The National tribune., 1906-08-02
NEW YORK POLITICS.

| exciting stews in New York. In the first
place. there is said to be really no DEM
| ocratic Party in the Upstate country
since Ex-senator Hill retired. Every
! where there are number of able and
very respectable gentlemen who claim
to be Democrats and who keep up the
| forms of the Democratic Party, but
there is no get-up and hustle to them.
| Outside of New York City and Long
Island there are few. even. of County
| officers to make it worth while for any
body to work for the Democratic Party.
In every County in the State, except
New York, Kings, Queens, Richmond,
Democracy is so hopelessly in minor
ity that a Democratic ticket is a mere
the success of Hearst in securing In
dorsement for Governor in several Up
state Counties. In New York City there
Is a fight for the strategic position In
the Democracy between Hearst and Nc
Clellan. Mcclellan is maneuvering to
pry Charles f. Murphy loose from the
control of Tammany Hall, and in this
Mcclellan has the assistance of Timothy
D. Sullivan, who is claimed to be the
most powerful man in Tammany. Nc
Clellan's success involves the nomina
ton of District Attorney Jerome for
Governor and a whirlwind campaign
which will shake up the dry bones of
the Upstate Democrats. put new life
| into the party. and, many think, land
Jerome in the Gubernatorial chair with
| a majority which will be startling to
the political bosses of both parties all
| over the country. Jerome has been out
West making speeches and adding to his
Reputation. If Murphy can keep his grasp
/ on the Tammany throttle-valve he will
support Hearst for Governor and play
his cards to elect eight Tammany Judges
when he will cut loose from Hearst and
leave the editor of the American to shift
for himself. Hearst is in the field with
| his own organization. the Independents,
and is laboring with the intensity of a
farmer in the hay field before an ap-
preaching rain to secure an indorse-
ment from the Democratic State Con-
vention, when he hopes that he can
read his title clear to the Governorship
of New York. He is working the martyr
racket for every possible cent, and it
looks likely that the Legislature made
mistake in denying him an opportuni-
ty for a recount of the votes. The pos
sibilities of his carrying New York are
regarded IS unusually bright, and this
makes him a very formidable factor in
all political calculations. Mcclellan is
said to have already enlisted AZ of the
| 10 leaders of Tammany on his side. If
he succeeds in nominating Jerome. then
Hearst will run Independently and it Is
up to the Republicans to set their house
in order for a fight to the finish with all
the elements in New York which are
greatly dissatisfied with the bosses on
both sides.
On the Republican side there are bit
| ter factional fights, with Gov Higgins
as the storm center. Gov. Higgins does
not really want to run again, since he
has domestic troubles that make him
wish to retire. His son. whom he has
been training for his successor, has de-
veloped tuberculosis. which takes the
| heart of the father out of the political
game The main motive to keep him in
/ the fight is the badgering to which he
| has been subjected by the Odell faction
and others. While he has not made a
strong Governor and while he has not
been popular Judging by the vote. he is
plucky. obstinate man. and resents be-
ing forced out under fire. He feels that
| he has done right. and certainly has
| done the best he could, and that his
Administration should have the indorse-
ment of a denomination. He believes
| that he can be reelected, but this be-
| lief is not shared by many of his warm
est friends, who recall that more than
| $4,000 Independents cut him when he
ran for Governor two years ago. 1t IS
charged that the Odell faction is cum
ningly badgering him to force him to
run again. and secure his overwhelming
defeat as matter of personal pique
and revenge.
The attention of the Republicans is
| strongly drawn to Charles E. Hughes,
tie great insurance investigator, as the
man to most surely carry the party
through He is now in Europe, but it is
thought that he would accept the nomi-
nation if 1t came to him in the right
shape. The Republican politicians. how
ever, are not cordial to him, and will
only accept his candidacy under strong
pressure They say that IL they are
going TO have a professional reformer
they had as well have Jerome at once,
whose election would not have so much
political significance. Jerome, on the
other hand, has lost some strength in
| New York County, because of a belief
that he has been lukewarm in prosecut-
| ing the insurance grafters.
ESCAPE FROM LIBBY.
The recent account of the Streight
raid in The National Tribune brings up