New-York tribune., 1900-08-30


ohdecided ''............ ..............-..- S6
TotaI .'............. $50
Kings County will hold the whip hand. in the
Democratic State Convention, which meets in
Saratoga on September II. The primaries de-
r1onstrated that the sixty-three votes Of Kings
are safely held by the machine, and will be cast
as a unit These votes thrown to the sup
port of Richard Croker and ex-senator Murphy,
will give that faction control of the convention.
cast in support OF ex-senator Hill, they will
give him control. This is admitted by the lead
ers OF both factions, and now every one is on
tptoe to know what Kings County will do.
Hugh Mclaughlin. who has the final say has
not given the slightest indication as to what he
will do. His leutenants are divided James
Shevlin and ex-senator McCarren represent the
ant1-Coler sentiment in Kings; Bernard ]. York
ana John L. Shea for Coler. Both sides
nave labored with the veteran leader in Kings,
Dut TO neither has he given the slightest indica-
tfon of his ultimate decision
There was some disappointment yesterday
over the poor showing made at the primaries in
hlngs County by the Coler leaders. This was
explained by the statement that the Controller
I acting upon the advice of friends decided to
make no contest at the primaries. and to do
nothing to interfere with irritate the organiza
tlon. His case now rests with Mclaughlin. Mr..
Colers friends said last night that Mr. Nc
Laughlin. now that he had demonstrated that
he had the machine we'll in hand and could do
as he pleased. would take up Coler Others said
that he would consult with Murphy and Croker
and throw the support of Kings to a candidate
to be determined upon by that faction
MAY REPEAT '9s SITUATION.
The opinion seemed TO be general among
well informed politicians yesterday that the
conditions which existed at the Syracuse con-
vention of 1898. when Van Wyck was nom
mated for Governor. would be repeated. Then
Mclaughlin swung Kings County against Hill.
and gave Croker control of the convention.
Some astonishment was caused yesterday by the
announcement from Brooklyn that Mclaughlin
contemplated going to the coming convention.
He hasn't attended convention for years. and
this departure from his usual habit is looked
upon with grave interest. It is raken to indi-
cate that he believes there will be conditions
at Saratoga which he cannot grapple with from
distance, and that he wants to- be on the spot
to take care OF his interests.
There was little else talked OF Yesterday than
the result of the primaries. Reports from up
the State indicate that Croker made some in
roads on HiIs territory and gathered in few
vagrant delegates, but not enough to give him
an appreciable lead. AS the political wiseacres
agured II yesterday. the Hill ana the. Croker
fasfs SO evenly matched that Kings holds
thee3bsolute balance of power That is why
evaAH one wants to know what Kings will do
and no one can answer. Frank Campbell. chair
man of the Democratic State Committee and a
loyal friend of ex-senator Hill. said last night:
THE situation is we'll defined. Mr. McLaugh-
lin and the Kings County delegation are in the
enviabIe position of being able to throw support
to either side and bring victory. I do not know
what Kings Will do"
There was a report yesterday that ex-Sena-
tor Hill would come down here to-day to see
Mr. Mclaughlin and urge him to support Coler
Mr. Campbell said he knew nothing of any such
plan. There was a great deal of speculation
yesterday to who would be nominated for
Governor. 1t was conceded that Colers only
hope was with Mclaughlin, and only a few be-
lieved that Mclaughlin would support him. The
general opinion that Mclaughlin would do
as he did in 1898 In this case there was talk
that Edward NJ. Shepard. of Brooklyn might
be named for Governor with Senator Mackey,
of Erie. for Northumberland.
This was sheer speculation, however and Mr..
Croker said last night that no one would know
who to be nominated until the convention
gathered.
1t is hardly believed that Mclaughlin will
make any decision until the convention meets,
and Of necessity every one must wait upon him
Ex-senator Murphy, who in Troy yesterday
to attend the wedding of his son. will be back
to-day. He will talk candidates with Mr.
Croker James Shevlin, Norman E. Mack and
Senator McCarren. In the mean time the Coler
and Hill people will also be busy. Both sides
will work hard to win over Mclaughlin. but
the general opinion will be that Mclaughlin will
act with Croker he has done so in every
thing lately. and he hardly cares to fight Tam
many. which has the distribution of patronage.
DOESN'T WANT TO BE STATE LEADER,
CROKER SAYS
Richard Croker talked rather freely yesterday
about the way things were going. Il am just
the same to-day as 1 was when Hill was in alb
eolute control in the State.' said Mr.. Croker.
II don't want to be State leader. am going to
follow Mr.. Murphy. I say now. I said two
years ago. that Mr.. Murphy is the logical State
leader. The papers keep tabbing at me and
saying that Croker is State leader. and Croker is
this and Croker is that. but it isn't true 1 have
got my hands full attending to the organization
here and I haven't anything to do with the
State. The primaries, I think. show plainly
that Mr.. Murphy is State leader for those who
defer to him impressively. That is all there
is to it."
Mr. Croker gave an interview yesterday which
was printed in THE Brooklyn Eagle This was
shown to Mr.. Croker last night. and he said it
was about right. This is the interview:
"Coler Is nothing but Pultzer's candidate. put up
to beat Tammany Hall" said Mr.. Croker Why
If we thought Coler was a strong man. we would
nominate him He ts Pulitzer's man Lno1- ~
whole thing. Pulitzer brought him out first made
mainstay tell you. Coler simply represents Pu 5s
Htzers scheme to defeat the Democratic party and
DO you think that the defeat of Controller
n1o wa? m coer oy a the result of
.If Coier is defeated" answered Croker at will
trying to use him to defeat the Democratic party,
as eON .htrL, Mr. Collar 4, datao.oa,.,