The sun., 1903-09-19
HILL TO CIRCUIT: DON'T ACCEPT
PLEA ~ SECRET SESSION FROM
DAVID II. TO COMPTROLLER,
Who Couldn't and Wouldn't See Why lie
Should Refuse Fusion denomination
Even II the Next Year IL Presidential
Year--Othcrs Rebel Against Hill.

David B. Hill came to town last Tuesday.
He did not register at the Hoffman House.
Con ptroller Grout, after having talk
with Mayor Low and other fusionsts on
that day, went up there and had dinner
with MIR. Hill
MIR. Hill, it was said last night, came
down for no other purpose than to impress
upon Mr.. Grout the advisability of not ac-
cepting a denomination for Comptroller on
the fusion ticket Democrats familiar with
the situation and thoroughly acquainted
with what happened between Mr. Hill and
Comp roller Grout said last night:
"Mr Hill told Mr.. Grout that he should
not accept a denomination for Comptroller
on the fusion ticket because the present
municipal fight occurs in a year before the
great Presidential fight, and everything
should be done to make the mayoralty
fight for 1903 strictly Democratic. Mr..
Grout demurred and told Mr.. Hill that he
accepted the nomination for Comptroller
in 1901 the year before the gubernatorial
canvass, and that no complaint was made
against him, though all were we'll aware
that the fight the following year was
presage in the State of New York for the
| national battle in 1904.
"Mr. Hill attempted in many ways to
| dissuade MIR. Grout from accepting the
nomination this year. and Mr. Grout, after
saying he would give full consideration to
! Mr.. Hills advice came out within twenty
/ four hours with his letter accepting the
| denomination of the fusion forces, and as
sertng that the municipal fight this year.
| just as in 1901, was a non-political one
| and that it was his duty to accept the re-
nomination"
There is much going on in Democratic
| politics which has not yet come to the
surface 1t was said last night that in
| view of the victory in Rensselaer, of the
Hon. Edward Murphy, Jr., associate United
| States Senator with MIR. Hill, some new
| things are to happen in the Democratic
State convention which is to meet next
spring and elect delegates al large to the
| Democratic national convention.
When Richard Croker a little more than
| a year ago went to Vantage and stated
| that he would not return TO this country
until after he Mayoralty fight Of this year,
| he did moi go without leaving friends behind
| him. Two of his strongest friends ara Mr..
Murphy and ex-tnited States Senat or James
| Smith, Jr., of New Jersey. A report was
| circulated last night by influential Demo-
Gratis. who said they knew what they were
! talking about, that aftef~tne MayOTdily
| fight this year another combine would be
organized against MIR. Hill, which would be
effective in the next Democratic State con-
vention; that is, that Tammany, possibly
withthe aid ofthe Kings County Democrats
and those of Erie and Rensselaer, would
make it impossible. just as it was made
| impossible in 1900 at Kansas City, for Mr..
! Hill TO have any prominence az Democratic
| represent ative from he State of New York
The basis for this statement, it was de-
clared, lay in the fact that since Mr.. Hill
has had absolute control Of the Democratic
State machine, he has made too many
blunders, as illustrated last year in the
Democratic State Convention, when he in
sisted on the nomination OF Coler although
every delegate in the convention wanted
Chief Judge Parker, and then went into
the fight leaving behind him three Demo-
! cratic Generals, Judge Herrick Of Albany,
Smith Weed of Clinton and Edward Murphy
of Rensselaer,, to shoot him in the back
and defeat his candidate for Governor.
Comptroller Grout was seen last night
and asked about his visit to Mr.. Hill. He
said; Il have nothing whatever TO say
about what occurred between Mr.. Hill and
myself on that OCCASION
Mr.. Grout, however, would neither deny
nor affirm that Mr.. Hill had begged him not
to accept the fusion nomination for Comp
troller on the ticket this year.