Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-06
William C. Sproul Will Be
Inaugurated Governor on
9th Wedding Anniversary
ENATOR WILLIAM CAMERON
SPROUL, governor = elect of

X ENATOR WILLIAM CAMERON
- SPROUL, governor = elect of
Pennsylvania, was born at
Octoraro, Lancaster county, on Sep
TENDER .16, 1870. In his early boy
hood his family moved to Chester
and he was graduated from the
Chester High School in 1887. He
then entered Swarthmore College,
from which he was graduated with
honor in 1891.
Senator Sproul may be said to
have become interested in politics
during his freshman year at Swarth-
more. Then it was that he met
his lifelong friend, a. Mitchell Pal
mer, prominent Democratic leader
of the state. The men were class
and roommates and together they
brought about a decided change in
the social life of the college. In
those days before the secret fra
ternities had appeared at Swarth-
more, there was intense rivalry be-
tween the two literary societies, the
Eunomian and Delphic. The Eunom-
ian had fallen on evil days n had
only a few members while the Del
phic was powerful and controlled
the college politics.
According to Mr.. Palmer Sproul
came to him a few days after col
lege had opened and said to him.:
Mitchell, l have been thinking a
good bit about this literary question
| and I've made up my mind that you
and l should join the Eunomian.
1t isn't so big as the other society
and if we go in and take a pretty
| good bunch of our freshmen in with
us we can control that outfit and
get the offices. Besides we can
build it up and make it a big in
fiuence in college,
Sproul and Palmer College. Allies
So Sproul and Palmer joined the
Eunomian and they ran it and soon
had the satisfaction of seeing 1T
fully equal the rival organization in
numbers and powers
While at college Senator Sproul
I took up newspaper work. He sent
news items to the Chester TiUes
and several Philadelphia papers.
In addition to this he was editor OF
the Phoenix, and assumed a leading
place and. filled several offices in
the literary society, the ~fraternities
of the college and in the athletic
association.
After his graduation Senator
SDTOul l~IlIlGuldNtlS tllSo6So IA
business. He purchased a half
interest in the Chester Times, of
which paper he is now the presi-
dent. The company also publishes
the Chester Morning Republican.
Senator Sproul had but recently
attained his majority when, on jan
uary 21, 1892, he was married TO
Miss Emeline Wallace Roach,
daughter of John b. Roach, ship
builder, and granddaughter of the
famous John Roach, who founded
the shipbuilding business at Chester
which fourished so extensively dur
ing his life.
In passing it is we'll to call at
tention to the date Senator Sprouts
wedding and to note that his !naug-
uration will occur on the twenty
seventh anniversary of that impor-
tant day.
For several years after leaving
college Senator Sproul gave all his
attention to his newspaper work.
In 1900 he branched out and or
ganized the Seaboard Steel Casting
Company, now merged with the
Penn Seaboard Steel Company, OF
which he is chairman.
SprouI virtually entered on his
political career in 1896. At that
time, by virtue of his position as
an owner. of the most infiu entail
newspaper in the county, Sproul
had become pretty thoroughly in
terested in the politics of Delaware
county. John B. Robinson, Fight
ing Jack" picturesque and daring
in his political methods, was in
Congress and, with the late Iucge
Thomas j. Clayton, was the domi-
nant factor in The political affairs
of the county.
When 20, Elected to senate
When it came TO elect a Senator
in 1896 the Robinson forces picked
Sproul as the likely candidate, and
it looked as though there might
be a lively fight, but Baker decided
to quit politics and practise law!
and Sproul was nominated and
elected to the Senate when he was
just twenty-nine years of age, be-
ginning a career in the Senate
which has extended into six terms
For many years Sproul was the
youngest man In years in the upper
house, and for ten years he has
been the ranking member in point