New-York tribune., 1902-02-10
LINING UP FOR THE FIGHT.
.51rr FACTION AND ANTI-HILL FACTION
RATTLING FOR CONTROL.
-,,orRATIC NOMINATION MAY GO TO
COLER OR SHEPARD - KINGS
COUNTY'S POSITION

ckirrnishes preliminary to the big battle in
-. nsmocratic State Convention are now being
,o,,ebt in the Democratic organization The
IytrI faction and the anti-Hil faction are lining
: Cor control. The retirement of Richard
--oker from activity in the affairs OF the party
= che state, at least temporarily, has not left
~ Hi supreme. 1t is known that Mr. Hill
wis TO nominate Bird s. Coler for Governor.
-, ba will not be able TO do this without a
,ontest Keen observers believe that a coalition
- Tammany Kings County and such upstate
mort as can be secured is being effected to
- the nomination of Edward NJ Shenard
for Governor.
dinner was held in Brooklyn last week st
h,cb Coler was the guest of honor. At this
liver Senator P. H. McCarren made a speech
..tcb WAS construed as a tentative suggestion
., cojsr for the nomination for Governor On
saturday night at the Democratic Club Edward
N Shepard was the chief speaker at a recep-
+ion for Lewis Nixon. and this was taken to
indicate a desire on the part of Tammany to
,r,sb Shepard to the front The forces behind
these two men are feeling the strength Of each
otber and preparing for q battle.
One thing looms up prominently in this
nrospective contest. and that is the vantage
mint occupied by Kings County. Whichever
po. Il is thought Whether Kings will elect to
sunnort Coler or Shepard remains to be seen.
~oler has many warm friends in the Kings
county organization. They were not powerful
enough TO swing Kings to his support IN the
recent municipal struggle, but some think he
has added TO his strength since that time and
Will get his own county. It IS believed by poll
ticians generally that while Nixon attended the
Coler dinner and made a speech lauding Coler
he would prefer to have Shepard named, and
Will make a fight for his nomination. It is
possible that the adherents Of these two candi-
dates may become so tangled that a compromise
candidate will have to be chosen.
In the Tammany organization Nixons con-
tnuance Of power is considered precarious. The
leaders do not regard him with any degree of
frendliness, and seem TO show almost contempt
for his wishes. They stand by him simply be-
esuse that is Croker's mandate. At the same
time, there is much going on in the Tammany
organization. In nearly every district there will
be contest at the primaries this fall for leader
ship An effort is to be made to oust from lead
ershp many Of the old Croker men. If the
Croker wing in the organization be defeated, then
the executive committee and the finance commit
Zee will be reorganized along new lines Nixon
who is regarded simply as Croker's deputy for
the time being, may then be ousted II the
Croker faction wins, Nixon will stay IN at least
until Croker comes back
John c. Shechan and the leaders Of the Greater
New-York Democracy Will be factors to be reck-
oned with in the coming State convention.
sheehan will make fight in every district for
delegates TO the State convention. He will
probably win in two or three districts Under
The law these delegates will have to be seated IN
the convention, and nc committee on contested
seats can arbitrarily force them out. Sheehan.
It is expected. will be with Hill IN the conven-
ton This will draw some strength from Tam
many and carry IL over to Hill
Il was announced yesterday that aside from
ecntesting for delegates to the State convention,
sheehan and the leaders Of the Greater New
York Democracy would make attempt TO get
control Of Tammany. They prefer to maintain
an aggressive and independent organization,
With the ultimate view Of having IT recognized
Is the regular organization OF the party in the
c,ty, it was declared, to going into Tammany
with handful Of outlaw leaders and trying to
reform the organization from within.
The developments OF the next few months will
be watched with interest to see whether Hill will
win enough strength to force the nomination Of
coIer, or whether Kings and Tammany will
make a combination behind Shepard which will
be effective AS cited above, the attitude of
Kings NAV determine the whole matter, and
Kings County will be watched closely on this
sceount