New-York tribune., 1903-07-25
HOT FIGHT IN XXYIST.
Skaters Friends attack StrasbOurger
Gibbs Declared Real Leader.

As told exclusively in Thursdays Tribune
friends of ex-senator Samuel S. Slater are organ
izing a movement TO depose Tax Commissioner
Samuel StrqsbOurger as the Republican leader Of
the XXXIst Assembly District. The Slater forces
have flooded the district with circular attacking
Mr.. Strasbourger. in which it is charged that he
Is subject to the will of Fred S. Gibbs in the
naming Of nominees for office and delegates TO
conventions The circular cites the presence OF
Robert C. Morris, the former chairman of the Re
publican County Committee. the executive COM
rnlttee OF the XXSIst Assembly District of which
Mr- Morris is not a resident, as proof of Mr.
strasoourger's subserviency to Mr. Gibbs. The
circular says:
committee con Of your district although he lives in
th te tH1HdAth Assembly District The day before
me ticket was printed last fall be voted for at
that primary Fred Gibbs by telephone instructed
Morris should be placed on the executive Commit +
tee from his district. The facts are beyond ques-
non that the political affairs Of this district the
nominees for office and delegates to convention are
Fred Gibbs nT The eonfroea aTieG not by you but by
exc; executive committee though nonresident Of
this district is only one of the facts prove this
Mr.. Strasbourger's alleged interference with the
election Of delegates to conventions and the nam
ing OF important committees is set forth in the
circular as follows:
The, majority of election district captains are
ofilceh9ders whose tenure is absolutely dependent
invited TO submit names delegates TO the various
these delegates proposed by a captain mot elected
by an election district) upon the primary ticket
only where In each instance the delegate was first
absolutely pledged to vote in convention for the
men who had been picked by him under his guide
Vent1onS for Congress and Senate Men proposed
who would either not make pledge about
whom there was an uncertainty not placed
upon the primary ticket
The circular adds:
When one one man can name a committee TO per.
petuate himself in Office TO the extent OF
nominating a nonresident of this district as a
member of its executive committee; when man
packs conventions to nominate candidates, de-
baucheS the political rights of election district
and disregards their delegates to conventions when
the chief characteristic is private gains by any
means, knowing no rule but eXpediency and hav-
ing practice but that the end juStifies the
means-then il becomes a service to the party
and to the organization of the party that mem
bers of that organization unite to place these facts
before you and ask you then to choose between a
continuance of such methods a correction in
the system to prohibit their repetition.
Mr.. Saters friends have begun the publication
of a weekly newspaper the first issue Of which
was scattered broadcast throughout the district
yesterday. In an announcement of the policy and
purpose of the paper the following paragraph ap-
pears:
We believe that it is time that the Republicans
of district understood the importance OF getting
rid of the regime OF which Samuel Strasbourger
is the head. We believe that RepublicanlsH STANDS
for good citizenship, and we cannot reconcile that
belief with the acceptance of this mans leader
ship He has done everything IN his power 10
ALLEVIATE the independent vote in the district ana
insult the regular Republicans whose interest IN
the party is not based on the amount or patronage
that they get out of it.