The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-10-30
Lack of Interest
In Pennsylvania,
Says Lawrence
BY DAVID LAwRErCA
Copyright by The IntellsSencer)

llar antl-chmaN.
All the fuss and feathers. all the
drama and all the pent-up feeling on
the subject of Republican bosses
reached its climax with the nomina,
tion of Clifford Pinchot tor. governor.
Since then the campaign has been In
terestiug chiefly because OF the lack
OF interest shown by Republican lead
erS and party workers who IN years
gone by used TO corral the vote in the
last two weeks and put the grand o.d
party over the hurdles with record
breaking majorities.
Democrats OF prominence will look
you in the eye to-day and talk CONT
IDENTIFY OF winning or at least cutting
down 10 iusignitiCanCe the size OF the
Pinchot majority. Certain surface
signs would seem to justify Demo
cratic optimism. For one thing Gi''
ford Pinchot is an out-and'out dry. lie
is just as dry in wet city when he Is
campaigning as he is in dry county
district.
There's not a drop OF moisture IN
any OF his speeches. Farmer" Nc
Sparrin, who is the Democratic noml
nee for governor. is much less rlgm
He will acquire wet votes whether ne
makes bid for them or not.
Absence of Penrose.
Another thing which cannot be
overlooked is the absence OF Pcnrosc.
This state has been accustomed 10
political bosses. The Republican par
" has functioned smoothly because
one man issued commands and one
man engineered the collection and
distribution of Compaign funds. There
is no big Republican fund this year.
The big contributors, namely certain
railroads and corporation interests
and the liquor folks. wouldn't dare
hand any hard money to Clifford Pin
chot, who by the way. is financing his
own campaign. And without money
for the party workers there VIII De
little enthusiasm. Already the talk
IS of light vote
In the days OF Penrose things were
different There was no SUCH thins
as a light vote. II indifference pre-
vailed the leaders would send oue
word to get busy and the voters would
be brought to the polls in drores, the
idea being to make Republican pres
tige numerically so strong as to dis
hearten opposition in future years.
That 5000, 900 Strong Box.
Appropos OF the Penrose method o.:
leadership, one hears reminiscent
tales OF that 100000 cash fund which
was discovered in a safety deposit
vault after the senators death. lie
didn't believe, it is said. In collecting
checks or dispensing checks IN. caIu'
nairn work and always had the IDEA
that plenty OF cash must be Kept on
hand to meet the eXigencies ot party
welfare in managing one OF the most
powerful political organizations III
the country.
The Republican organization IS not
4. single entity any more. II Is COM
nosed of groups and factions. Had IL
been united Brother Pinchot wouldn't
have run away with the iie'd Ill the
primaries. What group or leader sha''
he recognized? There is little chance
that Mr.. Pinchot's victory VIII sel'ie
,be matter. He disClaims having anV
nrssidential ambition but he is after
all clifford Pinchott, dyed in the ~oo'
,rorressive. foe of bosslSm ana \
sr,end os the farmer. He will. II ne
runs true TO form, find hlmselt in
snectacular fight against the posses
"a factions. Ou,wardly the organi
yation men are saying the? are ~,
p,nchot vet they cannot Conceai '.iel'
doubts that it will do them any aiIe'
election.
Something or Nothing.
prt tho friends OF Pinchot VINO ma
,,raI,v want to line up all the support
,bey can get for their candidate usu.
III. noint out TO the douotino
,rhonases that if they are uncertain
III, patronage they Will get lron
p;ncbot if he is elected governor the:
can be very certain about the a'uou..
they will get from the Ds"'o. .",,o
nominee, Mr.. McSparrln. II oy 'nanC
ho should win. namely nothlnI' "','
rra of argument is having SOME
Zoo, And il must not be lo'so''."
~, p;pchot must have the co'oPe'"
49,: os = friendly state legislature
NJ. measures Of reform cannot De pe'
,hrourh bv executive tiat. ne WIN nv
,h, coo the necessity oil pIayluS
%om 70 some extent with the regular
ars,nization or they VIII d! on'
-, or another ch"Ckmate hiW.
Indifference on the part ot the he'
rrh,ican voters and noticeable iau'
;,p off i'm the registration VIII cu'
down the total vote cast ConScr'a'
yire estimates a. this time are tha'
p,nchot will win BY vote OF pet"een
Al 400 10 Tn.OO0. This isn't very
Good majority for a state which even
,r ,be three Cornercd presidentiai
tight of 1912 gave teIlow.prosessl'e,
Mr. Roosevelt. more than loo.oop au''
which give the Republican ticket III
1870 majority way above that.
Mr.. PinChot will feel the effects OF
Nr PrnrOSc's absence at the wheel.
The Republican organization isn't
what il used TO be, and there Is Oh
course an excellent chance tor Hl''
ford Pinchot 10 break III" orgamza'
tion TO pieces by aggressive attempts
q, leadership himself. he will hafH
IN ADOPT a tractabl mood and pol
lev of olive branch diplomacy to put