The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-07
GOSSIP FROM NEW YORK
BY JOHN mARTHoL.
Murphy Faces His First Great Political BateMcClelan Tor Mayor Wcox forPresident of the Republican Committee

New York June 6.-Murphy's suprema- cy as the man who-must- -obeyed will be built on a foundation of granite or on a foundation of ice. Whether granite or ice will not be discovered until the vote is counted in November He will be held responsible for the general result. It will not be victory to pile up an effective vote in the Borough of Manhattan alone. What will it profit the Tammany boss If he wins all of Manhattan. yet loses the mayoralty? The votes of Kings. of Queens, of Richmond are not wholly con trolled by the wise vote-getters of Tam many. In the Bronx and in Richmond, the influence of Tammany Is powerful; In Kings and Queens, the democrats have a leader of their own. Murphy, there fore. will not approach the polls with all his troops under his leadership. Me Laughln of Kings is a general, jealous of power and perogatives. Hence Mur- phy must be a diplomat until the nomi- nations are made to secure places on the slate with the consent of Mclaughlin and the general of one wing during the battle. Either one can destroy the oth-
 
 trict can do two things They can obey any orders without asking a question and they can fight for votes from sun rise to sunset. When the vote Is count ed they want the result to be decisive "We are in" or We are out" If vic- tory they shout and swear never-dying loyalty; if defeat, they visit 1t upon the boss" No explanations are necessary; a new boss is wanted. Murphy must win or lose He will be the man who is to lead or the man to hand over his scepter
 For the battle Murphy Is laying plans. Mclaughlin wants Coler nominated; Murphy wants Mcclellan. Tammany be- lieves that by yielding place at the last election to Shepard, of Kings, for mayor, and to Color for governor, Kings has no claims. It Is said that Mclaughlin will yield the mayoralty place to Tammany if the comptrollership Is given to Kings. The question then is: twill Murphy push Mcclellan" The chief merit in his nomination lies in the fact that the congressman is the son of the late Gen eral George B. Mcclellan, a distinguish ed civil engineer and successful general who went down to defeat at the polls be- fore Abraham Lincoln, and was elected governor of New Jersey. Individually he carries water on DOtn BnOulOerS. lie would be placid. docile and scheming for higher office, if elected mayor. He is Tammany from heels to head, and would be as obedlent as Van Wyck I can not believe he will be nominated. Murphys chair warmers say that if Mcclellan be- comes impossible, Murphy will probably put forward James w. Gerard. Gerard is a lawyer of eminence, of fortune. and with an established place in the world. He would make strong candidate.
 
 Nathan Straus, a prince among mer- chants noted for his philanthropy and independence of character, regards the national political situation as one which points to the election of a democratic President. He is firmly convinced that the trend of the times is unmistakably in opposition to the present conduct of af fairs. He believes that the vote which caused a tidal wave for Cleveland will in the coming year sweep the standard bearer of the democratic party into of- flee. It is significant of the times to hear a man of Mr. Strauss position in the commercial world declare his confidence that the people are in favor of a return to the plain rule and the economical measures which prevailed before the "era of prosperity
 WllldHl w litOAs pIcsiuenl OI l0t Park board, has been an uncompromising supporter of President Roosevelt. He has not been tmid In his utterances. He has spoken and he. has written in behalf of the renomination of his ideal chief. Wilcox is a lawyer by profession, a bachelor, and has one hobby, politics. It made no difference to him how the great party leaders felt in regard to the Presi- dent, he, Wilcox, was Roosevelt man. Mir Morris has left vacancy in the presidency of the New York County Re- publican committee. and I understand the position is open for Wilcox. Weth- CT he will take 1t or not depends on cir cumstances. For reasons, MT. Wilcox prefers that 1t shall go to some other in- f1uentiai republican. He will be largely influenced by the Presidents wishes, the President taking great interest in all the details of the local machinery in this county and state.
 William L. Stow, who is recognized as one of the most able financiers in the Wall street circle, has made a careful study of the resources of Mexico it's trade and monetary conditions, and he says: Mexican railroad properties will be very attractive to United States in- vestors from this time forward. Mexico is the coming Fl Dorado. It only re- quires that it's currency system be placed on a stable basis to make it a country second in importance only to the United