The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-24

| this same geographical reason was the
most potent in nearly encompassing
his defeat. This potential reason was
the state of New York. It was good
| tiona1 chairman after Nebraska, In
| diana and the west had been given
both places on the national ticket. But
it looked like hazardous politics to at
tempt to pick a New York Democrat
for the position because of the bitter
factionism apparent in the Democratic
ranks of the Empire state. 1t was
conundrum hard to solve. Mack pos
sessed the ideal qualifications; the
/ ideal personality and the ideal exper-
| fence for an ideal chairman-except
"Fingy' Connors. Mack was power
| in New York and fs-but there was
Corners Unfortunately both of these
| strong men were at the opposite ends
| of those Democratic factional tangles
which make New York famous. The
fact that Corners temporarily capituI-
ated and that Mack temporarily bur-
! led the Ratchet. was striking testimony
| to the political sagacity of both. Con-
ners agreed to the Mack appointment,
| in fact, Endorsed it. Mack publicly
announced that his prestige as ma
tional chairman Is not to De USED In
any way in New York state politics.
Until the first Tuesday after the first
Monday in November, therefore, the
Conner-Mack feud is to slumber. No
man who knows the men. however.
| harbors any doubt that the truce is
other than temporary. And thereby
hangs a tale-the tale of "F'ingy" Con-
ners.
= Today Corners is chairman of the
Democratic state committee of New
| York He is side partner to Charles
| F. Murphy of Tammany, in the com
| nlete control of Democracy in New
| York He was one of the most pow
erful figures in the Denver convention.
| He is richer far than is the ordinary
allotment of the American millionaire.
| His home is in Buffalo, where he rev.
els in the ownership of extensive prop
| erty He conducts one of the largest
business enterprises on the great
lakes. And 80 years ago he was the
| commonest sort of a dock wolioper.
such is the measure of glorious Amer
lean opportunities
His Life Story.
Corners was born in 1851 AT the
age of IL he was plunged In active Ire
&c Stewards assistant on one or the
i old lake passenger steamers. He served
in this and similar capacities until he
1 grew into the dawn OF his physlcai
strength Then he piled cordwood Tor
a railroad and hnaiiy graduated ih'o
~ This time Corners had lost his
| thumb and won his nickname. The
4 accented version of this interesting
tale saws that COnHeTS anu pay mat
were boasting back and forth of their
nerve. ct bet you" said the play
| mate, you amt got the noive to let
| me chop your fingy. I'll bet you
/ amt got the noive to chop it, said
the child Corners. They got cleaver.
! Corners laid his hand down on the
block and they both won. Down the
street ran youthful Corners waving his
bloody stump and yelling, HE chop
| ned me fingy" For the rest of his
career "Fingy'' Corners fought with
q crippled left hand and euphonious
nickname.
| Conners's first investments were IN
saloons. Two saloons in the dock dis
trict placed him in close touch with
docking activity. At the time of one
of the periodical violent strikes on the
Buffalo docks Corners found his
golden opportunity When the dock
laborers struck the lake steamship
companies had difficulty in securing
llongshoremen to handle their freight
and upon them fell the burden of the
strike. Corners stepped into the
| breach, approached the companies and
offered to unload the freight at a fixed
rate. He got contract from the
Union Steamboat company and he
/ handled his men soweH that he pleased
not only the transportation companies,
but the men themselves. From that