Evening star., 1924-05-03
Editors See Many Reasons
For Pinchot's Severe Defeat

The press OF the country generally
presents a combination of reasons for
the defeat Of Gov. Pinchot in his race
rs delegate at large from Pennsyl-
vania to the Republican national con-
vention. A majority of editors. how
ever, attribute the punishment given
him as a rebuke from his party in the
state for his fight on Secretary Mel
lon, which, as they see it, was a
roundabout slap at President Cool
idge himself Little credence is given
to the governors claim that the de-
cision was administered by enemies OF
prohibition. Some editors frankly at
tribute the defeat as a. case of too
much Pinchot."
From the immediate scene of the
battle, the Harrisburg Telegraph Gre
publican) offers the following ex-
PLANTATION:
when all the speculation is s,fted
to the bottom there is found a strong
undercurrent of opposition growing
out of the governors part in the pro-
posed investigation Of Secretary Mel
Ions department and the suggestion
of Francis J. Heney as the chief
prober. This becomes more evident
as the final returns are 'tabulated and
the sentiment OF parts of the state is
analyzed.
The Philadelphia Public Ledger in-
dependent) attributes the "repudia-
tion OF Gov. Pinchot" to no single
cause, but says "it was due pri-
marily to the deep-rooted antagonism
of the party workers to the man who
threw a wrench into the machine and
overthrow its leaders and their pro-
gram" In his collection statement,
according to the Reading Tribune
independently the governor charged
that every bootlegger and law
breaker in Pennsylvania was lined up
against him. His statement was so
worded," the Tribune adds, "as to
carry the intimation that all those
against him were in that class" To
| which it adds, "A great many Of the
states best citizens were on both
sides in the fight and good citizens
were irritated at being grouped care
lessly with the forces of corruption"
The Scranton Times tDemocratic) de-
plores the result, with the fear that
Gov. Pinchot's defeat opens up a
new era OF gang control and gang
and Pennsylvania generally"
Outside Of Pennsylvania the edi-
torial viewpoints look more at the
national aspect OF the Pinchot de-
bacle. For instance, the st. Paul Dis
patch Gndependent) sees in the
| three-to-one vote against Pinchot
'1n part a revolt against fanaticism
or radicalisrn in prohibition or in
anything else" While the Buffalo
finality, declares the count in the
Pennsylvania primary indicates that
politically Pinehot is as dead as
On the prohibition side of the ques-
tion. the Bridgeport Post dndepend-
ent) says:
"The attempt to explain his DOWN
fall on the basis OF the wet and dry
| issue is actually funny. That had
| nothing to do with the matter, and
Gov: Pinchot, knows it as well as
| anybody else"
TO which the Grand Rapids Press
| independently adds: IF PInchot had
clearly possessed the right on his
side. there is no reason to believe
! that the people would not have risen
Minneapolis Tribune (Republican) re-
marks, THE governor would do well
| to ask himself IL II might not be pos
sible that the voters of Pennsylvania
| discern in him some important short
| comings or IL he might not have given
them reasonable cause for offense."
"Pinchot was the 'nigger in the
| woodpile' of the Senate Couzens COM
| mittee." asserts the Anaconda stan
dard (Democratie), that attempted to
| employ undertaking attorney to in
vestigate the internal revenue bu-
reau," to which the Duluth Herald
independently adds. 'IIe was defeated
| in large part because he was under
] suspicion of not being friendly to the