Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-27
wares ARE READY
TO ADMIT DEFEAT
Mccain Says Organization Will
concede Moore Victory
in Primaries
TO FIGHT SHERIFF VOTE
BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN

The regular Republican organization
has decided to bow TO the inevitable. 1t
recognizes the hopelessness of endeavor-
Ing materially to change results, so far
as the nomination of Congressman
Moore is concerned.
This does not mean that it will not
continue to take every advantage Of
1ered in the course of the official count
that is in its favor. 1t recognizes, how
ever, that any hope of wiping out
Mr.. Moore's majority has vanished.
The Ware organization is now con
centrating every effort to reduce Lam
berton's majority for sheriff and in
crease the figures for Wade. 1t is the
only bit of driftwood to which they can
cling IN the whirlpool of defeat There
has "been some reduction in Lamber-
tons majority. 1t is not likely that
Wade's nominatioBon the official count
will materialize.
L am told also that the services OF
well-known detective agency have been
engaged and that its operatives are
already at work endeavoring to dis
cover Irregularities in the Eighth ward.
This ward has been canvassed and
passed in the official count. Its large
majority for the Independent ticket,
and the fact that in other elections
it has been uuder fire, are the founda-
tions on which the regulars base their
hopes.
Pose As Moore Adherents
The operatives of this detective
agency, it is said, are going through the
ward representing themselves as parti-
sans of Congressman Moore and the
Independent ticket. BY endeavoring to
get into confidential talk with voters it
is believed they may obtain from them
some admission on which to base charges
of crookeduess.
The reason for selecting the Eighth
ward particularly is that it is Senator
Penrosc's home ward.
1t is the continuation of the policy
developed during the last Legislature
by the Ware leaders TO get Penrose.
Not, I think, that they entertain any
idea that Senator Penrose personally
would be involved, but that it would
tend to discredit him should it be proved
that there were irregularities in his
ward.
There has been q marked change in
the attitude of the organization coun-
sci before the return judges during the
last two days. There is more attention
to the rules of decorum and less bel
lgerency. A judicial calm has sue
ceeded the impetuous outbursts of pre-
yious days.
One noticeable feature of the recount
that has frequently been remarked is
the apparently calculated failure of the
independents attorneys to display their
hand. 1t is inconceivable that the
Moore people should not have some skill
fully concealed machine gun nests of
sworn evidence as to election fraud
ready to discharge at the proper mo-
ment.
There have been hints of this. Sug-
gestions of startling disclosures that
are to come. There are two particular
cases, ! am informed, complete in every
detail that may prove of unusual in
terest; one III particular. Beyond this
the carefully guarded details whatever
they may be are known to not more
than half dozen persons.
Free Lance Speculation
There has been Il lot of free lance
speculaton on the possibilities of one
or more tickets to be put in the field
by the pre- emption process.
1t could only be an eleventh hour
expedient. 1t would prove abortive.
1t could only be undertaken by out
\ siders, because were lit done with the
approval of either faction it would be
\ an abject confession of weakness, or
bad faith of such character that it would
react upon the faction responsible for it.
1t is possible that some suggestion of
this nature may have been conveyed
to regular organization leaders. / do
not know. 1t looks as though the
policy of the Independents might be for
the sake of the Republican party, to
keep any damaging disclosures in the
background as far as possible, unless
conditions force a showdown.
There seems to be little doubt now
that the official count will be completed
before the 7th of October the last day
for pre- empting party names. Judges
Audenried and Ferguson are manifest
ly bending every effort. consistent with
accuracy and impartislity. to complete
their task in the shortest possible time
This is evident in their method of
work. | am of the opinion that if
1t became necessary to avert the con
fusion and rancor that would follow
failure to complete the official count
before October they would sacrifice
personal convenience to the extent of
holding continuous twenty four hour
sessions.
AS it is, the distinguished jurists are
engaged in the performance of a none
too pleasant, if not really distasteful.
but necessary duty.
MINERS LEADERS TO CONFER