The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-22

by those who are following the situAtion
closely.
| IL is not. however. by analySing the
temper Of the old guard that any real
insight into the upstate situation may be
had. So far AZ the old guard In concerned
Governor Hughes has done his work
thoroughly. He has. TO he sure. left each
member in control Of his party machinery.
but from each has subtracted the support
Of HIS constituency; or rather he has
created in their constituencies a senti-
usent Of distr'ist and hatred which can
hardly be exaggerated. 80 thoroughly
has he done this that his words return
, to plague all bosses. not the old guard
bosses alone.
II IN practically impossible to describe
a situation recognized everywhere. com
mentsd upon by all: the very unanimity
OF opinion creates doubt and inspires
caution. Yet the simple fact IL that the
machine politician asserts emphatically
that the Republican campaign II lost
before IL starts. and invariably affirms
his pleasure at the situation. The indie
pendents on their side. the men who have
followed Governor Hughes. invariably
testify that they mean 60 vote a Demo-
cratic ticket this year; unanimously they
assert IL 10 be the one remedy. Finally.
all through the rank and file OF the Repub-
lican membership runs discomfort. revolt.
unrest. This unrest does not in any
measure express itself in n championship
Of factions, but in hostility to the party
which hitherto has had the support Of
those who now admit. proclaim their dis
satisfaction.
Ali over the State there il not a circum-
stance more astonishing than the relative
lack Of interest in the Roosevelt old guard
squabble. Apparently Il in a Kettle Hill;
not new decisive battle Of the world. il
amuses but IL does not enlist Nowhere
IN there a spontaneous response. nowhere
natural cleavage and n general iocking tn
arms. On the contrary, 10 far as IL In
possible to estimate. the entire attitude
OF the great mass Of the Republican voters
u that Of onlookers. They are amused.
but not involved. A great singleness Of
purpose. a monotonous similarity 81 in
tention IL expressed everywhere. a pur-
pose and an intention to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket in November. no matter what
happens az Saratoga.
In three weeks have met no Republic
can. either a politician, independent or
loyal private in the ranks. who expected
a party victory. Outside Of Erie county
I have met no Republican who believed
that IL could be achieved by any conceiv-
able compromise. have met scores Of
county leaders. city leaders. district lead
ers who predicted defeat with cheerful
ness that was dsconcerting. Not few
Of the best informed in general as well
~ local political affairs have predicted
that the Democrats would control both
branches Of the Legislature and elect
United States senator. Not a few who
predicted State defeat have denied the
possibility 81 a Democratic Legislature.
Precisely in the same fashion there has
bcen a general prediction of a fac'ional
fight to last not for a few weeks, or "A
campaign. hut for months and years.
The older and moro experienced poll
ticians Of State experience have many
of thsm forecast a Democratic regime
for several administrations. Some have
foresecn a Republican fight between the
cities: that ia. FIRE and New York on the
one hand and the great Republican up
State counties and Brooklyn on the other.
The Folger year and the Stalwart-Half
Bred fight are frequently mentioned.
These details are set down without pref
udice. AZ Indicative II the talk ~ wide
spread in upstate districts.
In the end the one conclusion that inevi-
tably remains with the observer 10 that
while two sets of professional politicians
are fighting for control % the State ma
chine. the great mass ~ the Republican
voters il steadily reaching the deter
mination 20 make the control and the
machine vaIusle~s for n long time tn come.
For the anti-boss issue IL real one. the
disapprovaI 81 Mr.. Roosevelt is genuine.
the unrest in New York resembles that in
Maine. The Republican voter IL against
all the things the old guard declares tina:
10 ~ fighting. hut he declares quite a. EN-
phatically that he IL hostile and means to
remain hostile to the old guard
IL therefore comes down tn this. that in
the third week ~ September about the
only thing that IL il possible 20 find any
Republican actually for ~ a decent Demo
crat. Conversely. the only element Of
seriousness to the Democrats lies in the
possibility that Mr. Murphy may name
ticket satisfactory to himself at the
Rochester convention. The issue OF such
course IL the only thing that suggests
the opportunity for debate in upstate
New York.