New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-20
CALLS CITY ADS" CLUB.
QUINN ATTACKS MAYOR.
Editor Of "The Ne1cs" Tells AIder-
men Hoo He Lost Business.

Mayor Mcclellan was accused of coercion be-
fore the Finance Committee Of the Board Of
Aldermen yesterday afternoon by Thomas c.
Quinn, publisher Of The Daily News" and by
Alderman Henry Q. Peters The hearing was 10
get some light on the methods Of the Mcclellan
administration in designating papers 40 handle
the corporation Advertising Alderman Davies
presided.
Alderman Peters some time ago introduced a
resolution calling for a hearing, and D., was IN
hand yesterday to air his views. He saiI-
The Mayor, under the present law. has power
20 puy the editorial support Of papers I'm this
city by the bestoWaI of corporation advertising
amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars
year We have seen where this power has peeu
used and abused. l am not particular about
the feelings OF the Mayor. He never was elected
chief magistrate of this city He is a receiver
OF stolen goods
Thomas c. Quinn told how the corporation
advertising was taken away from his paper by
the Mayor, and how close Charles F. Murphy's
influence was with the Mcclellan administra-
tion prior to this year Mr.. Quinn said:
I am here to tell what know The first ez-
perience l had with city advertising was three
years ago, when Frank A. Munsey owned The
News and was managing editor Mr.. Muusey
decided TO abandon The News and / thought
saw chance to jump in and make some money
with H. The News at that time carrying
the corporation advertising 1t had been desig-
mated by a Board of City Record which stood
for something. To-day the Board Of City Record
stands for furthering the personal political am
bltionS OF one man. I consulted W j. X. Kenny
ana he told me that the corporation advertising
amounted to about $40 600 7 asked hin, how
best TO retain 1t for THE News"
went TO a friend i'm Wall Street and asked
MIN to lend me $4,000 the understanding
mat Ihe News would be continued a cor
poration paper and would get $4,000 i'm adver-
using Then to obtain the advertising. I went
ticI7io iatIes ti huIphy; VINO was al that par
tICular tlrne at Atlantic City. We had been des-
lsnated as an official paper by the Low admin
Isl lstrauon and wanted 1t to be continued as such
oy the Mcclellan administration. As soon as I
toid Murphy what 1 wanted, he said:
. re crazy. You'll get grayheaded and
die in the effort TO make money with that paper
rs dead. and nothing that you can do will bring
II back to life again.
I'm keep it going through next year." told
illIl' because you'll be wanting To ran McClel-
Ian for President in 1904 and you will need the
support Of paper like The News"
de assented to that proposition and told
ne Woulu neIp me as much as possible. As a
result of his assistance we were designated to
continue the advertising. The loan make by my
WaIi Street friend was repaid as promised We
continued as one of the official papers for year
and a half.
Along about Christmas. after Mcclellan was
reelected, l got dsgusted with the way things
were going at City Hall and I went to Charles
F. Murphy and told him that the way that good
organization heads of departments were being
turned down by Mcclellan was absolutely rotten
and that wouldn't stand for it Organiza-
ton paper. He said
We'll, this is a Tammany administration and
we'll have to stand it,
ABOUT January 10 a former Buffalo friend
called on me and told me that my editorial
policy was distastsfuI to the City Hall. and that
II did not change II 1 would lose the city ad-
yertising. At about the same time Corporation
Counsel Deany sent for me and told me the same
thing 1 defended the policy of the paper, and
then I was requested to call on the Mayor What
took place at the interview is known. With his
back to the wall and shaking his fist az me he
said.
you"
BY that I knew that he meant to throttle
me, and I repudiated him He had the power
to make good on his threat TO me. and he did
make good. he took the advertising away from
The News lie believed that taking it away
would ruin the paper, but 1t Is alive and VIII
90 Right after my interview with the Mayor
! telephOned Mr. Murphy and told him that I
was going TO expose the whole business and re-
pudiate the Mayor. He told me / was crazy.
said:
I'm not crazy. I'll stand up for the profess
sion 1 love and will tell the truth" We had
been paying the Securities Advertising Com
pany, owned by ". ]. K. Kenny and William
George Foster, 10 per cent commission on the
advertising. | thought that was q fair and
proper commission. Then Foster got control OF
the company and he demanded 10 per cent. I
went to Mr.. Murphy and told him that roster
was trying 10 sandbag me and that would not
stand it. Mr. Murphy advised me to make the
best Of it, Foster and the Mayor had me down
and L would make mistake in fighting them.
Colonel T. T Williams of The New York
American" made a statement to the committee
which in part was as follows.
We were carrying the corporation advertising
about two years ago. but we lost II because or
editorial criticism of the Mayor.
Question by Alderman Peters-Is it not
fact that after your first attack on Mcclellan
YOU were warned TO let up and that after you
came back at him harder than ever the adver-
ttsiug was taken from yOu2
Yes" said Colonel Williams. after the second
attack it showed
Referring TO commissions paid TO William
George Foster. Mr. Williams said:
We were told il would be TO our advantage
to pay Kenny and Foster 10 per cent on The bust-
ness but l would not allow II. Then Foster
came around and offered 10 take the business for
z per cent. and when found that he could be
Of use preparing the copy properly and collecting
bills we agreed allow him per cent. We
found that il cost at least per cent 20 do
what Foster was willing 10 do.
Alderman Davies said that there was a bill
before the Legislature making the Board Of
Estimate and Apportionment the designating
power in handling the city advertising.
ID gTnTVTAT