New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-07
DOESN'T CHEER FOR OSBORNE
Dr. Conway Links Name Of Candlda'e
with Democratic Failure.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: It seems probable now that oaS 10"
County will present the name OF n0'"0
NJ Osborne as a Democratic caioluh'o 80,
Governor 1t may be thought by soino '"N
It is in questionable taste for me lo mon
aD,, statement uufayorable to the candidacy
Of q fellow townsman. My answer is tha'
7 am a Democrat, deeply interested IN the
success of the party; that many members
of nv marty DO not know Mr.. Osborne, eA-
cent as he has become prominent III coi
nection with the movement which hau i''
beginning in what is known as the odl
toga Conference: that 1 have received
many requests for information as 10 MS
record as a. Democrat, and that the party
and its leaders ought TO have the 1uiieS'
information attainable as to any man WHO
presents himself as a candidate for Gov
ernOr.
What is his political record? l nave III
my possession q letter written TO me oJ
Mr. Osborne while 1 was serving my sec
ond term as a member of the Democratic
State Committee October u, 1900. in which
he definitely and very positively declares
that he has left the Democratic party.
quote from that letter as follows:
Your circular letter state COMMITTEES e.
the success of the Democrats In the local
campaign. but do not sec how L can con-
SistentIy contribute in any way 10 tne sue
cess of the party beyond that. The Demo
cratic party has been the one of my choice.
but I have parted from it with great re-
luctance.
He is thus clearly revealed, not only
against the Democratic Presidential non1-
nee. but also against the Democratic
gubernatorial nominee OF that year; and
only a few years previous to that time, as
you may know he ran as q 'rump'' cand1-
date for Lieutenant Governor against the
regular Democratic nominee for that office.
That a man should change his political
views should not be urged against him;
but when such a change IS coincident with
d favorable opportunity TO obtain a nomi-
nation upon a ticket which seems to be
reasonably sure of winning one may be
justified In asking whether the change is
not the result of the opportunity.
When Mr.. Osborne began prominently to
reform the Democratic party the comment
by Democrats in his own city was as fol-
lows: Tom is out for the nomination"
whether events have justified this criticism
it is for others to say, but I believe it is
not unfair to suggest that the claim for
entire disinterestedness in this movement
NOuld ldNc b DctlSI IL tlic
principal mover in it did not appear as
claimant for the principal reward 1t is
good thing for man to be better than his
party, but II he is so much better than his
party that he has never been able to sup
port any of them for office 1t may be fairly
doubted whether he will command an eff
cient support when he himself becomes
candidate.
In this connection it IS proper TO state
that after Mr.. Osborne was defeated for
Mayor Of Auburn the last time he ran for
that Office, when he had complete control
of the party machinery and organiza ton
with his own paper, which naturally sup
ported him and his views devotedly, in a
campaign in which he took a prominent
part 1899. the Democratic party suffered
the severest defeat in all its history in this
city.
/ have written this letter entirely from
a sense of duty as a Democrat, believing
that it Is better to know beforehand the
conditions tho party will have TO face
should Mr.. Osborne be nominated 7 saw
frankly that the nomination Of Mr. Osborne
will. in my opinion, cndanger the possibiIf
ties of Democratic success
NJ. P. CONWAY.
Auburn, \. Y, July 4, 1910