New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-06


the mechanics Of politics which
doesn't spring Up out of nothing. DO
YOU mean TO tell me Hotchkiss couldn't
put stop to that by saying one Nord
If he wanted to- That's all want to
know
Outgiyings Of that sort in q stream
from Woodruff and other Prendergast
supporters drove Hotchkiss into the
stubborn attitude of refusing TO let
Tim Woodruff drive me" vet his re-
iteration of the fact that he still was
for Prendergast brought no comfort or
credence in 1t TO the Prendergast fol-
lowers.
Prendereast Found Trouble.
As affairs stood when Mr.. Prender-
CAST got here last night, he was far
and away in the lead for the nomina-
ton. He accepted the Hotchkiss state
ments that the state chairman was out
Of the race at their face value.
Prendergast found that great capital
had been made by somebody out Of the
fact that he. a Roman Catholic, had
once had a controversy With some Ro-
man Catholic clergymen in the line Of
his official duty. He heard there was
much work being done for the nominal
ton OF .Hotchkiss, who he had sup
posed was entirely out Of the affair.
An. interview between the two ia
Prendergast's room was held early this
morning. II resolved itself into an
acrimonious affair. in which. according
10 the versions Of II af1oat to-day,
Prendergast. in effect, charged Hotch-
kiss with acting in bad faith
The religious issue figured largely in
the conversation. Hotchkiss, the
stories have il. said he thought Mr.
Prsndergast would he weak because OF
that issue He thought the fact that
the. Controller was q Catholic would
harm him upstate. while the fact that
he was New York City man would
make him an unpopular candidate.
You are only known upstate the
state chairman is reported TO have iold
Mr.. Prendergast because OF your
record as Controller Of New York City
and the fact that you can make )od
political speech" He continued that
the people wanted an upstate man. and
one Who had been identified prominent
" with the Hughes movement.
Mr.. PreadeFgast rstorted that he had
been a Progressive and had been
known as such for several years, ald
hadsbeen a Hughes man before Hotch-
kiss was He said his information Agas
that the upstate people knew him " Ell
enough. and many Of them had sad
they wanted him as the Progressive
candidate for Governor.
So Ear as the Catholic argument was
concerned. he knew that the honest
and fair minded Catholics, clergy and
laity, were not against him. and II
seemed a most remarkable thing q a
new party, starting out as a reform
organization, should give heed 20 an
uninteiligent and outgrown political
religious prejudice, which set at naughs
that partys basic principle Of equal
opportunity and the square deal for
all men.
Misunderstanding Confrred.
So the controversy ran. Prendergast
All the time adding 10 his idea that his
former friend was not acting openly
and fairly with him, and in consequence
feeling more and more asgrieved, while
Hotchkiss was declining to say that he
would refuse a nomination II the con-
vention handed one 10 him. The men
parted with the misunderstanding more
confirmed than ever.
OF course, the story OF their day
break meeting was heralded broadcast
and grew az almost every repetition
It was reported Immediately that Prem
dergast had taken himself out OF the
race. He had 10 issue formal state
rnent declaring that as he had never
considered this convention race he
was IN ne couldn't take himself out,
bur that in any case ne would stand
bv his declaration 10 the Brooklyn dele
gates. as given in The Tribune, that he
would accept nothing except a nomina-
ton unanimously made.
Friends OF Hotchkiss few 10 his sup
port. declaring that Mr. Prendergast's
suspicious were unworthy Of him and
that Woodruff was at the bottom OF all
the trouble. Woodruff was perfectly
careless OF his declarations OF belief in
Hotchkiss's observation-disclosures, although
he had to admit that Hotchkiss not
only said he was for Prendergast, but
that Colonel Roosevelt was, too.
only he don't say he won't take this
nomination" reiterated Woodruff and
think he's changed his mind about
not wanting IT,"
Foreseeing that the result OF this
fight would be. in all probability, the
elimination Of both men from consid-
Grafton for the nomination, friends OF
Virgil X. Kellogg. Of WATERFOWL. Balm
bridge Colby and ex-senator Daven-
port got very busy. They are hard at
IL tonight, all hoping that the hight
ming which seems 70 have knocked out
Hotchkiss and Prendergast will knock
them in.
strsu. Boar, ouickI, Checked