The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-30

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mua IN all sasss send stamps for that purpose. : ,
How New York Made De witt Clinton
Governor.
It will not be the first time II this year
the voters OF the State OF New York,
brushing aside machines and bosses.
make I'D their minds az to whom they
want TO seat In the Governors chair
and proceed to put him there. That was
what they did In 1917, although to all
appearances they were then inoompara-
bly, more muzzled and fettered than they
are to-day. The man whom tho voters
saw at to honor. and In whoeo behalf
they gave such proof Of their inherent
and inalienable power as seldom has
been paralleled, was DE WITT CLINTON,
who only two years before adtouched
the lowest point Of bis extraordinary
career, but who within Q twelvemonth
had risen like the phoenix from what
seemed a funeral pyre.'. 1t 10 a stirring
andmemorable story, tho recital OF which
for several reasons more orless obvious
fits the presenthours
The political situation In the State OF
New York at the opening Of 1s17difered
materially from that which exists just
now because, owing to there being no
approach toan equal division OF voters
among two or more parties, It was far
harder for a sAingle man, with-onlySthe
i~nariculate friendship Of the people.
behind him, to cope with the almost
reaistless power Of the preponderapt
organization. The once mighty Fed
eralist party although here and there
retaining sufficient local strength to
elect q State Senator or Assemblyman,
had shrunk to an insignificant rump.
OF the dominantR Republican, Democratic
party the faction which had lately been,
proud to call itself Clintonian had no
longer a yoioeinths Council Of Appoint
ment and but fewrepresentatYesi ntthe
Legislature. As the Council had the
right to mama almost everyState, county
and city official. IT had the power Of ar.
raging against an unwelcome aspirant
nearly $1,000 ofdoeholders, an army of
mercenaries that seems enormous when.
we bear in mind that the whole number
of votes cast In the State Of New York
in 1917 was only about $4,000. Nor was
it only the sheer weight Of the political
machinery against which an outsider
had to contend. The machine was
then manipulated by some Of the most
expert and astute politicians that the
Empire State has known, The chief en-
gineers were DANIEL D. ToMPK1Ns and
MARTIN VAN buren,.
When in 1915 CLINTON fell, appar-'
emily not to rise again, he was but
40 years Of age. he had been success
sively member OF the Assembly, State
Senator, United States Senator IA post
which he resigned to become Mayor Of
New York), Lieutenant-Go Governor, and
finally In 1912 a candidate for the Pres
idency Of the United States. Moreover,
although MADISON defeated him, he had
carried not only his own State, but New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode ISL
and, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware,
and had secured five votes in Maryland,
eighty-nine votes in all. After his loss
of the Presidency, however, it became
clear to friends and enemies alike that
his influence in the Republican Demo-
cratic party was waning. In 1915 the
Council OF Appointment deprived him OF
the Mayoralty Of New York city, an
office which he had filed with admirable
efficiency for ten years. His salary had
been spent in advance; in estate he was
bankrupt. Not for a moment, however,
did ne lose his dignity or courage.
How did DE WITT CLINTON seek
emergence from his isolation, his abase-
ment and his poverty? Since 1910 he
had been a member OF a canal COM
mission that had done next to moth
ing. Now he resolved, single handed,
to build the Erie Canal. By the begin
ming Of 1915 he had wrought public con-
fdence and enthusiasm to such a pitch
that the Legislature was constrained
against it's will to create a new canal
commission, with CLINTON at its head.
Quickly the commission reported an
estimate Of the course and cost of the
Erie and Champlain canals, and a bill
for the construction OF both waterways
was Immediately introduced. The swift
and momentous action produced an
electrifying impression throughout the
State. Henoeforth the only topics dis
GUESSED from New York to Buffalo were
the magnificent scheme Of opening a
navigable channel between the Hudson
and the lakes and the desirability of
having 1t built by the mar who had made
it's construction possible. This meant
the immediate and splendid rehabilita-
ton Of CLINTON and his elevation to the
post Of Governor.
But how was such advancement prac-
4icabls2 Governor, now Vice-President,
ToMPKIss was infoxibly opposed to
CLINTON: Attorney General VAN buren,
was against him. The Council Of Ap-
p~ointsnsfe was In the hands Of his
enemies. d, How could o nomination be
wrrng from tho Legislative caucus Of
Republican membere to which for many
years the business Of designating NOM
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