The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-28
REPUBLICANS
IN penn STATE
ARE INACTIVE
Continued from First Page.)

out money lot the party WoIheIS
there will be little enthusiasm. AL
ready the talk is of Tight vote.
In the days of Penrose things
were different. There was no such
thing as a light vote. If indiffer-
ence prevailed, the leaders would
send out word to get busy and the
voters would be brought to the
polls, in droves, the idea being to
make Republican prestige numeri-
cally so strong as to dishearten OPP
position in future years.
Apropos Of the Penrose method
of leadership, one hears reminis-
cent tales of that 100000 cash
fund which was discovered in a
safety deposit vault after the sena-
tors death. He didn't believe, it
is said, in collecting checks or dis
pensing checks in campaign work
and always had the idea that plen-
ty of cash must be kept on hand
to meet the exigencies of party
warfare in managing one of the
most powerful political organiza-
tons in the country.
Made Up Of Factions.
The Republican organization is
not single entity any more. 1t
is composed of groups and fac
tions. Had it been united Brother
Pinchot wouldn't have run away
with the field in the primaries.
What group or leader shall be rec
ognized? There is little chance
that Mr.. Pinchot's victory will set
tie the matter. He disclaims hav-
ing any presidential ambition but
he is after all Clifford Pinchot,
dyed in the wool Progressive, foe
OF bossism and friend of the
farmer. He will if he runs true
to form find himself in speetac-
ular fight against the bosses and
the factions. Outwardly the or
ganization men are saying they are
for Pinchot. yet they cannot con-
ceal their doubts that it will do
them any good after election.
But the friends of Pinchot who
naturally want to line up all the
support they can get for their can
didate usually point out to the
doubling Thomases that if they are
uncertain what patronage they will
get from Pinchot if he is elected
governor they can be very certain
about the amount they will get
from the Democratic nominee, Mr..
McSparrin, if by chance he should
win-namely, nothing. That line Of
argument is having some effect.
And it must not be forgotten that
Pinchot must have the cooperation
OF friendly state legislature. His
measures Of reform cannot be put
through by executive fat. He will
no doubt see the necessity Of play
ing ball to some extent with the
regular organization or they will
by one means or another check
mate him.
Voters Indifferent.
Indifference on the part Of the
Republican voters and noticeable
falling-off in the registration will
cut down the total vote cast. Con-
sentative estimates at this time are
that Pinchot will win by a vote OF
between 10000 and 10000. This
isn't very good majority for q
state which even in the three-cor-
nered presidential fight Of 1912 gave
. fellow Progressive, Mr.. Roosevelt,
more than 100000 and which gave
the Republican ticket in 1890 a ma
jority way above that.
Mr.. Pinchot will feel the effects
CT Mr.. Penrose's absence at the
wheel. The Republican organiza-
ton isn't what 1t used to be and
there Is. Of course, an excellent
chance for Clifford Pinchot to break
the organization into more pieces
by aggressive attempts at leader.