Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-02
NEXT TUESDAYS ELECTION
What II Means to the People Of Pennsyl.
vania-The Issues and the Candidates

vania-The Issues and the Candidates
| NEXT Tuesdays election is far more
~ important to the people of Pennsyl-
vania than the dullness of the campaign
| just closing indicates. Overshadowed in
interest as State and local affairs have
been by the intensity of war activities,
including the fourth Liberty Loan sale
| during the last month, which in normal
| times would have been the liveliest
period of the political drive, there are
still several points at stake which are
deserving of attention by every citizen
who wishes to vote intelligently.
Besides choosing a Governor, Lieuten-
ant Governor and Secretary of Internal
Affairs, the State will elect two Justices
Of the Supreme Court, one Judge of the
Superior Court, thirty-six members of
the national House of Representatives,
half the membership of the State Sem
ate, the complete membership of the
State House of Representatives and
approve or disapprove of two amend
ments to the State Constitution. More
over. the Legislature to be selected will
pass uponsthe prohibition amendment to
the national Constitution and perhaps
one extending suffrage to women.
So far as concerns the executive places
in the State government, the citizen who
has the welfare of Pennsylvania sin
cerely in mind need have no hesitation
in voting the straight Republican ticket
headed by William C. Sproul for Gov
ernor. Compared with it, the Democratic
ticket is fantastic thing of shreds and
patches, fearfully and wonderfully put
together.
Against Senator Sproul stands Mu-
nicpal Judge Bonniwell, whose candi-
dacy actually was repudiated by large
element in the Democratic party.
Whereas Senator Sproul has repeatedly
declared his purpose to aid in the adop-
tion of the prohibition amendment,
Judge Bonniwell stands for the whisky
ring. So the issue here is squarely
joined. But this is not by any means the
paramount issue, as Judge Bonniwell
seeks to make it. 1t is unfortunate that
it should have been an issue at all, for
there are others more vital.
Comparison of the equipment of these
two leading candidates for the Governor
ship leaves the. balance decidedly in
Senator Sprouts favor. His long ex-
perience in legislative affairs at Harris
burg, his successful career as a sound
business man, his wide acquaintance
among the people of the State and above
all his carefully ripened judgment and
restrained temperament are much more
than those attributes of his opponent
which have been most conspicuously
present in his public appearances, es-
pecially the fact that, although seated
on the judicial BENCH where impartiality
is the prime essential, he has never
ceased to engage at the same time in
partisan political controversy of rank
and grossly offensive character.
AS to the other executive offices, they
will probably stand or fall with the heads
VI IIc LlCheIS. NlI. DeluIeIudT, IuHIltIlS
for Lieutenant Governor on the Repub-
lican ticket, is a skillful politician, with
much experience in the Legislature.
Former Congressman Logue, the Demo-
cratic nominee, is wholly out of sympa-
thy with Judge Bonniwell on the liquor
issue, having been interested for many
years in the temperance movement. His
selection in the same primary is one of
the freaks of that election. Mr. Wood
ward, Republican candidate for Secre-
tary of Internal Affairs-an Office now
wholly superfuous and one that ought
to be abolished--is a former Republican
floor leader in the Legislature. Mr..
Johnson, his Democratic opponent, is
duties of the Office, such as they are.
Regarding the election of members of
the Legislature, the situation is more
difficult. Here factional selfshness is so
prevalent among the nominees of both
the Republican and Democratic parties
that it should be the duty of the voter in
every district to inquire closely into the
affiliations of the nominees before going
to the polls. Generally speaking, where
candidate has respectability, fair
degree of intelligence and common sense
and desire to do the right thing, that is
about all that can be expected. In the
general run these nominees are far from
touching the standard that should pre-
vail. In too many cases they have been
selected because they stand for one fac
ton or another within their parties and
not for individual merit. The best that
can be hoped is that their neighbors will
try to view their qualifications apart