Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-19
"T. r. VS.. WILSON
FOR PRESIDENCY"
Pennypacker's Comments on Pro
gressive and Democratic Lead
ers Set Washington Talking
Special Correspondence ErcHing Public Ledger
WASHINGTON Jan IS.

Special Correspondence Ercuing Public Ledger
WASHINGTON, Jan. IS.
TONERNOR pENNYPACKEIGS memoirs
VI as published in the EVENING PUBLIC
LEDGER are attracting ntertst in Washing
ton. The Governor did not have an eN-
tended acquaintance at the national capital,
but he is well enough remembered here 10
make his comments upon public men We
with those Of Champ Clark and others
whose biographies are now appearing lu
print The charm Of his writings lies in
their almost brutal frankness. No one finds
fault with the Governors style, that Is aa'
mired both as to grammar and dictcn lus'
as Woodrow Wilson's is but every ON"
acknowledges that the Governor has 20
style and "a punch" and that ego, or in
geuuousncss, removes it from the common
place.
That the Governor. in what he set down
for future Pennsylvanians TO read. was
truc to the quaint and curious character.
istics familiar to those who knew him well
goes without saying but even 50, those who
were closely associated with him may he
pardoncd for smiling at the ease with which
IN some instances he sets down incidents,
oddly iutcrprots them and announces con-
clusIons which. as TO political conditions
especially show that good Judge may
oyercstimatc his ability accurately TO AN
ayzc the human animal, or may UNDER
estimate the clCycrnoss Of those with whom
hc has TO deal
lI' Governor s. commence IN quay ll con-
uection with the attainment of the guber-
Material office was well placed, but his mild
structures upon PCurOso, Durham ana others
who We're brought up i'm the quay school or
politics and who bore the hrunt Of the great
battle with the StOuo.EllIn.Eyrc forces at
Harrisburg indicate that Quay did not tell
the Governor very much about the real
contest and that the candidate was mlsiu-
formed as To- tho many practical political
moves that hal 90 he made TO win the day,
Story Of the Quay Telegram
As a matter Of fact the celebrated tcle-
gram from Quay to Pcnnypackcr notifying
him or his nomination. which the Governor
proudly refers 10 as having como 10 him
while hc was calmly proceeding with mis-
duties as President Judge Of Common Pleas
Court 80. %, was written in the presence
of the writer by Horace Petit, Phiadcl.
phta lawyer. now deceased. il came about
Iu this way. The writer, VINO was chair
man of tho 'Fcuuypacker Campaign Conn
mittpo," uu organization To- favorahly intro
ducc the Judge 90 the political forces Of the
state. aud who seconded Hampton l.. Car
sons nomination of Pcunypackcr following
the fiery appeal for liliin by the "Red Rose
of Lancaster" the present Lieutenant Gov.
oruor Mcrniu, was leaving the convention
hail with Petit. when Quay came out eN-
huustcd and alone. This then eusued:
congratulations, Senator, on your great
fight"
"'rhc credit belongs TO YOU, young fellow.
You'll have 10 take hold hereafter. I'm
about through
Then, as an afterthought he said:
81 wish one Of you would wire Penny
packer: tell him the number Of votes he re-
ccvcd a2d sign my name"
Petit at once volunteered and the tele-
gram wa' sent. Two days later the writer
congratulated Judge pcnnypaCkcr upon
having won "H hard fight but made no
comment. when the Judge cycling him
Gucrulously. said: There wasn't any fight,
was there and followed it up blandly by
referring to a telegram he had received
from quay, which telegram he said sur
prised him because the number Of votes
referred to by Quay had fallen short Of his
original estimate.
1t may he true that the Judge spent
nothing" to secure his nomination, but the
memoirs Of Quay, II published, would GER
tauly throw an interesting side light on tho
subject. There i9 no doubt whatever that
those who lined up for Pcnuypacker against
Elln, in that memorable Harrisburg con
ventiOn, We're successful only after one %
the most strenuous and resuurCeful CAM
paigns ever wagcd in Pennsylvania
pooso,,oI+ opJ yTilgnr Cr;tiriyaJ