New-York tribune., 1911-12-02
M'COOEYS FOES CONFER
Say They Have a Majority in the
County Committee.
MENACED LEADER SNEERS
Brooklyn Insurgents Want Metz,
Augustus Van Wvck or A. A.
Healy to Take His Place.

Ten of the twenty-three Democratic As
sembly district leaders OF Brooklyn met
Yesterday afternoon at the call OF State
Tax Commissioner Thomas f. Byrnes ana
discussed plans for the reorganization OF
the party in the borough and for change
in the county leadership. John H. Nc
cooey. the county leader. passed by the
Office while tho meeting was in progress
but he made no attempt TO enter 1t.
Earlier in the day he had said that he
was not going 10 attend the conference
adding. Il will attend only regular meet
ings that come about through the regular
organizations. | understand that they plan
10 elect a boss outside the executive com
mittee 7 think that We have advanced be-
yond the stage Of having a boss. ] believe
in letting the leaders lead.
The meeting was held In the private of1oe
OF County Clerk Henry T. Moloy. whom
! Mr.. McCooey had refused to renominsie
this fall on the ground that he was not a
district leader. The men present, besides
Mr. Byrnes who acted as chairman, were
James p. Sinnott, William J. Heffernan'
James II. Farrell. Commissioner Of Jurors
Michael T.. Butler. Daniel J. Carroll. James
A. McQuade, Register Frederick Lundy
Henry Hasenfiug and Thomas +. Wosan.
The meeting lasted nearly two hours
| Upon leaving the room Mr.. Byrnes end Mr.
| Farrell explained that the opposition TO MI
McCooey was confident of controlling ltl
votes Of the go in the county committee
anyway.
The plan Of the opposition was outlined
in The Tribune two days after the Demo-
cratic ticket went down TO defeat IN the
county. Mr.. McCooeys opponents are con"
vinced that the party needs at its head a
man, or set of men. not especially inter-
ested in any particular district Under tho
| present organization of the party the coun-
I " leader must be selected from among the
members of the executive committee. Since
the time that Senator McCarreu gained
ascendancy in the organization the leader
has held the Craftsmanship OF the executive
committee. To have a county leader other
than a district leader, the bylaws OF the
organization must be amended, but this is
the least Of the difficulties.
The opposition will demand an adjourn
ment Of month when the county COM
mlttee meets for reorganization on Tues
day night II the insurgents secure the
adjournment they will ask TO have COM
mittee appointed to confer with the inde-
| pendent Democrats and the big men of the
party who do not represent districts in the
executive committee. This sounding COM
mittee Will collect the opinions Of the rank
and file. as we'll as Of the important inde-
pendents. and will make recommendations
/ TO the county committee.
The idea OF a disinterested county leader
has grown out of McCooey's tendency 10
/ gather plums for himself and for the 18th
/ Assembly District. which he represents on
the executive committee. The opposition
wants a man who is not looking for job
| for himself or his followers, but who will
] be free TO distribute patronage fairly, and
who. moreover. will be independent and
! able TO direct the operations OF the party
without regard to any one else. Leader
/ ship was lacking IN the last campaign and
/ the opposition considers that a good gen
| eral is much needed 10 make the party sue
/ cessful
The three men who have been chiefly
mentioned for the leadership OF the party
are ex-Controler Herman A. Metz, eX-
Justice Augustus Van Wyck and X. Au-
gustus Healy. One, or all, Of these men
may be invited to head the organization.
/ Since the Republican organization has
/ single man, the idea OF a steering com
mittee has been growing in favor among
| the Democrats such committee man
aged the organization two years ago sue
| cessfully.