Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-11
Pseit;ca IL
Pe~~eqeSo~ia
BY the Ex-Committeeman

The first official statewide
meeting of political interest of 1918
will be held this week in Pittsburgh
and it may have important results
upon the campaign which is to be
waged in Pennsylvania this year in
behalf of the dry amendment and
also upon the selection of state Of
ficers. The meeting will be a con-
vention of the Prohibition party in
the keystone state. the cold water
people clinging to the idea of O state
convention as a means of having
popular sentiment voiced in spite of
| the enactment of the primary law
providing for direct nominations.
Indications are that attendance will
be larger than usual as the prin-
ciples for which the party has been
contending for years are now loom
ing large on the political horizon.
The Prohibition people will ma
turally make a ringing declaration
for the amendment and plan their
utmost efforts to have it ratified.
This will bring up the question
whether the party shall name it's
own candidates or endorse those of
other parties pledged to the amend
ment. The next question to be dis
cussed is whether the Prohibition
party in Pennsylvania shall merge
into the proposed new National
party.
DR.. B. E. P. Prugh, the state
chairman, who is Prohibitionist by
principle and in fair weather and
storm, says that the convention will
be one of the largest ever held in
the state and that the party will be
found in a healthy condition. The
convention will indicate" prefer
ences for candidates for state offices,
but leave district nominations to
voters.
Some of the Democratic lead
ers, and a few Republicans, too, for
that matter, have been laying pipes
to capture benefits from the Pro-
hibition state convention, but there
will be nothing doing in the way of
boosting any one not allied with the
cold water party. The convention,
according to leaders, will name it's
own state organization and stay in
the middle of the road, regardless
of Republican factional fights and
Democratic brawls. This is Prohi-
bition's year, they say, and there is
no intention of having the party
which has stood for Prohibition for
decades and maintained an organi-
zation become a side show because
there are family fights in the two
older parties. This it may also be
scid will be the attitude of the So
cialists of the state in spite of
efforts to lead them into a certain
factional camp.
Democratic leaders aligned with
the inside ring are using the soft
pedal wherever they can to stop
talk about the governorship and
District Attorney e. Lowry Humes
does not appear to be a very popu-
lar man because of the brash man
ner in which he announced his am
bitions. The bosses take the posi-
ton that Humes, who is one of their |
beneficiaries, and all others should
await the nod of the ruling class be-
fore venturing to make a noise like
a candidate. That the effort of the
Democrats will be to stall off fur
ther discussion was indicated on Sat- |
urday at Pittsburgh by Acting State
Chairman and Petroleum Admin
strator Joseph F. Guffey, doomed
for governor by hopeful friends.
81 have no announcement to make
now" said Mr. Guffey. You know
Uncle Sam has not entirely let loose
of me altogether, though 1 resigned
as petroleum administrator, / am
going back to Washington early in
the week and it will be several weeks
before my work there is ended"
He will have nothing to say poll
tically, he indicated, for two or three
weeks and possibly not for a month.
The "Insider" writing in the
Philadelphia Press says of the Re-
publican situation:
However, it is generally accepted
now in political circles that the
Wares intend to support Senator
Sproul for Governor. But they are
not openly committing themselves.
If Senator Ware had the leaders of
the ticket in mind at all when be
made what amounted to an anti
liquor declaration, his threat of
O'Neil support was probably aimed
more at the second place on the
ticket than at the head. He shows
no signs of abatement of zeal for the
candidacy of Congressman John r.
K. Scott, one of his ward leaders for
Lieutenant-G Governor. One of his in
innate friends said last week that
Senator Ware has declared to him
with great emphasis that he would
elect Scott to the position he sought.
The Penrose followers declare they
will not take the Congressman on
their slate. Until that matter is
settled, unless an amicable agree
ment is made to let the primaries
decide the question, it is obviously
not good tactics for Ware to declare
himself on the harmony" issue, but
to keep the Penrose forces guessing
whether, after all, he may not decide
to throw in his lot with O'Neil."
Congressman Henry w. Watson
of the Eighth District on Saturday
announced that he would be a can
didate for reelection to Congress.
Mr.. Watson made his announcement
in a letter he sent each of the Re-
publican committeeman of Bucks
and Montgomery counties, which
compose the Eighth Congressional
district. He stated that he had ac-
cepted invitations to deliver ad-
dresses at points in the two coun-
ties and that at these meetings he
would express his views fully on the
conduct of the war and other pub
lie questions as we'll as discuss his
service rs a member of Congress.
Representative Watson stated that
he did not expect any serious oppo-
sition for the Republican nomina-
ton despite the fact that there is a
report that a Montgomery county
Republican will oppose him.
The following Philadelphia In
quirer dispatch from Sunbury will
interest many people in the state:
County Treasurer John II. Glass,
potential Republican leader, has
| come out unqualifiedly for Sproul
for Governor, and within a short
time created a sentiment that is
certain to have it's effect in votes