Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-05
'PositscA ;x
Ps~'ss4tsaaia
By the Ex-Committecman


went away amid the jubilations Of
the dry forces whom they had
scorned and laughed at for more
than decade and with some Gn-
kind things being said about them
by the legislators whom they forced
into line and who had voted. wet
because of promises in the face of
pronounced movement the other
way. Some of the talk is that men
VINO were forced into line will not
be amenable when the regulatory
legislation comes along and that
they consider their obligations full
| filed.
The ratification of the amend
meht by the Senate is assured. There
VIII be a hearing and the bill will
be voted on finally about the twen-
ty-ffth.
Inc ratification of the amend
ment will end the domination of
many legislators, it is predicted, and
one of the sorriest things connected
with the general assemblies will be
a thing of the past.
governor Sproul was eyervwhere
praised for his attitude and even
men who to line up against the
resolution to ratify the amendment
spoke highly of his courageous fight
Tor the amendment. Not much stock
is taken in talk of getting even"
by the liquor cohorts.
LRepresentative E. r. Smith. of
Dutoru, VINO was absent will have
some explaining to do in his "drv,,
district. He is said to have basr
pledged dry" and to have ahsonted
himself without any excuse baina
heard. He did not ask anv leave ne
absence. ' ie"'e vi
The absence of representative
benny' Colder is accounted for bv
TIE tact that he is in the army.
Nopert McAfee, of Pittsburgh
former secretary of the common,
wealth. was among visitors to Har-
rispurg today. He came here la
evening and was greeted by a nun-
ber of old friends.
Joseph Brennan, Democr.+;o
! county chairman of Lackawanna
was at the Capitol.
rom all accounts Irwin G. Rea-
gan hrst assistant state librarian
ana sometimes known as Spider -
mas read the handwriting and has
resigned The story on Capitol Hill
nus oeen that the Library trustees
we're ABOUT to ask his resignation.
norman u. Gray, who was displaced
| py the late administration to make
| pointed.
An association of ex-senators
here last evening. M. E. McDon-
aid, r. f. Blewitt and w I
Lynch are charter members
| The State Commission of .Agr;-
culture, which has been somewhat
IN eclipse, is due to have a meetinp
before long. 1t will complete anY
work needed on the budget.
The Philadelphia Record
Democratic, gives Governor SprouI
an the credit for the dry victory
burg: 'iii iharris-
Because Governor William G.
Sproul willed it, the Vickerman
| 'ioh' Cdlllng Tor ratification
ny py Isehnsyivania of the National
iIn iomloluoh amendment, passed the
House by vote of ITO to 93-six
more than the majority required,
heallZlng at the last moment that
the House dry leaders would he
unable to procure a sufficient nun
! per OF votes to pass the measure
powerful Republican state leaders
rushed to their defense and bv
throwing thirteen votes from the
stronger to the weaker forces, saved
the resolution.
"A sufficient number of votes were
swung from the Ware delegation in
Philadelphia to insure a dry VIC
tory. Led by Representative John
X. X. Scott and William f. Rorke.
OF the Fourteenth and Thirteenth
wards OF Philadelphia, seven Ware
men deserted the liquor forces at
the last minute and aided in bring
ing to an end the long and sensa-
tional fight in the House to ratify
the amendment.
| The result was a Sproul VIC
tory, and no one else shares in it.
without the aid of the Governor the
Nickerman resolution would have
been badly defeated. Even the dry
leaders realized their heIplessnes ess
and Monday night and early yes-
terday morning they were urging
the big Republican leaders to com o
to their aid. Besides Senator Edwin
II. Ware, the leaders who split their
delegations to please Governor
Sproul were Senator William r.
Crow, of Fayette county; Congress
man w. w. Griest, of Lancas ster
county, and the Dauphin county po-
litical moguls."
But the North American ex-
plains the dry victory in this wise:
THE margin for approval in the
lower legislative branch was not
large, but the party politicians, and
the liquor men, too, know it could
have been made larger at will That
; accounts for much of the feeling of
hopelessness that prevails in Penn
sylvania booze circles.
Those of the political leaders
who had legislators under control,
to turn as they, would, calculated
nicely to pass just enough over To
the dry side to make the majority
safe. Such members as they re-
leased to vote for prohibition for
the most part represent districts in
which they can be protected in fu-
!, ture elections from guerrilla attacks
by liquor men who may hold to-
gether for time after the saloons
are put out of business.
But the great bulk of the dry