Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-11
DEMOCRATS ARE READY TO
CLEAN HOUSE IN HARRISBURG
How About the Republleans7 - The
Voters Want This Question An.
swered Pretty Soon

IF THERE is to be Republican victory
L in Pennsylvania this year the party lead
crs will have to concentrate their attention
on nominating the strongest possible ticket
instead of on taking care Of the leaders
in the different parts Of the State.
If there had been any doubt Of this, all
unccrtsnty is removed by the unanimous
agreement of the Democatc State Commit
tee OH state ticket.
The Democrats have been divided by fac
tionaism for twenty years or more. Whether
the factionalism originated in irreconciable
differences among the Democrats or whether
It was deliberately fostered by the Repub-
llcan organization through deals with self
seeking Democratic leaders Is not material
just now. The factions have come together.
Judge Bonniwell and Vance Mccormick have
agreed on a ticket. and the ticket is made
up Of adherents of both wings of the party.
This would not have happened II the
Democrats had not been convinced that they
have a fighting chance for victory this year.
The death of Senator Penrose has removed
a dominant power that held the Republicans
together and that was able to weaken the
Democratic opposition by showing favoritism
to men who came to be known as Penrose
Democrats. At present the leadership Of
the party Is vacant. There are several men
each one of whom would like to wear the
Penrose mantle, but none Of them has at
tached to himself following large enough
to justify him In saying what may and what
may not be done.
Under the circumstances there will have
to be conference of leaders. where the
thing to be done will be agreed upon after
threshng out all suggestions.
The Democratic fight will not be perfume.
tory. That much is made certain by the
agreement on John A. McSparran. of Ian
caster County, for the governorship. Me-
Spartan is scrapper. He has positive
convictions. For months he has been going
about the State attacking the way things
have been done in Harrisburg. He demands
a retrenchment, the usual demand Of the
outs. but there has been such bungling Of
State funds that the Democrats would have
been incuraby stupid If they had not leaped
to the issue ready made for them.
Dissatisfaction is widespread, especially
in the rural districts. and McSparran has
been talking about waste Of public funds on
highways and schools and about the excess
sive taxes which the farmers have to pay.
He Is demanding decentralization and the
return to the local communities of control
over their affairs. which he charges has been
taken from them by the Legislature. As
head of the State Grange he has the ear of
the farmers and the confidence of large
numbers of them. He is the most dangerous
candidate whom the Democrats have selected
for a generation.
The selection Of Judge Shull, Of Monroe
County, to run against Senator Crow, as
suming that Crow is to run, and Colonel
Kerr. of Clearfeld, to run against Senator
Pepper is shrewd politics. Shull is n young
man In the full possession Of his strength,
while Crow is an invalid. Colonel Kerr is
a graduate of West Point, a soldier in the
World War and believer In the bonus,
while Senator Pepper is opposed to the
bonus.
Mrsparran and Shul and Kerr can be
defeated with comparative ease If the Re-
publican leaders are wise enough to select
the right man to head the ticket and If they
stop playing with the idea that Crow should
run. Mr.. Grow is still confined to the
hospital In Pittsburgh At time when the
Republicans need their full strength in the
Senate his seat Is vacant. He is not even
able TO 90 to Washington to be within call
when his vote is needed. The first thing
to be decided is to nominate a we'll man to
fill permanently the vacancy caused by the
death Of Senator Knox.
Than bo II.
be man who will commend himself to the
intelligence of the State as soon as his name
is mentioned.
AS the Democrats have selected a radical
in an attempt to win, the Republicans
should nominate a conservative to appeal
for the support Of the voters of this natu.
rally conservative Commonwealth Beidle.
man or Snyder or Mackey does not measure
up to the standard by which candidates are
to be measured this year. The nomination
of any of these men would inspire the
Democrats to such efforts that no one could
fcretell what the result would be and it
would be necessary to wait until the votes
were counted.
There are Republicans Of such admitted
"oHi'y anu u oucn A'sH staHulhg IN the
community that the selection of any one of
them for the governorship would be an as.
surance to the people that the abuses that
have grown up in Harrisburg would be cured
under his administration
1t is becoming evident that the voters are
determined that the abuses shall be cured
If the Republicans will not do 1t, they are
in mood to summon the Democrats to the
task.
The Democrats have announced that they
are ready for the job.
How about the Republicans?