Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-23
TIP FOR J. HAMPTON MOORE
Col. Mccain Suggests the James c.
Blaine Handshake for the New
Years Reception - Some
Nearby Politicians
BY GEORGE NOX Mccain

BY GEORGE NOX Mccain
| WHEN J: Hampton Moore, as Mayor,
w greets several thousand people at his
New Years reception | shall advise him in
advance to adopt the Blaine handshake. I
| told General Daniel II. Hastings about it
when he was touring the state on his gu
bcrnatorial canvass. He accepted the sug-
| gestion and it saved his right hand many
an ache and pain.
James g. Blaine, SO far as | know. was
the inventor Of the nonhurting handShake.
| The Prince of Wales has received his first
experience. or effect rather. Of this universal
American and more or less idotic practice.
When Blaine was a candidate for the
presidency in 1884 I was one Of little
coterie Of newspaper correspondents. FIVE in
number. who ACCOMPANIED him for four
weeks from New York to Detroit. Mich,
on his tour Of the states. He received q
wonderful ovation everywhere and was com
PEELED to shake hands with thousands. To
be more exact. | should say shake fingers.
Whenever Blaine had TO undergo the
paving ordeal he would draw lead pencil
from his vest pocket, or hurriedly borrow
one from his stenogra pher. Andrew Devine,
or his manager. Joe Manly, grasp it with
the thumb and two last fingers of his right
hand extending only the first two fingers to
the shakers
They didn t notice the difference. If they
did they fancied doubtless that Mr. Blaine
had been making notes and had not had
time to ,drop his pencil.
As a handshakc it was great success.
DOY A. HATFIELD. who, in the ex-
~ pressive Pennsylvania Dutch of Stafford
township, has busted all up the Repub-
-lntn ~
county by defeating one of the anointed
candidates, is ore of the most subdued, un
demonstratative and lowly spoken politicians
| have ever known.
| do not believe that he ever raised his
voice above a conversational tone. No one
ever heard him whistle. Possibly he can
sing don't know. And yet when it comes
to practical politics he seems to be able to
build stake and rider fences all around some
of his opponents and coworkers, too
1t has long been surprise to me that
greater attention is not paid by Philadelphia
folks to the incomngs and outgoings of
politicians in our next door county. They're
exceedingly interesting and entertaining.
I'll warrant that there are tens of thou
sands of people in Philadelphia unaware
that Montgomery county, at the farthest
boundary line from the center of the city,
lies but eleven miles distant from City Hall.
Furthermore. that Lower Merton town
ship, which joins hands with some of our
western wards is the wealthiest township
in the United States
The busting all up process which Roy
Hatfield has just put across is in connection
with the job Of county commissioner of our
neghbor, Montgomery. He is at present
one of the three members of the board, the
others being William Wallace Harper and
Harmon Bready. Bready is Democrat
They are all business men, though Bready
is a farmer on the side, and all are up for
re election.
William Wallace Harper is one of the
largest nurserymen in the eastern United
States. He has enough beautiful trees,
shrubs. vines and flowers on the 1000 acres
covered by his nurseries to make every public
park in Philadelphia look like a posy bed
in poppy time.
There is one thing in which Montgomery
county is fortunate; its board of county
commissioners are business men. They eXer-
else business judgment in handling the bust
ness affairs of their county.
They do not always get credit, however.
for the good deeds they perform.
MONTGOMERY more than any other of
A'1 our neighboring counties | think. has
in past years contributed a larger number
of leading business and professional men
to its political life and activities.
A. d. Fetterolf. president of the Col
egeville National Bank is fine sample of
the type. The squire" as he is popularity
known, having held the Office of justice
of the peace. was for years active in Re
publican politics. He was chief clerk of
the House of Representatives during the
sessions of 1898 1895.
p. Whitman Dandy. president of the Per-
kiomen Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
was member of the House at the session
of 1893 1895. and a constant thorn in the
side of Senator QUAY.
Another conspicuous figure in the Legis-
lature was the late Henry W. Kraft pres
.ident of the National Bank of Schwenks-
vile, who sat in the House in 1895 and 1897
He was another Independent. by the way.
Captain II. A, Fetterof, capitalist and
bank director and brother of A. d. Fet-
terof, represented the county at Harris
burg in 1899.
Henry X. Boyer. former state treasurer
and speaker of the House, although he rep
resented Philadelphia district, is a native
of Montgomery county and still resides at
Evansburg. He is now seventy years of age.
Boyer claims to be the individual respon-
sible for the career of United States Senator
Boies Penrose. 1t is in view of the fact that
it was. he who first introduced the present
senior senator and chairman of the Senate
finance committee to Matthew Stanley QUAY
who, then and there, extended to the young
Harvard graduate the right hand Of political
friendship.
IJENRY X. BOYER was one man who
IL did not hesitate to tell Quay just what
he thought. And his expressions were not
always to Quay's liking. Boyer's fearless
ness in this RESPECT was due to his unswerv-
ing loyalty as a member of the organization.
Quay was aware that no matter what
happened in the course of events at Harris
burg, or elsewhere over the state. Boyer
would stand by the machine. And his faith
tulness to ''the old man" as the senator was
known among his intimates, was rewarded
with high Offices.
! once heard Senator Quay say that Harry
Boyer was the abest parliamentarian that
In IL 49,. L.. IL