New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-11

tho prendergast race and he almost beat
tho renorters. hut George w. tdridge was
a fairly good second. After that they be-
gan to come so fast II would have taken
a rapid stenographer TO jot down their
names. The Controller liked 1t, too. lie
hasn't been I'm the habit OF being an out
cast Of any kind at political conventions
and il wasn't a pleasant sensation.
State Chairman Barnes read the plat
form reported by the committee on reso-
lutions with evident delight lie makes
No claims 10 orstorical ability. but he
read slowly and I'm a high clear tone that
carried well over the hall. and he liked
the job
The nlotform plank denouncing the iu-
dicisl recall brought the first sustained
applause. but II remained for the Taft In
dorsement plank 10 win the first real out
burst. All the delegates stood while they
cheered and clapped their hands-except
Mr. Ward and the Westchester crowd. and
possibly Controller Prendergast. In view
Of what the Controller said later he prob
ably didn't stand for that demonstration,
but as all the other Kings County dele
gates we're on their feet no one could see
Mr. Prendergest.
or course every one knew that Controller
Prendergast was going TO speak In oppo-
sition to the platform offered by the com
nittee on resolutions. and every one knew
also what lonely hand he was playing
Some seemed 10 think he wouldn't get
much Of a welcome, and the gallery was
evidently thinking of the attempt MADE py
Colonel Alexander Bacon 10 buck the
Murphy machine from the same PLATFORM
AZ the Democratic convention OF 1910. That
episode developed into storm OF JOSH
ing" OF Colonel Bacon when he tried 10
nominate William Sulzer for Governor
Those who were looking for something Ike
repetition Of that event to-day found
they were mistaken, because Mr.. Prender-
CAST got fine reception, even from the
delegates who knew he was going 70 try
to pillory them.
The Controller struck the popular note
when he began by saying that he didn't
enjoy the Job he had in prospect but felt
Il a duty. This is great family gather
ing. and we might as we'll talk over family
matters and talk them over plainly was
the way he expressed IT,
Job Hedges struck another unpopular
note when he opened with something like
this This begins 10 look like real con-
vention, and my admiration for Frender-
CAST was never greater than II is to-day .
Mr. Hedges made It perfectly plain, how
ever, that his admiration was all for the
courageous attitude of the Controller IN
facing such united opposition, and not at
all for the doctrines he espoused. In char
acteristic phraseology he explained that
whether a man is a Progressive or not de
ponds largely upon which way he was fac
ing when he started and in taking up the
doctrines Of the Columbus speech, MI
Hedges made It plain that he believed Mr.
Prendergast had been facing the wrong
way" when he started.
Here are a few Of Jobs Jems": Il don't
know much about initiatives. and 20 forth,
but | do know the market price for Sig
natures 10 petitions" Don't let US get *
cited We go through this every four
years" "Mr. Prendergast asks: DO We
expect 10 convert the West with our Ideas
Yes They told US once that silver could
be made gold" "Mr. Roosevelt made all
the people think on a proposition at the
same time, but I differ from him when he
says that We must follow him in his
thoughts" do the people rule? Well. I'm
here and Mr.. Prendergast is there. We
believe they do"
This one for the colonel rather than the
Controller Mr.. Hedges saved for the last:
It's a terrible thing for a man TO believe
that he has a fnality OF responsibility
II was close TO o'clock this afternoon
when the convention adjourned, and by :
o'clock hundreds of the delegates were on
their way out OF town. The New York
County men left on a o'clock special train
over the New York Central. which also
carried away the sunny Jim boosters 10
Utica, and wards Westchester wonders
TO Yonkers Brooklyn delegates had spe-
ciaI train OF their own on the Lehigh Val
ley road.