The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-13
Mr., BELMONT As A POLITICAL
WRECkER.

..arks were dire cted against August Belmont,
rrorber OF the executive committee OF
,.a Democratio national committee, but
Ing no place whatever in the Demo-
"s,,hc state organization OF New York.
Tho consensus on the part Of these
o,mocrats wa that the two stupidest
n.mocrats in the Empire State were Charles
= Murphy and Mr.. Belmont. As q matter OF
Zoo, il was said that there was something
ere than stupidity in their conduct and
,hot this had been observed particularly
si,ca last fall. when Mr.. Murphy declined
90 rut william Travers jerome on the Demo-
.ro,ic county ticket; also that Mr.. Hearst's
Ito for Mayor OF New York city recorded
=, emphatic and practical protest against
she domination Of such bosses az MIR. Murphy
I'D BENJAMIN b.. Odell, Jr. II wa the
a,s;tiyo opinion also hat had Tammany
Iouinatod Mr.. Jerome last fall an effective
n,ictus would have been put upon the
Hearst movement. Boss Odell, it was
-nmarked. could not very well nave nomi-
n,,cd Mr.. jerome last fall because he was
in A deal with MIR. Hearst by which Boss
Odell was to throw his Republican machine
,o,e for Mayor to Mr.. Hearst, in reoompense
Cor which Mr.. Hearst and his followers
voted for Boss Odell's candidates for the
posrd Of Aldermen. Boss Odell by this
method Inundated his Republican can
did,te for Mayor, William NJ. WINS, to the
last degree. That Mr.. Hearst in refusing
A. ppt Mr.. Jerome on his ticket for District
Attorney was quite as much Of a political
boss as either Mr.. Murphy or Mr.. OdeIl
was overlooked in November last in the
de,ermined effort Of the people of this city
70 smash both Boss Odell and Boss Murphy.
Immediately after election day Demo-
crats who had been Democrats since SamueN
! Tilden's time began TO plan for this year,
Gubernatorial campaign, All turned to ef
Supreme Court Justice D-Cady Herrif'
who as the Democratic candidate For
Governor in 1874. Presidential year, }ad
made a most marvellous run. As a nftter
4 fact, all kinds of Democrats and alEinds
n ~Pepublicans have made il very plain
sincg the Higgins-Herrick campaiN that
the popularity Of President Hosevelt
pulledUiggins through in 1904. Te Demo-
Gratis TUNED to Judge Herrick folthe pur-
pose Of Nisting his interest inthe State
Campaignthis year. They kneThim to be
an EXPERIENCED campaigner, they were
perfectly aware that he was Democrat
ofthe highest s,andin g and perSnal probity'
snd they naturally turned to sch a man for
help in unfying the Dem5ratls forces
above the Bonx line.
All Of the country Democrats in every
county of tn, State knew Judge Herrick.
and while not always agreeing with him in
past years on fractional hes thoroughly
respected him and knew tm to be a con-
scientious and consistent democrat. David
r. Hill and judge Herricl had not agreed,
Herrick always aking ne Cleveland side
of Democratic p,litics n the State. Het
Mr.. Hill on Janua,y /, los, had voluntarily
retired from all a,tive participation in the
Democratic affairs of NE State, according
10 his declaration made in August, 1904.
BY common consent, therefore, by natural
choice, by the right IL his experience and
his high personal character Judge Her
rick since his defea for Governor in Novem-
Der, 1904, had comao be booked upon as the
Democratic leaderfor the counties above
the Bronx hne.
Early this year Judge Herrick got to work
in an effort to uplif@and Upbuild the Demo-
cratic organizationin all the counties above
the Bronx. He discussed the situation
with the Democratic State committeeman
and the Democratic county leaders and
in many Parts G the State organized
conferences OF Democrats for the purpose
Of u~nifying the Democratic forces pre-
liminary to the great political contest
this fall. The factthat this falls political
campaign in the safe will be the last be-
fore the Presidential year OF 1908 was not
overlooked by Judge Herrick. He called
20 his aid eX-Repesentative Francis Bur-
ton Harrison, ons of the cleanest lived
and most exper fenced Of the younger Demo-
Gratis of the party Mr.. Harrison had been
the candidate for Lieutenant-Governor on
the Herrick ticket of 1901. Judge Her
rick not only consulted with the upstate
Democrats, but at his suggestion Mr.. Har-
rson visited many counties in the State
and there was a tingle Of encouragement
In the hearts of the upstate Democrats.
They saw that two men we're working
day and night to do something for the
party. These Democrats we're Just hungry
to encourage Judge Herrick and Mr.. Har-
rison and they took hold with eagerness
and declared that the Democratic organi-
cation would make the welkin ring this
November.
Things ran splendidly until early spring
when suddenly Judge Herrick decided that
II was time for him Ia quit. Many Demo-
Gratis had believed that Mr.. Harrison would
make a splendid chairman Of the Democratic
State committee TO succeed Cord Meyer
This was coupled with a story hat Judge
Herrick, after his valiant fight in 1904, ought
70 he nominated again for Governor this
year. At the time hat Judge Herrick
quit his work in the upper counties to up
build the Democratic organization Mr.
Harrison declared that he could no Longer
BE- considered a candidate for Mr.. Meyer
place. Mr.. Meyer had gone to Europe
the Hearst people began to ir
all Of the upstate counties and by method
best known to themselves TO secure contro
OF Assembly district conventions.
Looking around for explanations as to VIII
Judge Herrick had thrown up his efforts L
unity the party in the upstate counties
and for Mr.. Harrison's announcement tina.
he could no longer be considered a can
didate for Democratic State chairman i
was asoertained that both August Belmon
and Mr. Murphy not only objected to Mr.
Harrison as Democratic State chairman
but had positively declined even to lister
In thu - II