New-York tribune., 1910-01-09
HUBAT W HITE HEAT
PARTY LINES SPLIT.
Politicians Predict Fitagerolds
Election By Narroae Margin.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune


Boston. Jan. s-With wards hopelessly
split, with a more lavish expenditure OF
money than has ever Lefore entered INTO a
municipal fight in the history of this city,
and with four candidates, representing
every civic class. speaking through the
press ard on the stump-vindctfVe. astute
and resourceful-the greatest political cam
paign for a fnayoralty election the state has
ever known is drawing to close mere Win
its outcome in doubt.
The act of the Massachusetts Legislature
eliminating party lines under the new city
charter and the issue of home rule, together
with the comparative Isessure of money
on the one hand and the following of the
political leaders and bosses on the other.
have so completely split factions that the
guess Of the outsider is as good as the cal
culations OF the political statisticians in
determining the outcome of the fight.
Shrewd political observers, however are
forecasting the election of eX-Mayor John
+. Fitzgerald by a narrow margin. The
result as near as can be estimated, for
the vote of next Tuesday is predicted as
follows: John +. Fitzgerald, 1900; James
J. Storrow. $4,000: Mayor George A. Hib-
bard. 10000, and Nathaniel II. Taylor, 5000.
Fitzgerald went into the mayoralty con-
tcHC WIN S'Al dIhuONlNuNSu LOiAo"AhS VI
thirty thousand voters. They represent the
following of the professional politicians.
the ward bosses which the former Mayor
controls and the rank and file of persons
who are opposed to reform, as well as
those who believe implicitly in their leaG-
erS.
Should Fitzgerald be elected ne would be
confronted by finance commission which
is decidedly hostile to him, and would, it is
believed. take every method at hand to
prevent any payment of political debts by
contracts which would have TO pass through
its hands. He would also have to face the
hostility of the new council. OF which a
majority are seeking an election under the
so-called reform standards.
In the candidacy OF James J. Storrow
many voters fear his position in the
financial field. and it is persistenuy cir
culated that one of the first things he
would do If elected would be to reorganize
the city debt Furthermore, it Is fact
that he has succeeded in dra wing off the
large corporations who have supported
Fitzgerald in his past elections Storrow
has gained control of the editorial policy
of the daily papers of the city, and has
monopolized the billboard trust-things
which have had their deterrent effects, as
well as their favorable points.
Allied to the Storrow campaign are sew
eral ward leaders who are known as pro-
fessional politicians, and it is believed that
their assistance s a question of price, but
the expenditures are considered a question
of means to an end by the reformers. al
legged and otherwise. who are attaching
themselves to the Storrow candidacy.
Mayor Hibbard is centring his attack
upon the Storrow forces. and is making
a strong plea for Republican support
While the Republican organization leaders
are mostly for Storrow on the surface a
few are openly for Hibbard, and 1t is cur
rent talk that the Republican leaders would
rather see Fitzgerald Mayor than Storrow
Nathaniel Taylor Is conducting the clean
est campaign, but without an organiza-
ton or the support of any of the political
leaders, and being unwilling to place into
the field any money, his chances for cleo
ton are considered exceedingly dubious
He is owne; of The Boston Globe