New-York tribune., 1909-12-20
MENkEN TO CRITICS
DEPENDS HIS LEAGUE
Democratic Body Not a Side
Shoe, He Says.

Since the publication Of the letter OF A. J..
Johnson to Charles F. Murphy assuring the
latter that he understood from StanwoOd
S. Menken. one Of the leaders Of the Dem
ocratic League that 10 one would be placed
at the head of the TeOrganizers who was
not IN sympathy with the Tammany boss,
Mr. Menken has been besieged by inquiries
regarding the independence of mis- move
ment.
Mr.. Menken gave out a letter yesterday
which may be assumed TO be a fair sample
of others. and also made public his reply
to the anxious inquirer In the latter he
affirmed that the purposes of the Demo
cratic League was to strengthen the Demo-
cratic party working with existing local
institutions wherever that might prove pos
sible.
The letter to Mr. Menken. which was
pointed. was written by Joseph D. Baucus,
a lawyer, Of No. 40 Wall street. He wrote
In the light of letters just published in
The New York American" will you kind
" inform me whether or not the Demo
cratic League is being conducted by you
and the Executive 131 committee as a SIDE
Are you, Judge O'Brien, Thomas NJ. Os-
borne and the other promoters or this
movement acting I'm gOO1 faith or are
YOU not? Is this a movement to strength
en- the Democratic party in state and ma
ton, or to further personal ends l VIII
await your answer with interest,". .,o
In any event | propose 10 get TO me
bottom of this matt,r at the next public
meeting of the Democratic League.
This letter and your reply Will not he
treated bv me as confidential communica-
tiOns The Democrats who have Joined
this movement in good faith to strengthen
the party i'm state and nation have a right
and will insist upon knowing the facts and
all OF them
In reply Mr.. Menken denied most en-
phatically that the movement was to be
a side show OF Tammany Hall. Its sole
purpose" he said, rs the advancement OF
the party in state and nation, and II you
doubt this YOU will have to rely on the
life, character and reputation OF the
Democrats you refer To as the promoters
of the league.
Mr. Menken continued:
AS to the practical side of the situation.
having these objects in view. the persist
ent endeavor has been 10 md means ny
which the strength of local organizations
I'm all communities could best he USED SO
as to cause Self-reSpecting independent
Democrats to cooperate with the party
| believe in organization. and in the rank
and file of the Democracy, ana thlnk lhat
while III the past. IN many instances, poor
nominations have been made, IL Is IN
measure because the leaders have peeh
or class of men who would have been
welcomed had they been willing 10 accept
office and II the same class or men had
been able to speak for the party would
have lent their influence FOR better canql-
dates and in opposition 10 the use OF tne
party as a means for personal enrich
ment.
OF course many persons in the league
would prefer fight on the organization
and in ali conversations with organization
men, OF whom [ know many, | have told
them frankly and freely of this attitude or
my friends. and that I neither would, nor
could in any way attempt To commit men
of the character of those enrolled in the
league TO work with the organizatOn-a
fact which is borne out by the failure or
the league TO take any position during
the last campaign. which fact seems TO
me an absolute negation Of any SuSses-
ton that the league IS TO be deemed an
annex of Tammany
While | have been thus frank in my
expression of personal independence tow
ard the organization. | have endeaVOred
to bring about a condition by which the
organization leaders would be enabled TO
see the wisdom of agreeing TO the nOnlna-
ton Of high class men for Congress and
for state offices, and would stand for
platform that meant something. stating
that if they could obtain such nominations
and such a platform that | would use
my best endeavOrs to obtain support for
ticket of that character, as ] believe
that that Is the only means at present oy
which a Democratic victory could be OBJ
tanned.
This is the entire measure of any traffic.
direct or indirect. with the organization.
II seems to me the position taken is
logical, self-reSpeCting and fair, and
would If recognized. strengthen the party
through the efforts or the league, rather
than weaken IT,
| trust the considerations here presented
when the work Of the league. was. first
taken up.