Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-16
MIR. PINCHOT HAS THEM
EATING OUT OF HIS HAND
The Old Leaders Are Falling Over One
Another in Rush to Assure Him
of Their Support


IF ANY ONE has been thinking that
1 Clifford Pinchot is a political infant
who will give up his stick Of candy to
the first smiling gentleman who asks for
it, it is about time that opinion was
abandoned.
Mr.. Pinchot has shown great skill in
playing his part ever since he won the
nomination at the primaries. He then
became the regular Republican nominee,
but nominee who owed nothing to the
regular organization. He had been
chosen by a majority of his party to be
its leader as candidate for the govern
orship. Then he assumed that the regu-
lar organization would work for his cleo
ton because it could not do otherwise
without becoming irregular. AS he had
mandate from the party, its officials
had to accept his advice in the makeup
of the committees in charge of the cam
paign. He let the State Committee un-
Gerstand that he would be glad Of its
cooperation, but that he had marked
out a course for himself which he in
tended to follow in any event. Th"
State Committee fell in line and he was
elected without having sold himself to
anybody. And he found large number
CT the candidates for the Legislature
were ready to work with him.
The Governor-e!cct has been willing to
meet all Republicans who wished to talk
with him. This is why he went to
Washington as a guest Of State Senator
elect Ware at the dinner for the Penn
sylyania delegation in Congress, 1t has
been customary to have such dinner in
honor Of the GovernDr-eiect every four
years.
But Mr.. Pinchots presence at that
dinner did not mean that he had sur
rendered his will to Mr.. Ware or TO any
one else He intimated as much in the
gracious speech acknowledging the
honor done him. AS he was elected by
the Republicans, he gladly welcomed the
support of all Republican leaders and he
was gratiticd that Mr.. Ware was ready
TO cooperate with him.
There was no mistaking the signii-
canoe of this remark 1t was not lost on
the experienced politicians who sat
around the table. They can read be-
tween the lines, and they found there the
calm and unperturbed determination of
the Governor to pursue the course
on which he has Sc. out, the same kind
of determination that the members of
the State Republican Committee sensed
when he let them know before election
that, while his purpose was fixed, he
would be glad to have them work with
him.
The moral strength of Mr.. Pinchot's
position is so great that no successful
assault has yet been made upon it. He
had only to express his satisfaction with
the candidacy Of Mr Goodnough for the
speakershp of the House Of Represent
atives to make it evident to other cam
didates that their case was hopeless.
One of them announced his withdrawal
within twenty-four hours.
No man in recent years has played the
game of politics in this State more skill
fully and moro cleanly than Mr.. Pnchot
is now playing it. If he can keep on as
he has begun we are likely to have the
kind of government in Harrisburg for
the next four years that the citizens,
wearied with the use Of the State de-
partments for private political ends,
have long been yearning for.