New-York tribune., 1911-10-29
THE MURPHY ISSUE
STRANGE Attitude of a PrOfeSSed
Enemy of MurphyiSm.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: II Is pathetic to watch the disinte-
grafton of great papers moral sense.
speak of the policy OF "The New YORK
World in the present municipal campaign.
fear no candid man can question that In
this campaign THE Worlds" attitude is
dishonest attitude. 1t has attacked Murphy
ir season and out of season. 1t has pict-
ured Murphyism as the incubus OF the
Democratic party in city, state and ma
tion. 1t has preached the gospel of fusion
with religious fervor II has reproached
the citizens of New York for allowing
Murphy to stay in power. Only week
ago II was proclalming Murphy as the
paramount issue OF the campaign. And
then the fusion ticket was made public,
with a Supreme Court judgeship and
shrievalty given to two of Mr.. Hearsts
lieutenants. And what an awkward somer-
sault did The World" then turn on all the
most enduring principles of It's past, on all
the most inspiring precepts OF It's present.
THE World" which has always fought
for the principle Of bipartisan renomna.
ton of elected judges, rebuked fusion for
indorsng Judge Scott. Judge Scott had the
Endorsement of the Bar Association; but
even granting that he is far from an ideal
candidate, what honest purpose does II
serve Tho World" to beat him on the
fusion ticket in order TO elect him on the
Tammany ticket? His election being I'm any
event inevitable, why should THE World"
not prefer to mitigate his election by the
defeat Of Tammany rathey than to aggra-
vate his election by giving Tammany new
lease OF life and new powers of mischief In
city, state and nation?
In the next place "The World" which
has been proclaiming that the defeat of
Murphy and Murphyism was the one para
mount issue of issues for the citizens Of
New York, suddenly discovered that get
ting a peculiarly desirable man for Sur
rogate Of New York County was an even
more vital matter than getting rid of a
peculiarly undesirable man as boss of New
York City and New York state. Freely
granting that Mr.. Fowler is pre-eminently
suitable for the surrogateship, while Mr.
Mathewson Is merely respectfully eligible
for It; frankly conceding that the failure
TO indOrse Mr. Fowler may be considered
d blunder on the part Of fusion; yet, that
blunder having been once made, what hon
est motive could delude The World" into
believing that the reelection of Mr.. Fowler.
especially when an age of sixty-two years
sets an unfortunate time limit on his dis
tinguished services, can compensate for the
| intrenchment in power of "A boss on whose
activities no time limit is perceptible? How
can The World" of all papers subordinate
the question Of whether New York City
shall be boss ridden or free, whether New
York State shall be an Independent COM
monwealth or an appanage OF Tammany
Hall, whether the next Democratic can
ddate for the Presidency OF the United
States shall be nominated by the Demo-
Gratis of the United States or by Mr..
Murphy, of New York, to the question Of
the relative merits of two equally respect
able candidates for County Surrogate?
In the next place. THE World" which
I bitterly fought Cohalan's appointment TO
the New York Supreme Court and savagely
denounced Dix for that appointment, now
by indirection proves one of Cohalan's
strongest allies in his campaign for re-
election What honest confusion could
CduSt j AlC w VI w OppOoS NOHdIdII pei .
functorily with one hand while assisting
him actively with the other by attacking
the fusion candidate who is running against
I hm-Mr. Shearn-as a Hearst hack" and,
Furthermore through taking this same atti-
| tude toward HopnN~, render like succor to
Murphy's Mr.. II. .rger in his designs or
the shrievalty?
| In the next place. THE World which
| has not only been crying 10 the gods for
| fusion, but has also not infrequently
| showered praise upon the independent
! party in politics. now decries the fusion
| movement for giving the Independence
| League as many officers on it's ticket as
/ il gave the Republican party. What hon
/ est carelessness could have caused "The
| World to quote the comparative votes OF
| these two parties for President. which was.
OF course, the most unfavorable showing
for the Independence League. instead of
quoting their votes in the last municipal
| campaign?
| In the next place il denounced the Levy
| election law in unmeasured terms as a plot
! 10 make fusion impotent, and is actually at
the present time urging the voters to de
| feat for recollection all Assemblymen who
voted for that bill How can any honest
obtuseness blind this paper to the fact that
Mr.. Murphy can cheerfully afford TO have
the Levy law killed as unconstitutional by
the Court of Appeals while The World"
does the work Of the Levy law for him?
How can any honest Inconsistency make
( II possible for this paper 20 indict the peO-
pie of New York for tacitly countenancing
Murphy by lethargy, while itself perpetual
ing him with energy; 10 plead for the ex-
tinction Of Murphy's power in the state
while working for the reinforcement Of
the source Of that power in the city; TO
attack the Legislature for allowing Murphy
to name a Senator of the United States
and then TO help Murphy into position to
name President of the United States:
10 attack Dix as a creature Of Murphy
and now itself to do the work OF a creature
of Murphy?
All these reversals and contradictions
cannot be honestly explained. They are
what happens when a great. blunt. honest
paper gives up the highway of conviction
and clumsily treads the bypaths OF ex-
pediency. PAUL WATSON.
New York, Oct. 10, 1911.