The sun., 1904-08-30
HILL SORELY, DISAPPOINTED.
THE REASON FOR HIS PLEDGE
TO QUIT Politics.
Ills Desire 10 Nominate stanchleld for
Governor Opposed Even by McCarren.
and His Own Ambitions Have Failed
No Stir Over His Purpose to Retire.

Governor OppO6eu Even DS mcNStrens
and His Own Ambitions Havo Failed
No Stir Over His Purpose to Retire.
David b. Hills announcement that he
intends to retire from politics next Jan.
didn't seem to stir up much excitement in
this city yesterday. Even Mr.. Hills own
friends took his statement calmly and re-
fused to allow themselves to become ex-
cited over the threat that after the n ew
wear they will lose their leader. Some
Democrats took It as a joke.
At the Democratic national headquarters
Mr.. Hills stated purpose to retire from
politics was not commented upon. Thomas
Taggart, William F. Sheehan and Cord
Meyer individually declined to discuss it
for publication. So far as they were con-
cerned they did not seem to care whether
Mr.. Hill retires or not. There was more
gossip down at Democratic State head
quarters and the general purport Of 1t was
to this effect
The probability is that Mr.. Hill has
been invited to make an announcement
of this kind to counteract the impression
that in the event Of Judge Parker's cleo
ton, he, Hill will be asked to take seat
in the Cabinet. The prospect Of Hill be-
coming Secretary OF State has been taken
in earnest up the State, and the interests
OF Judge Parker are being correspondingly
ieopardized. The likelihood is that the
statement made by Mr.. Hill is another
instance OF the determination Of Judge
Parker to be his own boss"
Democrats in Mr.. Hills confidence ac-
cepted the statement Of MIR. Hills proposed
retirement on Jan in entire good faith,
and they gave the reasons They admitted
that while Mr.. Hill had not made his an
nouncement in the first person, they recalled
that outside of his public speeches Mr.
Hill has seldom, at least in recent years,
given to the newspapers any matter per-
sonal to himself in personal interview.
In recent years, according to these friends
OF Mr. Hill, he has spoken only through
the medium OF his public speeches. except
once. This was Immediately after his
return from st. Louis, in July. when he
handed out at Albany a contradiction
written in the first person, to the effect that
lie had received any despatch from Judge
Parker while at st. Louis.
These personal friends OF Mr.. Hill went
on to explain why they believed 1t to be
true that this would be his last campaign
as Democratic State leader. Interviewed
in bunch they say:
mfr. Hill was down here last week and
discussed freely with his friends the advis-
ability of nominating his friend John b.
Stanohfield for Governor this year. Mr..
Hill has always believed. and certainly Mr..
Stanchfield has believed, that had he been
nominated for Governor in 1898 he would
have beaten Theodore Roosevelt.
Mr.. Stanchfieh could have been nomf-
mated for Governor he has always insisted,
if Mr.. Hill had stood at his back against
Hugh Mclaughlin, Richard Croker and
Edward Murphy, DR., but Mr. Hill, instead
Of fighting that combination, flung up the
sponge, greatly to Mr.. stanchfeld's sorrow
and disappointment. 1t was this same
combination, which had nominated Augustus
Van Wyck for Governor in 1893. which gave
Mr.. Stanchfleld the nomination for Gov
ernor in 1900, when there was no possibility
Of Stanchfeld's election.
Mr. Hill, on his visit to town last week,
recounted to many Democrats all OF these
circumstances, and stated 1t to be his be-
lief that Mr.. Stanchfeld should be nomi-
mated this year. Mr.. Hill was opposed in
this matter. Senator McCarren, who stood
beside Mr. Hill for Judge Parkers nomina-
ton, declared that he was heart and soul
for Comptroller Grout's nomination and
that he wouldn't and couldn't be for any
body else Senator McCarren, under the
unit rule, will control the entire Kings
county delegation in the State convention.
while Mr.. Hill had no communication
on his visit with Charles +. Murphy, leader
Of Tammany Hall. he learned that Mr..
Murphy, under the unit rule, will control
the entire Tammany delegation at the State
convention. and that Mr. Murphy Is
unalterably opposed to the nomination Of
Mr.. Sanchfeld. number OF other infiu-
ential Democrats told Mr.. Hill that Stanch-
field wouldn't do and he might as well
give up all thought Of Stanchfield
MIR. Hill learned on this visit that Edward
Murphy, Jr. with whom he has beenrecently
reconciled, was opposed to stanchfeld. and,
furthermore. he learned that the Erie
county Democrats would not listen to the
proposition to nominate Stanchfield.
In addition to this news about Mr..
Stanchield, Mr. Hill also was informed
that his policy OF personal feeling against
tho nomination OF Edgar M. Cullen for Chief
Judge Of the Court OF Appeals was wholly
opposed to the views Of Democratic leaders,
who believed that everything In the shape
Of personal feeling should be subordinated
W VIC cuoit W cicSt Vuusc di hSi w tHN
Presidency. They told Mr.. Hill that they
believed that Judge Cullen should be nomi-
mated, no matter whether the Republicans
nominated Judge Cullen or not.
Many Of Mr.. Hills old friends have dis
trusted his political judgment FOR some
time past. We believe that Mr.. Hill is
utterly sincere In hin proposed retirement.
We are convinced also that the announce
ment at this time must be accepted as coin
client with the disappointment with which
Mr. Hills views were me: on bis last visit
10 New York. when he consulted the Demo-
Gratis as to Stanchfeld and Cullen
Ex-United States Senator Edward Muir
nhy said this to some Of his old friends:
Mr.. Hill is greatly changed man.
Some people have told me that Mr.. Hill
at 81 could not change the mentality of a
lifetime I disagree with them entirely.
Mr. Hill has been changed from the mo-
ment that ne became convinced that he
could never he nominated for President
by his party. He has desired. however,
TO finish his work by helping to nominate