contending for the
senatorial nomination, the county
will be pretty nearly a storm CEN
ter of state wide interest and Charles
Johnson's organization will be
Representative f. w. Sites into the
contest for Congress against Con-
gresham II. w. Watson, means an
other battle royal. Mr.. Johnson
said this week that he expected a
very lively spring and was ready
for it.
In Lebanon there are rumors
that E. +. McCordy, former district
attorney of Lebanon and noted
dry advocate man, enter a legisla-
tive contest. He has long been a
dry" man and his friends would
like to see him in the battle in the
great year. Prof. H. II. Shenk, is
also talked of. but it is hard to be-
lieve he would forsake his congenial
place on the Hill. /. S. Zimmerman
and Representative I. H. Urich are
candidates already. There is some
interest in Asa A. Wekmer's prohi-
bition attitude.
The coming primaries will de-
termine whether the Old Guard or
the Brum baugh forces are to hold
control of the Republican organiza-
ton in Luzerne county, and it prom
ises to be an open battle between
the forces led by County Chairman
Clarence D. Coughlin and the lead
ers of the Penrose people. Since
Coughlin was named chairman three
years ago, IneTe mas never Deen a
very friendly feeling between his fol-
lowers and the organization men.
Coughlin was at one time Roosevelt
follower and he joined the reform
forces in LuZerne and made a cam
paign for Congress some years back.
When he was placed in the chair
manship the purpose was to bring
all forces together in n spirit of har-
mony, but that went the way of an
other celebrated harmony place.
The Appropriation resolution
providing for a salary of $4,000 an
nually for a Councilmanic investi-
gator" became a law in Pittsburgh
when six members of Council, in
cluding Maj. ]. p. Kerr. voted to
override the Mayors veto on
| this particular measure. City Soli-
citor Stephen Stone. in an in
terview yesterday, said he had as
signed an assistant city solicitor to
the task of ascertaining whether or
not Major Kerr was eligible to vote
at yesterdays session in view of his
enrolment on Saturday as an officer
| in the United States Army.
| TOTTNTRV AND MOTHER