Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-23
PoeiticA i~
Pe~~AqeSa~;o
BY the Ex-Committeeman

leaders of the state are hoping
against hope that there will be some
sort of an agreement reached between
Judge Eugene C. Bonniwell. the
Democratic nominee for Governor,
and the bosses of the federal job
holders union as to the manner in
which the party in Pennsylvania
should be run after the coming cleo
ton, there is a general belief that
the Judge and his friends will go be-
fore the Democrats of the state with
a demand for reorganization. This
was the method pursued by the Pal
mer-McCormick clique in 1911, fol-
lowing the developments OF the cam
paign of 1910, and If the vote for
Bonniweli does not show up well in
districts dominated by Palmer and
his pals the chances are that Demo-
cratic history will repeat itself.
The attitude of the judge has been
a disappointment to the machine
leaders who find it hard to realize
that the candidate does not rate
them as high as they consider they
stand in the Democratic party. 1t is
said that the judge has, sent word a
couple of times that he considers all
incidents connected with the state
committee and the platform as
closed. This is the reason why the
| state committee is not to be called to
meet next week as required by the
| resolution passed here last June. The
indications are that it may be well
on in September before any session
is held and then a platform which
! will not disturb the judge or any one
| else will be adopted.
William c. Sproul, the Republic
an candidate for Governor, and his
colleagues, will open the campaign
in Lehigh county tomorrow and
! there will be a notable gathering of
| leaders from eastern counties. The
| Senator received great welcome
yesterday in Erie.
Although Senator Sproul was in
Erie Judge Bonniwell was so busy
with the aftermath of his visit to
| York, where he seems to have upset
the whole applicant of the reorgan-
ization faction, that he telegraphed
regrets at his inability to travel to
the city by the lake. In other words
he was so occupied with York and
| other eastern affairs that he passed
UP the chance to make a speech at
! Erie.
York Is not the only place where
| the Judge seems to have been getting
busy with the reorganizers' men be-
! cause there are reports coming that
in Allegheny and western counties
! formidable organization is being built
up behind the judge and he will go
to Pittsburgh next week to add some
additional strength. 1t is said that
Bonniwell has the Democrats of the
hard coal region in a state of mind
| that can only mean turning on the
\ federal jobholders wnen the time
I comes to contest for control of the
machine.
| Senator Penrose and Senator
Sproul will be the big speakers at
Lebanon next Wednesday.
Senator Edwin H. Ware yesterday
gave assurances to the real estate
men OF Philadelphia that as far as
he could exert his influence there
would be no increase in the tax rate
in Philadelphia and that he would
work to get it cut. There was some
thing unusual in the call of the real
estate men upon Senator Ware, as
they are said by the Public Ledger
to have ignored" the mayor and
Chairman Gaffney, of councils finance
| committee.
The Pittsburgh Posts announce
ment that John F. Short, the Clear
field editor is to be named to the i'm
portant federal post of marshal for
western Pennsylvania is generally ac-
cepted as being what is planned. The
Post is speaking by the book on DEM
ocratic matters in western Pennsyl-
vania. Shorts appointment is
shrewd move because it may serve
to strengthen the reorganizers among
| tho the central Af
counties who have been ignored time
| and again in the distribution of pa
| tronage.
-Hazleton and other coal region
towns are having trouble to keep
/ police forces together. The men are
/ resigning to work in the mines as
they can make more money.
In Westmoreland county steps
have been taken to have the liquor
dealers aid in the coal production
movement 1t will be a test which
will be interesting.
The Luzerne County Grand Jury
yesterday ignored charges of conspir-
acy brought by Mayor Kosek against
Allen Olds Meyers and Steven Dona-
hue, Burns detectives, who made the
investigation that resulted in graft
charges against the Wilkes-Barre
police force Mayor Kosek charged
the detectives with an attempted
frameup, by which the Mayors char
acter and integrity were to be as
sailed along with the bringing of
sensational charges against Chief of
Police Zoeller, Police Clerk Nolan and
Captain Hergert, of the city detec-
tives. Only Mayor Kosek and the
court stenographer were called to
testify.
Notice of the abolition of his posi-
ton as assistant engineer in the Bu-
reau of Highways was received yes
terday by Walter D. Gernet, of Phila-
delphia. Director Datesman in a
brief note explained that the place
would be vacated on account of the
small amount of work to be done on
the Northeast Boulevard. Gernet was
assigned as resident engineer on the
boulevard work and his friends say
that his work on the various contracts
has been of high character.
Concerning the Short appointment
the North American says: Until a
short time ago Short was an -oid
opposed the Palmer or
ganization. He had turned Clearfeld
county over to the "old guard" candi-
dates, and was one or the leaders who
carried his county four years ago for
Michael ]. Ryan for the Democratic
nomination for governor over Vance
| C. Mccormick. Recently Short was
| induced to get in out of the rain"
Treat EN- RoUnb