Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-08
Peetco IN
Pe~~AqeSa~ia
BY the Ex-Committeeman

Municipal politics is back in its
playground after something like n
llonthS vacation, and judging from
what Is being printed in the news
papers OF Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
scranton and Reading considerably
more thought is being given to local
atfairs than to the approach of the
time for circulating petitions for the
may primary or the meetings of the
National councils of the two big par
tles. Changes of administration oc-
cur In Philadelphia and two-thirds S
or the third-class cities next month,
and In Scranton there will be new
councilmen. Furthermore, h e
changes in county offices will be pro-
ductlEe of some feelings in various
counties.
Defeat of the Babcock-Leslie COM
Dination by the election of Augustus
X. oliver to the vacancy in the Pitts
burgh council may have far-reaching
erect. 1t was noticeable that NJ. NJ.
Garland, who seconded the Barbour
nomination favored by the Pitts
burgh mayor, was careful to say that
ne considered both Messrs. oliver
and Barbour good men and further
nous. From all accounts, the ele-
ment of surprise entered into the
selection of Mr.. Oliver. Mayor Bah
cock has been talked of as possible
gubernatorial timber.
In the other second-class city GER
tam OF the new councilmen have
launched a move to take away some
plums from Mayor w. II. Connell,
but the mayor is rather used to that
pastlme and the chances are that he
Will not suffer. Much attention is
being given in Scranton to the candi-
dacy of c. l.. Connell for congress
sional honors on the part of the
Republicans.
-Mayor-elect j. Hampton Moore
went to the center of the political
stage on Saturday night at Philadel-
phia when he made what some of
the newspapers style reply to the
defiance" Of Senator Edwin H.
ware, holding that the Moore refer
ences OF intention to do things for
Philadelphia and determination to
hit and hit hard" if attempts were
made to block him meant that he
would not tolerate a fight on his
aspirations to the political leadership
of his city for four years.
The Philadelphia Record and
North American say that the mayor
elect served notice that he would not
tolerate interference and that the
Wares are in for a fight if they try
to block him. The Press also takes
Il fighting view and in another
article says the new mayor denies
making up u slate of officers for
council and then adds thatN Burch.
an independent and friend of the
mayor, is likely to win. In discuss
ing Mr., Moore's speech. the In
quirer says he apparently deter
mined to make his position regarding
the leadership and control of the
Republican party here for the next
four years clearly understood by
friend and foe alike. The dramatic
qualities of the Moore speech were
sensed rather than asserted. The
utterances were spectacular, and
their portent was neither misunder-
stood by the political foemen of the
mayor-elect nor misinterpreted by
the guests from without the city Re-
garding local conditions and the
work of the administration during
the next four years, he was. equally
emphatic. He said that factional
politics and internal fighting, which
he declared he would seek to avoid,
had destroyed the prestige OF the city
throughout the country and had
brought the birthplace of the Nation
into disrepute."
Heading is just now one of the
most interesting political centers in
the State and both the Eagle and
the Herald devote much space to
the situation. Mayor John *. Stauf-
IL -
paddle his own canoe and some tests
of civil service third-class city laws
are expected. The Democratic fac
tions are at odds on city and county
matters and have lights looming up
for Legislative nominations. Reading
has also to work to keep Socialists
down and to be ready to swing into
the second-class city list in 1921. on
top of ii all one member of the bud
get board says he will not meet with
another because he is an officer of a
gas company.
Democratic State machine lead
ers working to avoid fights over Sc
lection of National delegates have
been given Il jolt by the fights loom
ing up in the Lackawanna and
Schuylkill districts. They have de
termined to fight Congressman Ar
thur G.. Dewalt, of Allentown. who
has started to fight them and now
face a delegate row. In Schuylkil
Judge II. O. Bechtel will be opposed
for delegate, while there will be &
fight on the Lynett-O' Brien ticket il
Lackawanna.
The Philadelphia Ledger says
regarding the Republican Nationa
Committee meetings politician;
here expect that the address of Gov.
ernor Sproul, of Pennsylvania, to bt
made at the opening session, will bC
one of the most important declara
| tions to be made before that body
! 1t is said that Governor Sproul ha!
/ been in close touch with Mr. Hay'
| for several weeks and that what h
| has to say will very largely repre-
,sent the opinions of the Nationa
! chairman. Among the declaration
! that the committee is expected t.
make will be one for economy on th'
part of the Government, a position
already forecast by attacks that hav'
been made on this years estimate
in both houses of Congress"
The Philadelphia Press print
this comment upon State polite
possibilities, written by Odell Hauser
! Traces of a tendency toward a nev
! lineup in State politics, which in
wolves Senator Penrose, Governo