The San Francisco call., 1908-10-04
'Fingy' COnnOrs Has Serious
Aspirations for Senate
Believed That Candidacy Is Supported by
William J. Bryan for Political Favors
BY C. c. Carlton

NEW YORK. Oct. 3.--Although all
Of New York is laughing at "Fingy''
Connors' senatorial aspirations he him
self seriously regards his ambition to
sit in the "Mil1ionaires club at Wash
ington, which is but another name for
the United States senate. And Fenem-
bering that others no better qualified
than Connors have occupied seats in
that distinguished body, two of whom
hailed from the state of California, his
high ambition is not so surprising. Fur
thermore, The Call correspondent was
told today by one who is Intimately
associated with the New York demo-
cratic campaign that Connors candk
dacy is supported by Bryan himself
1t will be recalled that, when Bryan
two months ago was casting about for
a suitable national chairman to con-
duct his campaign the number of eli
gible men for this position was, by the
process of elimination, reduced to two
or three names, among which was that
of Norman E. Mack of Buffalo. Mack
was New York's member of the ma
tional democratic committee and was
regarded by his fellow members of
the committee as good businessman
and most sagacious politician; and
one. moreover who could harmonic
New York state democratic factions
This last is what appealed to Bryan
for Notwithstanding the doubts ex-
pressed by his advisers, who declared
that efforts made in New York state
would be waste Of ammunition, the
Nebraskan held otherwise and, fiattered
by a magnificent ovation he was ten
dered at Madison Square garden sew
eral years ago, on his return from
Europe was led TO believe that the
people of New York state, who once
regarded him as dangerous enemy to
business interests, had experienced a
change of heart toward him. Bryan
labored with his advisers to convince
them against their will that New York
state was debatable ground. He in
sisted that his stanch friend, Norman
Mack, was just the man for national
chairman But there was one obstacle
in the way of Mack's selection-"Fingy"
Connors, the chairman of the New
York state democratic committee. He
and Mack are rival newspaper pub
fishers in Buffalo and had been bitter
political enemies for years. Connors
was in Buffalo when Bryan and his
associates met in Chicago on July 25
to choose a chairman, and the Nebras
kan made an appeal to ConnorS to
agree to the selection of Mack as ma
tional chairman It is related that
Connors was immensely pleased and
fiattered by this appeal, coming as 1t
did from the distinguished presidential
nominee and Connors confided to
friends that he felt highly compli-
mented. But a mere compliment was
not to be the price of his submission.
This is not the Connors style. The
terms must be more substantial, for 1t
would cost Connors a sharp heart pang
to see his ola time rival, Mack, elevated
/ to so high a place as national chair
man. Now ''Fingy" had long cherished
q dream--it was only dream-of some
day being a great national politician
and statesman, ana, perhaps (who
knew, he might some day sit among
the mtllionaires in the United States
senatel
Connors, after meditating over the
Bryan proposal concluded that hand
some reward should be the price OF his
consent, and the more he thought OF
it the greater grew his ambition.
Finally he confided to his friends that a
seat in the United States senate should
not be beyond his reach. These friends
telephoned this to Bryan's friends in
Chicago and the rest was easy. My
informant, who was in Buffalo at the
time, recalls how Connors spent con-
siderable time one afternoon in and
out of a telephone booth trying to get
Charles F. Murphy, the Tammany chief
tain, on the long distance telephone.
Murphy was at his country place at
Good Ground, but after repeated efforts
telephone connection was secured. Now,
whether the wire connection between
Buffalo and Good Ground, n. Y, was
poor. or whether it was natural for
Connors. who was born and bred a
longshoreman, to shout at the, top of
his voice. it is certain that Connors'