The sun., 1907-04-14
POLITICAL NOTES.

POLITICAL NOTES.
Every now and then former Governor
Frank s. Black is urged to come to the front
in an effort to unite the incoherent and shat
| tered forces of the New York Republican
State organization. Mr. Black declines TO
undertake the task. and the organization
or what is left of IL. is In sorry shape, more so
perhaps than at any time since its utter DEM
| olition in the first years OF the Stalwart-
Halfbreod war twenty-five years ago. AZ
present the affairs OF the Republican party
in the State are at the lowest point OF EN-
| cheney, In the Judgment Of those who have
carefully scrutinized the situation.
Gov. Hughes is spoken Of by his unfriendly
| critics in the party as "intOlerant and mex
! perienced." and with such an alleged COM
bination of characteristics he cannot hope
to unite the party 80 that it. can be put 10
fighting trim next year.
Former Governor Odell demonstrated, in
the estimation Of even his friends, that he has
not the temperament for successful leadership
| OF the party He was arrogant, but ex-
| perienced. intOlerant and unconciliatory.
He seemed to be utterly Oblivious to the
everlasting truth of the Biblical fgurattve
precept: They that take the sword shall
perish by the sword
| Senator Platt has favorite saying that
| man can live too long. and the Senator has
lived to see the once splendid organization
which he built up by courage, gentleness,
conciliation, tireless energy and enduring
persistency turned into the shabbiest sort Of
! wreck.
| But then, the Republican organization men
| recall the Democratic organization Of the
! Empire state is also torn by factona feuds
! and is in as woeful plight AS the Republican
! organization and perhaps is slightly more
distrusted. Both organizations. the Bepub-
! lican and the Democratic. have been called
upon to shoulder too many burdensome
| personalities, according to dsinteTested OBJ
servers. There is, ii is added. always in
! political organizations nodicum OF get
! even politics" but in recent years il would
! appear that the first and last impulse OF the
day of majority of the politicians in the two
organizations has been an effort TO even up
| an alleged afront or jealous desire to uproot
! and destroy the more fortunate of their fell
! lows In the individual turbulent race for
! place and Nower the efficiency of the two
political organizations OF the state has been
| well nigh destroyed.
| The favorite Washington adage these days
! ~: You cannot put new wine into old skins
Eight Democratic national committeeman
! met secretly in Washington recently and
! declared against either William a. Bryan or
| Gov IIoke Smith as the Democratic Presi-
| dental candidate next year. When you ask
| for details of the conference every one OF the
| eight thumpS his heart and VOWS by all that
Is politically holy that no such conference
| took place either in Washington or any other
| spot in the country. Also that each and every
one OF the eight. individually and collectively.
! would deny under his own name that any
such conference took place. Nevertheless
| IL is known that the conference did take
| place in Washington with the result mem
toned. No Bryan and no Hoke Smith for
! them.
! Senator Benjamin Martin Wilcox OF Auburn
! said the other evening that the police force
| OF New York city will never be taken ont of
| politics until State constabulary bill has
been passed and signed at Albany. Others
| contend that Senator WilcoXs suggestion
! would mean state police political machine
instead of a New York city police political
/ machine
George W. Aldridge, Republican master
| OF Monroe county for many years, tells his
friends that he is about ready to quit New
York State politics forever. and yet he believes
| it advisable to hold on until he has nominated
Senator Thomas d. Dunn to be Mayor of
/ Rochester.
| In the experience OF practical politicians
| the irst concern Of an alleged refOrmer on
attaining public office is to construct political
| machine TO further his future political aspira-
| tions.
Big Tim Sullivan has given little OF no heed
| to Tammany politics since election day and
| some OF his friends are convinced that he
is about TO retire from the field altogether
| In that event Little Tins friends believe that
he ought TO be leader OF Tammsny to succeed
Charles r. Murphy. They will not. however
| make move in that direction. it was asserted,
until Big Tim has forever and effectually
oil
in the bailiwick where for so many years he
has been the czar Of local politics.
Already New York city Democrats are
| beginning to talk about candidates for Mayor
| to succeed Mayor Mcclellan Oh January l.
1910. Without the slightest doubt there are
evidences that the three foremost Democrats
who are being quietly groOmed for the Mayor
atty nomination are Corporation Counsel
Ellison, President McCiowan of the Board OF
Aldermen and Comptroller Metz. All three
in the Judgment OF their adherents, are. like
Mayor Mcclellan. high grade Democrats.
From time to time reports are heard Of an
effort to retire William J. Conners Of Buffalo
as chairman OF the Democratic State COM
mittee of New York and the election Of Patrick
f. McCabe of Albany in his place. II is
known that a movement to that end has been
under way for q month or more; also, that
those in charge of il believe that eventually
they will secure the signatures of n majority
OF the State committee and the next step
contemplated is meeting Of the committee
! and the unseating OF Mr.. Conners.
One Of the dreadfully momentous and all
absorbing bits of New York city political
gossip is that President Parsons Of the Hepub-
; lcan county committee recommended that
part Of Gov. Hughes's message which advo-
Gated a recount bill for the Mayoralty election
Of 1905 in return for Mayor McClesn's ap-
, pontment OF Thomas J.. Hamilton, a stout
Odell adherent, to be a Tax Commissioner to
succeed Samuel =. Strashourger
Many Democratic political pilgrims Nend
their way these davs to Princeton to consult
with former President Cleveland They do
not all speak of Mr.. Cleveland as n possible
candidate Of tho Democracy next year, but
they like TO talk To him, to get his views and
to listen to suggestions as 10 the wisdom or
unNisdon Of certain contemplated action
In the Immediate future.
Yet a few Of MIR. Clevplands visitors have
returned and proclaimed his utter availa-
hity for the Democratic Presidential nomina-
tion next year. The Bryan and the Hearst
adherants would without the slightest doubt
bitterly oppose Mr.. Cleveland at the polls
and the machinery Of the Democratic national
organization. as at present con StruCtp ed would
StrenuOusly oppose his nomination. with
the nomination In hand tbOu,yh