Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-02
First Serious Test Came in
1905 When Reform Move
Beat Organization
GRAFT SCANDAL EXPOSED
Senator Plunged Into 1911
Campaign by Opposing
Ware for Mayor


and craftsmanship.
His active career as political leader
and likewise as a legislator with an
influence in national and even inter-
affairs. was brilliant.
While sitting as the senior United
States senator from this state Senator
Penrose delivered compelling addresses
on national policies and at the same
time set in motion the machinery Of
organized politics which had been felt in
national and state conventions and
made or unmade the fortunes OF ward
or division leaders.
From the time in the early HOs.
when he became state leader, he had
to fight for himself and for his friends
and fight continual battles with his po-
litical and personal enemies. His enc
mics csnccde that more often thnn
not the "broaks" have been with him.
Senator Pcnrose's critics and enc
mics go further. They frequently
that he was able TO survive his
political acts for the reason that at
crucial times in his career he laid his
political lines 50 as to win the support
and Endorsement of independent Re
publcans. in short, of the reform eIe.;
ment in state and city politics
Charged with SelfshnesS
II was charged that Senator Pen
rose helped the rcformcrs for ih" sole
purpose of helping himself. II" always
Insisted that he aided rcform"rs tor the
sake of the principles involved. o.
Whatever may have been tn" true
invardness of the senators motives,
il was generally recognized that Pen
rose in inhcritng the political org9ui23-
ton built up throughout pchnS% lvanla
by the late Senator Matthew STANLEY
Quay had also acquired much ct the
wisdom uf that master suate-
giSt in state politics. 49,,
As a paradoXical background for his
uolitical career. and as n vel OF inspl-.
ration for his efforts in the field OF
Senator P"nrosC had a
rich family history and mind cultivated
b, associations and study at Harvard
University. At Harvard BoieS PEN
rose was classmatc Of Theodore
Roosevelt, with whom in later years he
was to have such stirring political rela-
tiOns.
Family Distinguished
l;oi. : Penrosc's forefathers were
ouspicuously identified with the Colo :
rinl history of America. They were Of
the first families, and their names stud
the pages Of the history Of the coun-
trv's political development. Boies Pen :
rose walked from the drawing room OF
u.iStocracy into the smoke and swirl
OF Philadelphia and Pennsylvania poll :
ties Mt a time when American poll
tics was often regarded as a synonym
for corruption.
In this field young PenrOse quickly
took a commanding position.
After being graduated from Harvard
in 1881. he entered the law Offices OF
Wayne MacVraGh and George Tucker
Bisrham and was admitted to th" bar
in 1889. Meanwhile he studied munici-
pal government, becoming an authority
on tho subject.
In this way he was led almost in
sensibly into the arena of local poll
tics. The law was left behind and poll
tics became the absorbing activity.
But while Harvard was still casting
her classic shadow over him, Johns
Hopkins University called on young
pcnrose to write history of the muni-
ripal government of Philadelphia. yhis
he did in 1856, in collaboration with
his law partner. T.. +. hiison.
Earlier, as the result of his delvings.
he had written Il thesis. "IIi>tory of the
City Government of Philadelphia, "
which he read at the graduation exer-
ciSes at Harvard. Quotations from
these writings were frequently used by
reformers in later years when cam
paigininG against Senator PcnroSc or his
States.
Lived in Eighth Ward
Boies Penrose lived then. uS he did
at the time of his birth and death, at
the family home. 1881 Spruce street, in
the Eighth ward. In theS" days the
Eighth ward is a political possession of
Buck" DevliN. who always knows just
how the vote will come out on election
day. In those days the ward contained
the homes of the elect of Philadelphia
society. BOieS PcnrOSe. under those cir
was chosen t. represent
the district in the state House at Har-
riSburg. He was first elected to the
House in 1884, succeeding John {. Bul-
lit.
1t is curious commentary on the
senator's career that he should have
succeeded Bulitt.> for whom I'll" city
charter, recently displaced by tn" Wood
ward charter. was named. and that,
PcnrOSe as Il young l"giS-
lator worked for the passage Of the BuI-
lit bill in 1885 and three years ago
the political forces n lIar-
rlsburg which won the adoption Of the
new city charter
1t was Penrose's championship ut the
Bullitt bill which first gave QUAY the
to see the pOSSihiIitirs in
the representative from the Eighth
ward.
Braved Quay for Bill
Speaking to Quay, then the lrau,. of
the state organization, PcnroSc said.
1--WE wish to obtain your support for
this bill. II we don't get it we will
worry the life out of YOU"
After one term in the House NJ Ilar.
risburg. PenroSe was elected in 1856
to the State Senate from the district
the Seventh, Eighth aud
Ninth wards. lie was re elected to the
state Senate in 1890. and again in 1874.
In 1880 and 1891 he served aS prr>i-
dent pro tCmpOrc of the state senate.
He was now Quay ) chief Lieutenant in
Pennsylvania.
Penrose. whose particlpatton in tie
and election of Philadrlphia
mayors has formed the political main.
spring of many dramatic situations.
was himself candidate for Mayor in
1894. He was the Quay candidntc.
But David Martin, now reaching the
md of his political career, was then ar
.he height of his power as the rifv
eader. Martin feared that the election
II PenrOse would mean Combinntirr ~
(uay and PcnrOSc in philudrlnbin
which would destroy his own organi2n,
ion. Overnight Martin throw his sun-
'ort to Charles +. Warwick. Warwick
became Mayor, but P,NoSc began to
'e mentioned as the ncAt United states
senator
Ran for Senator
incidentally, Martins desertIon of
'enrOSe at that time led to the rise of
the star Of Israel Durham a. city
Nnder. and nf the rnlnnntinn nf 49,