Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-08
Peetsca L.
Psn~saGsassia
BY the Ex-Committeeman

court in the Wasson proceeding for !
a mandamus to compel certification |
of the name of the Pittsburgh judge |
VINO ran sixth in the Allegheny I
county common pleas primary con-
test as candidate to be voted upon .
at the general election is being
eagerly awaited in at least Il dozen !
judicial districts in Pennsylvania. 1t
is the first test of the method of
computation of the vote to qualify
candidate or candidates as sole
nominees provided in the act of
1919 which was an amendment OF
the act of 1913 and if Wasson loses
II Is expected that the case will go to
the Supreme Court.
The decision will affect, in case
Masson wins, judicial contests in
Philadelphia. Lackawanna. LuZerne.
washington. Cambria and other
counties as we'll as Pittsburgh, ac-
cordinS to the views of State of
ficials. 1t may also affect some of
the dozen elections for associate
judge. An early decision is ant ci-
pated.
Tho act Of 1919 was denounced
as an unconstitutional restriction of
the FRANCHISE of Pennsylvania vot-
crs, an infringement of rights of
candidates for office, a destroyer of
uniformity of elections guaranteed
by tho Constitution and an abuse of
legislative power by counsel for
Judge Wasson. The method laid
down IL the law was held to be un-
fair and to operate to make a gem
eral election only n reaffirmation in
most c;.seg of primary John Nj.
FrcenIal' and Charles Alvin Jones
OF Il1taLursh, who appeared for
judge Wasson. both emphasized the
contention that the act interfered
with uniformity of elections and
that the Legislature had exceeded
pow ers.
Acton of the secretary. who had
followed the strict letter of the law, !
after, consultation with the Attorney
GeneraIs department was warmly !
defended by Attorney General Will |
lam ]. Schaffer, who asserted that |
the Legislature had been entirely
within its powers in providing a
method to overcome some questions
which had arisen and who pointed
out that the whole tendency of non
partisan laws. evidenced in both ju-
dicial. second and third class city
codes, was to reduce candidates at
Il primary and give the majority
the benefit of sole nom-
ination. Mr.. Schaffer remarked
that it was the irony of fate that l.;
Judge Wasson should become in
volved in the operation OF an act I
which he had helped TO draft. The I
Attorney General sad that Mr..
largely passed upon in the tests OF
the original act.
Now that the Wares have, in the
language of the Philadelphia Rec
ord haI II
the triumph OF Congressman j.
Hampton Moore for the mayoralty
nomination it is expected that def
mite harmony moves will be made.
The Inquirer, Moore supporter
from the very start, says that the
republican city committee will be
called to ratify the nomination.
while the Public Ledger intimates
that Moore has made his own har-
mony. The evening newspapers are
talking about Moore as already
elected and pointing out his quail
ties and the needs of the hour.
The Evening Bulletin says: Mr..
Moore's election in November has
become hardly more than matter
of confirmation or formality. In
the meantime. as we'll as in the in
terval before the first of January,
let us all put every factionist. or
disturber, under bonds to keep the
peace, and get together on n big ana
wise program that will build up. and
not tear down. the life and the
credit of this great municipality
during the next four years" Tho
Evening Ledger advances this view:
'Mr. Moore is practical states
man. He knows how the political
game in Philadelphia has been
played. lie knows also how 10
eliminate it's crooked features. After
his inevitable election the pubic
will watch with hcartoned interest
the steps alread forecast. taken 20
end n degrading outrage"
The Pittsburgh Dispatch is be-
coming restless. 1t says: 'An or
dinance was introduced in city
council yesterday providing for
new positions in the
department of public works, the
for which aggregate S159,-
$50. plus the 500 bonus allowed for
each city employe because of the
high cost of living. These positions,
it is urged, are necessary on account
of the great amount of work the
department will have to do in carry
ing out the improvements provided
for in the s22.0OO.OOO bond issue.
These positions are largely for as
sistant engineers. and an assistant
chief in the bureau of engineers at
$4,000, and one in the bureau of sur
veys at $4,000. while the other as
sistant engineers are to receive SAL
aries at s3.270. plus the Fl. c. L.
bonus" I
Col. George NoX Mccain grows ,
delightfully."- reminiscent in the
Philadelphia Ledger. This is the !
way he handles well known Demo- /
crat of Democrats: Charles p .
Donnelly, titular head of the unter-
rified Democracy of Philadelphia. |
real estate dealer and political phi t
losopher. has lost n perceptible |
amount of his partisan belligerency |
of twenty-five years ago. He and |!
the late Patrick Foley of Pitts I
burgh. divided militant honors then |
at Democratic State conventions. In /,
those days, when A. Mitchell Palmer /
was vet an Undergraduate at !
Swarthmore and dreams of Demo- |;
cratic empire had not begun to fit |
through his sophomore brain; when |
Vance Mccormick was an, inchoate |
rolitician, to whom Ben Meyers. of
Dauphin. was n sage to be revered, |
James NJ. Guffey wGs the undisputed
czar of the Jacksonian host. Will
liam H. Snowden. William Uhler
Hensel, John Ancona, Victor Pio- !
lette and Congressman Tom Mutch-
lar were State leaders of prowess