Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-08-10
Atisesltaneuus Reading.
SHNEWD MIR. HILL.
He Worked His Enemies When They
Thought They Were Working Him.

The persistency with which ex-Sen-
ator David B. Hills friends are keeping
him in the public eye lends timely in
terest to an incident in Mr.. Hills politi-
cal history which has never heretofore
been published, and which reminds one
of what he once said to a friend: '"I
would sooner succeed and have the
public think I failed, than fail and have
the public think succeeded"
Ten years ago Mr.. William F. Shee-
han, a popular Democratic leader,
wished to secure the nomination for
lieutenant governor Of New York, and
1t was generally conceded that he would
obtain it. Mr.. Hill, who was complet-
ing his last term as governor, controlled
the party organization in the state,
and there was no doubt that the man
selected by him for any position on the
ticket would receive the nomination.
At the same time, however, it was
equally known that all Of Mr.. Hills
selections would be fiercely combatted
on general principles by a strong fac
tion that was arrayed against him.
That year Mr.. Hill desired to go be-
fore the voters Of the state with har-
mony ticket, for it would aid mate
rally the canvass for the United States
senate that he had arranged to make.
The desire for harmony, however, was
not sufficiently strong to induce him to
let his opponents nominate men Of their
own choice.
A day or two before the convention
opened at Saratoga it was understood
on all sides that Mr.. Hills candidate
for lieutenant governor would be Mr..
Shehan, and the anti-Hill faction pre-
pared to fight the nomination. What,
therefore, was the amazement both Of
the newspaper editors and Of the pol
ticians when, on the morning before
word came from Albany that Mr.. Shee-
han was not to be nominated.
The report, however, was utterly dis
credited, until Mr.. Edward Murphy,
the big men of the organization and a
pronounced friend of Mr.. Sheehan, HIM
self gave confirmation Of it. He said
that he had been to Albany to see Mr..
Hill to put the finishing touches on
the slate, and that the governor had ar
bitrarily cut Mr.. Sheehan's name off.
Following Mr.. Murphy's statement
came a story from Albany, sent by re-
porters who had been in the anteroom
when Mr.. Murphy had had his inter-
view with Governor Hill. The report
ers had heard loud words in the gov
ernor's private room and had finally
seen Mr.. Murphy fling angrily out of
the executive chamber, his face red
with rage. So intensely indignant had
Mr. Murphy been that he stood in the
doorway, holding the door ajar suffi
ciently long to let the reporters over
hear his final protest hurled at the in
visible governor inside.
It's a shame to treat Sheehan in this
way" the reporters heard Mr.. Murphy
exc!aim, land l will not be a party TO
it,"
Not the least part of Mr.. Sheehans
services had been his complete loyalty
to Mr.. Hill, and that Mr.. Hill, after all
that, should turn against the rising
young statesman was deemed the
blackest ingratitude. The newspapers,
al, f,,11 lato of ha
perfdy, and the anti-Hill faction, which
had been prepared to assault Mr.. Shee-
han, at once rallied around him as the
centre OF the opposition. "Sheehan or
nothing. Down with HILL" became
their rallying cry. Every anti-Hill
Democratic newspaper in the state at
once demanded the nomination Of Mr..
Sheehan.
One influential newspaper in New
York city, which had been fighting Mr..
Sheehan's claims most fiercely, swung
around and declared in a column and
half editorial that the opposition of Mr..
Hill was sufficient ground for Mr..
Sheehan's Endorsement.
sir. Hill faced this clamor with equa-
nimity. He declined to speak for pub
lication on the subject, and stated that
the matter was in the hands Of the
convention. AS it was we'll known the
hands of the convention" ordinarily
meant Mr.. Hills hands-thanks to his
control of the machine-this declara-
ton, it was believed, meant a certain
ty OF Mr.. Sheehan's defeat.
With each hour the forces that ral-
lied to Mr.. Sheehan's support at Sara
toga gathered strength, but up to the
very moment when the nomination for
lieutenant governor became in order,
the newspaper men and others of the
wise ones, refusing to be misled by the
popular clamor, felt that his chances
were hopeless. 1t was another case of
the machine against the people, and as
usual the machine would win.
When the convention opened Mr..
Sheehan was put in nomination by one
of the anti-Hill men in glowing
speech. The nomination was seconded
by another anti-Hill man who cried:
Down with bossism and long life to
the young statesman from Buffalo,"
Then came the balloting-and, to the
of the wise ones, Mr.. Shee-
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