Evening star., 1922-07-09
DEMOCRATS OPEN
KEYSTONE FIGHT.
Plan to Get lump on Pinchot
in Pushing Campaign for.
Governorship.
sp~ciaI Di,patch to The Star

Sltclti Disphtcn Staf-
HARRISBURG, Pa, July s.-Penn-
syivania is going to have its first
midsummer campaign for the gov
ernorship in more than forty years
The new managers of the democratic
state committee have decided to be-
gin speeches on July Is and to keep
going until November. Clifford Pm
chot's plans are TO open the republi
can campaign in August Between
will have more politics than 1t has
had for a long time. For a couple
of decades the politics, with the ex-
ception OF year or two. have been
more or less factional. Now they are
on party lines and there are not going
to be- very many dull moments.
While Mr.. Pinchot is taking a vaca
tion off the New England coast pre-
paratory to meeting men from all
over the state and outlining his leg
islative program at his home near
Milford, the democratic managers
will send John a. McSparran. his
democratic rival. out to talk to the
farmers. Mr. Pinchot will probably
take to the rural counties within
month. Both candidates are show
ing a disposition to stay out OF the
big cities Pinchot wants to hold his
big lead upstate and McSparran
wants to shake it. Pinchot counts
him naturally. McSparran believes
he can make such a stir in smaller
communities that it will affect the
cities.
Democrats Open Campaign.
The democratic executive commit
tee at its meeting here day before
yesterday decided to start the cam
paigning next week and to have a
high party conference here next
Thursday. at which a general attack
on the republican conduct of affairs
for thirty years will be launched.
Clifford Pinchot has taken the edge
off this somewhat by calling for a
legislative investigation of financial
affairs and by pledging himself to
| carry through reorganization of the
state government. which was the
keynote of his successful primary
campaign against the state organiza-
ton. He has made common cause
clean house on Capitol Hill. and the
republican organizations in various
cities and counties. while holding
aloof since the primary. are showing
signs of falling into line.
Gov. William c. Sproul. whose ad-
ministration has borne the brunt
of a number of attacks, has sent a
letter to heads of departments of
the state government asking chiefs
to give all information desired by Mr..
Pinchot and his associates on his
commission to study the state
by his stand against assessment of
officeholders and its effect has not
| been lost upon party leaders.
Want s75,OOO Fund.
While the republican campaign of
| financing has not been. announced.
having been held over for a couple
of weeks for selection of committee
men to look after the money end,
the democrats have come out with
| the rank and file of their party. No
one expects them to be able to con-
duct the extensive mail, advertising
and speaking campaign to reach
every voter they promise for that
sum. but it's a good talking point.
spend to beat the state organization
which backed Attorney General
! George E. Alter in the primary with
tens of thousands. Pinchot sent a
post card to every one of 2,0O0, 900
voters an unheard of campaign
stunt.
One of the unusual features of the
| democratic campaign is appearance
! In the leadership of sons and grand
| sons of men who filled high places
when democracy dominated Pennsyl-
! vania One Is a grandson of "a gov
ernor of the fifties. and another a
SON of Col. James Kerr. who figured
much in Pattison days, and backed
by Bryan in 1905. became national
| committeeman. Palmer, Mccormick.
| Morris and others who were chief
tains in the Wilson days are unheard
| of now.
The eubernatorial campaign is not
| to he the whole show, however. there
being signs of lively senatorial cam
paigninG already.