Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-08
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INC ochieVementS OF the American
forces at historic Sedan and other
places In the far-fiung battle line
tnere Is much discussion Of the
chances OF ratification of the pro-
hloition amendment by the next
Legislature. A few contests remain
10 De determined regarding seats in
the General Assembly, but there are
some men who believe that in spite
OF the assertions that the next Leg.
lslature VIII be wet" in its tendeE-
Sies mat the amendment will get
favorable consideration.
! Senator Sprouts position is we'll
known and up to date it has been
backed up by something like 100000
majority and still growing. Many
legislators who were on the fence
| nave gotten off since the sweep by
Sproul and the Antisaloon League
and other agencies are confident that
| the new governor will have weighty
lnnuence, although the liquor in
terests brazenly declare that they
control the 257 lawmakers who will
go into session next January.
The Pittsburgh Gazette-Times,
Western Pennsylvania big news
paper, Republican through and
through and one of the first advo-
Gates of dry" state, prints q three
column analysis of the election of
legislators made by Walter ].
Christy, one of the most experienced
and careful observers of politics in
Pennsylvania. He says in part:
THE returns from Tuesdays election
indicate that there is a strong prob
ability that Pennsylvania will be
among the thirty-six states which
will vote aor the ratification of the
prohibition amendment to the Fed
eral Constitution. Gains are shown
for the 'drys' in the legislative con-
tests. This, coupled with the fact
that Governor-elect William c.
Sproul is a supporter of the prohi-
bition amendment and has pledged
himself to help bring about ratif-
cation, makes the situation very in
teresting. A little shifting from the
unpledged class to the dry column
among senators and representatives
would bring about the approval of
the amendment OF the twenty
nine state senator's elected fourteen
are pledged to ratification and some
of the others should not be classed
as wet There are twenty-one hold
over senator's, including Senator
Sproul and Senator e. E. Beidle-
AAAelAAg -OlGCN. vi
the number there are at least eight
who can be counted for ratification,
eight classed as probable vets and
five doubtful. It requires twenty-siX
votes to put the amendment over in
the Senate. With twenty-five votes
in sight both the wet and doubtful
fields are likely to yield the remain
ing four. The Legislature will hold
at least two days legislative ses-
sions before Messrs. Sproul and
Beidleman retire to assume their
new duties. In the House the mem
bers pledged to ratification total
ninety-five. 1t requires 104 votes
to adopt the amendment in that
body. The possibilities of draw
ing the nine recruits from the doubt
full list is equally as good as in the
Senate. Another important fator
will be the position which Senator
L. H. Ware will take with the large
delegation which follows his leader
ship. There are signs which indicate
that at least a number of his friends
will vote for ratification"
The election seems to have been
rather prolific of surprises for Demo-
Gratis. Now comes the news from up
the state that Senator w. W. Hind
man, the youngest Senator in point
of years, was defeated. A Lock Hav-
en- dispatch says: Complete revised
election returns received here to-day
elect Charles E. Donahue, of this
city, state Senator from the Twenty
sixth district, instead of w. Wayne
Hindman, the present incumbent. 1t
developed that Hindman did not Sc
cure the expected 1900 majority in
Clarion county. Unofficial returns
place his majority at 1,4O0. Dona-
hue's majority in Clinton county is
Oil; in Cameron, 1928; in Forest, so,
and about 1000 in Elk county. This
gives Donahue lead of S84 in the
district, which will doubtless be fur
ther increased by the soldier vote,
as Donahue is well-known military
man."
The soldier vote is being closely
watched to determine its effect upon
three Congressional battles, those in
the Lackawanna, Luzerne and
Northum berland-C Columbia districts.
The Franklin Repository says:
president Wilson's letter on poll
tics even changed the tenor of events
political in little Fulton county,"
laughingly remarked a Republican
to our reporter "Clem Chestnut, old
war horse of the Democratic party
and many years superintendent of
county schools, was defeated for
Legislature by a Republican, the first
such result since Col. Cromer's
brother was elected about forty
years ago."
Walter McNichols, the new act
| ing commissioner of labor and in
dustry, held his first conference with
the heads of bureaus in his depart
ment yesterday, but indicated that
there would be no overturning of the
personnel and that all he wanted was
the best of results in work.
The attitude of the Auditor GEN.
erals Department in regard to the
payroll of the State Health Depart
ment seems to be matter of con-
| lecture on the Hill, but as yet there
has been no action taken.
Philadelphia newspapers init
mate that Congressman John r. K.
Scott will not aspire to be Speaker,
but the Ware floor leader. A Ware ef-
fort to put Edwin r. Cox into the
Speakers chair is forecast. Aaron
Il. Hess, Of Lancaster, will likely be
an aspirant for Speaker.
Tho Philadelphia Record says
that while Sproul may have 275,0OO
majority, the Democrats have eight
Congressman from Pennsylvania,
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