Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-27
PoeiticA &.
Per~oqeoo~io
BY the Ex-Committeeman

Stlll unueclded Wnetner TO call q Spe-
cial session of the legislature or not
and his mention of half a dozen big
subjects as suggested to him for ac-
tion in addition to the dry" amend
ment have had the effect of reviving
speculation as to what might hap
pen. 1t is to be noted that the DEM
ocraic newspapers are keeping very
quiet on the subject and that very
few mon of prominence in either
party have spoken on the subject.
The comment among the men in
the street cars on the way home
from work is that S4OO,0 900 or $780,
600 would be a pretty big sum to
pay unless something of vital i'm
portance to the state and nation
| could be enacted, while upstate pol
iticians are not showing a great deal
of interest in the projects for
| changes in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
and Scranton, pointing out that an
other legislature will be here in ten
months. The apportionment idea is
generally held to run counter to the
decision of the supreme court in the
Clinton county case and as Lancas-
ter may be one of the counties to
lose a member of the House it is
thought that plan may be abandoned.
Reapportionment has caused more
rows than anything else in recent
years.
Some people see something indi-
eating no intention to have a special
session on the amendment in the
Governors statement denouncing the
idea of special referendum on that
subject next year. I'VE shall have a
definite referendum in May and again
in November" says the Governor.
Prominent dry" men say that the
1917 legislature. avowedly wet"
might give the amendment a black
eye, while O'Neil men fear Sproul
would vote dry" Then, again, the
Governor said it would be serious
matter to get men to stay here long
enough to consider all of the subjects
suggested to him.
According to the Philadelphia
Record the Philadelphia factional
row bids fair to crop up again as
an obstacle to securing harmony in
the Republican party. The Wares
are demanding, in addition to Con-
gresham John r. K. Scott for lieu
tenant governor, the abolition of the
Town Meeting party and the Repub-
lican Alliance. These two organi-
zations were responsible for the
small majority polled by the Fifty
Fifty ticket last fall. One is COM
posed or independents and Demo-
Gratis and the other of Penrose men,
The Wares want to roll up big vote
in Philadelphia and to demonstrate
control. TO do so they want the
other two organizations taken out of
business. The Town Meeting men
are holding meetings in various
wards and invaded Mayor Smiths
bailiwick the other evening, while
they are behind the investigation of
the mayors interest in bonding con-
Germs.
Congressman Bruce r. Sterling,
of Uniontown, has denied that the
Democratic congressman of Pennsyl-
vania had declared for Acting State
Chairman Joseph F. Guffey for gov
ernor, as alleged by Congressman
Gug F. Campbell. Campbell wants
to be reelected and needs Guffey,
who is himself in need of more
support among the Democratic lead
ers of the state. The Guffey idea
is said to be popular in machine cir
cles, but the dry" element is not
sure OF him and the Old Guard rem
nants are only looking for chance.
The declaration of A. Nevin
DIETRICH, state chairman of the old
Washington party, that the former
Progressives were for O'Neil threat
ems to start a factional row among
the former supporters of Colonel
Roosevelt, says Philadelphia peo-
pie. Thomas Robins, an argent
Roosevelt supporter, at whose home
the Colonel generally stays when he
visits Philadelphia, declared for SEN
ator Sproul. Robins predicted that
other supporters of Roosevelt would
get together and declare for the
Chester Senator.
State Chairman B. E. P. Prugh,
of the Prohibition state committee,
who goes with David McCalmont, of
Franklin, to represent the State Pro-
hibition organization at'the National
party convention, which Prohibition
lists have been invited to join, says
the Prohibition party is going to stay
very much on the map this year and
will preserve its identity in the Key
stone State. The Doctor is among
those firing at the suggestion of a
special referendum on the amend
ment. He is naturally a fighter and
wants to have it made a clear cut
issue and fought out.
Asher. r. Johnson, of Mexican
county, is being talked of as a pos
sible candidate for secretary of in
ternal affairs on the Democratic
ticket. The Pittsburgh Gazette
Times says Col. Jack" Spangler, of
Bellefonte, wtho is now for the dry
side, will not be a candidate on the
state ticket.
-Judson Tiffany, who will run
against Senator e. f. Warner for the
Democratic senatorial nomination in
the Carbon Pix Wayne dis
trict, is Democratic state committee
man from Wayne county. He is the
third man to be trotted out by the
state bosses against a sitting DEM
ocratic congressman or senator.
Reviewing the Chester county
situation the Philadelphia Inquirer
says: Briefly, the situation stands:
The organized strength of weight
and numbers, the effective working
machinery of the regular Republican
party that is the powerful and all
important preponderance of votes,
will be thrown to Senator Sproui.
The O'Neil faction gains its recruits
from the ultra drys, the recalci-
trants, the perennially unreconciled.
In no sense is the support of the
Sproul movement in danger. The
county that has always upheld and
admired the Chester Senator and
road builder will support him roy
ally"