New-York tribune., 1912-02-14
DADY TO QUIT POLITICS
Brooklyn Leader Says Business
Needs All His Time.
HAS HAD STORMY CAREER
Fought Woodruff for Years -
Successor in 1st Not Yet
Selected.

Michael J. Dady, Republican leader Of
the 1st Assembly District, Brooklyn, and
formerly the rival Of Timothy l.. Woodruff
for the county leadership. made knows
| yesterday that he had determined to retire
from politics and devote himself to his
business affairs.
In the passing Of Colonel" Dady Re
publican politics loses a picturesque char
| acter. Mr.. Dady went into politics az soon
| as he could vote. nearly forty years ago
in his early years he was d Democrat, and
| learned the game Of politics under eminent
masters Of the old school in the 10Th Ward.
| He became a Republican when he was
about thirty years old. For nearly score
/ OF years he has controlled the lst Assembly
District. OF late he has combined business
with politics by ruling his district through
lieutenant. D Harry Ralston, now Deputy
| County Clerk.
Three or four years ago faction rose
against him In the st District and formed
the Union Republican Club. Its leaders
were Morris u. Ely. John Hill Morgan and
Alexander NJ White. The club largely rep
resented the conservative and blue stock
ing element Of the Heights section. In 1910
the fight made by the club against Mr. Dady
was so strong that he was compelled TO
make up with Mr.. Woodruff, and the latter
gave him aid in retaining his hold on the
district He kept in control by narrow
margin, and after the ensuing convention
| for the nomination Of a candidate for Gov
ernor he deserted Mr.. Woodruff and Joined
with the Roosevelt forces. The attitude
taken by President Taft toward Mr.. Wood
| ruff gave reason to hope that Mr.. Wood
ruff would soon lose the county leadership
and that he might have chance to get
control Of the county himself
His opening came last August, when the
leaders decided upon Mr.. Woodruf's retire
ment. He went with Naval officer Kracke
and Congressman Calder to meet Mr.. Wood
run at Republican headquarters, and it IS
said that his voice was loudest in demand
ing that Mr. Woodruff get out Mr.. Wood
ruff complied and for few days there was
some talk that Mr.. Dady would succeed him
But Mr.. Kracke and Mr.. Calder were soon
seen to be forging ahead Of him. While
Mr.. Calder was his friend. Mr. Kracke was
not The campaign committee was formed
| and Mr. Calder was made its chairman, and
! Mr. White Mr.. Dady's chief opponent In
| the 1st District was made treasurer. Mr..
Morgan was also placed on the committee.
Mr.. Dady then began to be- totally
ignored. He won the primaries in his dis
trict narrowly, but not so narrowly as In
the preceding year The retirement Of Mr..
Calder from the steering committee left
the county organization in the hands OF
Mr.. Kracke, his opponent As last
straw Ralston, Dady's lieutenant, practi-
| cally capitulated TO the Ely-White fac
ton. He wanted 10 become deputy county
clerk. but could not get the backing. Mr..
Dady was in Cuba looking after his dredg-
ing contracts. Mr.. Ralston was told that
ne could get the Job II Mr.. White would
indorse him. Mr. White gave the indorse-
ment and Mr.. Ralston was appointed.
At that time Mr.. Dady and his foes were
holding conferences with a view to reach
ing some ground on which they could har-
monize. Mr.. Dady did not expect to bias
the proceedings by putting his forces
under obligations TO Mr. White, and upon
his return from Cuba was enraged 10 learn
| that Mr.. Ralston had sought Mr.. Whites
aid in getting a fob. A few days ago he
determined that he was wasting time and
money in cllnging to the leadership lie
asked Mr.. White and Mr.. Morgan TO a
conference and told them that he was
through and asked them to meet with his
followers and settle their differences TIC
this Mr. White and Mr.. Morgan agreed
On Saturday he wrote Mr.. Morgan let
ter, in which he announced his intention
Of retiring.
Mr.. Morgan said that he thought thai
the district fight was now over. Both fac
tions would get together and would picl
out a leader after the primaries in March
He did not think that there would be seri
Gus objection to retaining Mr.. Ralston II
the executive membership. The distric
| leadership. he explained, took much tim'
and labor and he did not know any on
who was prepared to assume Il