Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-26

true. that the lightning up to date has
refused to be defed. Perhaps It IL a
case on its part of watchfu waiting.
Then there are Thomas Raeburn
White. Vivian Frank Gable and George
ID. Porter who are mentioned" They
are all well known gentlemen but ap-
parently there is some fly in the oint-
ment when it comes. to consideration
of their availability.
Always it's a sort of meme. meme.
| tckcl. upharsin finale. A weighed in
the balance and. we'll. Bible students
know the rest The long and the short
of it is that those who would answer
up to the rigid requirements of the
radical reforiners fail to measure up
to the demands of the Republican AL
lance. Business is business, even in
a reform campaign.
Regarding Hampton Moore
1t was fondly hoped by the indepen-
dents, and the Penrose people particu-
larly, that the veteran leader of the
Nineteenth ward and titular head of
several other municipal principalties,
Senator Dave Martin. held the solution
in his hand, that Congressman j.
! Hampton Moore might be the cry in the
wilderness.
But Uncle Dave choked off the voice
by clamping large hapd on it's vocal
chords when he declared that J. Hamp-
ton rs congressman from the Third
Philadelphia district was too big u man
to sacrifice upon the altar of mayor
atty fight. l pointed out two weeks
ago that this would be tire probable
finale. Senator Martin is gentleman
of great political perspicacity. 1t was
never more clearly shown than in the
present instance.
And there you are!
The Town Meeting party on the go
off decided to have delegate meeting
to formulate plans and name candidates.
! Vivian Frank Gable. one of the clean
cut radicals. took the scheme in charge.
. First the Chamber of Commerce side
stepped the invitation to participate.
Then the City Club gave it the glad
hand. but winked the other eye. Sew
i eral other organizations chassezed the
project and begged to be excused.
When Senator Ware at meeting of
the Republican city committee took a
Greco Roman fall out of the delegate
convention project it ceased to fupc
tion further. It's light went out In
its stead rose up the committee of one
hundred.
for three werkss this committee has
+ Dcen IN state of parturition. It was
10 nave been announced last Tuesday.
{ 1t tailed TO show up. AS Senator Pen
roso would say:
You can't run politics on n scbcd.
ule or according to railroad tima ;,
Sa"n"nt observation under the circum.
stances.
Committee Plans Unsettled
ln until today, the committee is sill,
nonest. Nobody has pushed the wrong
r,''oh or thrown monkey wrench into
Wv ""chlnerv. 1t is simply hing up
"hl,' suitable candidate comes along.
- hartman George w. Coles. of tbe
Town Meeting party. is what the con-
e.''uehts or congressman Stevenson. of
South carolina. would identify as "a
,ons mead gem num-" the turpentine
! nchnitlon for citizen of discretion.
= htii n list of available candidates has
p'eh complled--Or suggested. would be
the Dettcr term-why call the commit
zee together for organization?
Inc fact is that each faction is tin
toelng around. claw hammer in hand
| Whiting for the other to name n man
! or do something. Then they'u "do''
MN or 1t. This explains the delay. the
ieSitanry. if not actual fear, to drag
candidate into the limclight.
Each side is crouched ready to sprinr
on the first unfortunate who receives n
iactional Endorsement. ''Unfortunate"
Is the properly expressive word, as the
lHyoralty aspirantS this autumn win
discover. The Dickcnsonian dcscrip-
tive is very applicable:
God help us all, cried Tiny Tim
AS to the councilmanic situation:
twenty one councilmen are to be
elected. Ward leaders are clamorous
for recognition as directors of public
morals and contracts for four years at
SoooO per. Candidates. therefore, on
both sides, are thick as the leaves of
Vallambrosa. But they do not smell as
sweet.
Other Offices Overlooked
The other elective offices apparently
have been overlooked by both sides.
Anyhow, the regulars will nominate for
party advantage, the independents on
the question of fitness.
In this situation the Wares have their
hands full and then some. I do not
think that conditions among their rank
and file are as inharmonious as de-
scribed. The power of the organization
dominates. Win or lose, to the reg
ular' there is always future possi-
bility of loaves and fishes and the green
pastures of fat office.
There is a multitude of candidates.
among the independents and it is re-
gardcd as u hopeful omen. The more
the merrier and the larger the indie
pendent vote that will come out to vote
fo, them .,,
But why this coyness of candidates.
This backwardness, so unusual, to serve
the dear people?
Really available independent citizens
dread the club of the organization.
They shrink from a campaign in which
the very soul of candidate will be
skinned. scraped and nailed on the
stable door
| The Regular Ware organization is In
similar condition. It. possible the
candidate may be less sensitive than the
so called ''high brow" Senator Pen
rose, whose powers of invective are as
rcmorseless as they are>great. is believed
| to be lying awake at night thinking I'm