Evening star., 1912-09-12
MURPHY INSISTS UPON
DENOMINATION OF DIX
Upstate Leaders Preparing for De.
termined Opposition.
RECOURSE IN CASE OF FAILURE
Asserted That Discontinued Mem
bers Of the Party May Support
Straus, the Progress
sive Candidate.

From Star Correspondent.
NEW YORK, September 12.-Again the
democratic party of the Empire state
finds itself under the sinister shadow of
the Tammany tiger With the most IA
vorahle prospects the democrats of this
state have faced since 1854. with the re-
publicans divided into bitterly hostile fac
tons. with the eyes of the democrats of
the nation turned toward New York, the
democrats must needs find themselves
confronting the same old effort of Tam
many Hall to dominate the party In the
state at large.
With WEAKNESS of flesh the upstate
leaders are going into another preliminary
contest with the tiger. This time II is
over the nomination for the governorship
Gov Dix aspires to another term. His
ambition meets with the unqualified APP
proval of Boss Murphy.
If the Tammany leader would keep his
Eands OFF. Gov. Dix's denomination would
De contested. This would come about
from two causes-first lack of enthusiasm
over the governor and his administra-
ton; second. dissatisfaction because Of
the governors alleged affiliation with
Tammany and favors said to have been
granted to Murphy
As II Is. Boss Murphy declares that he
desires Gov. Dix to be renominated, and
IL would seem he has sufficient votes to
force his nomination.
The question which is Worrying the
democrats interested in a democratic VIC
tory on both state and national tickets is
this: Will Murphy's forcible nomination
OF Dix cause factional trouble in the
democratic ranks and lessen their highly
favorable prospects for a sweeping VIC
tory in New York in November?
May Support Progressive Ticket.
Far-seeing democratic leaders tell me
that the danger point lies In the fact that
in case of widespread dissatisfaction
among democrats they win have a re-
course this year. They need not be COM
PEELED to choose between their own ticket
and the hated republican ticket.
There Is Roosevelt to run to. and the
tId-line managers say that there are
many democrats upstate who would find
IL very easy to take the progressive party
candidate In preference to Tammany-
dictated and Murphy-controlled candidate.
II must be remembered that the demo-
cratic candidate for President. Gov Will
son himself, paid sincere tribute to the
progressive party's platform and to its
candidate for governor.
The belief is current here that Gov
Will on would prefer candidate for gov
ernor free from the charge of being domi-
mated by Tammany. Ii is not to he sup
posed, of course, that dissatisfaction
among the democrats would proceed to
the length of bolt They won't have to
oit- they can just vote for Roosevelt
So il seems that the republicans of New
ork state are not the only ones who are
avng trouble. But the best element of
democratic party in this state will
cvote every effort between now and the
.2eting OF the state convention to ironing
1t th seams in the democratic situation
~ the seams in the democratic situation
-aay he necessary. united front to the
iiv.dad republican column next Novem-
Ter.
Defense OF Dix.
In Gov. Dix's behalf his friends assert
that there is no foundation for the
charge that he has unduly favored Tam
many Hall. They insist that the Man
haitian democrats have some rights which
the rest OF the state should respect, and
that Gov. Dix was justified in recognizing
those claims They cite instances where
the governor has refused to bend to the
VIII of Murphy, the most notable one
being in the senatorial fight where the
governor opposed William +. Sheehan
Murphys candidate, and threw his
strength TO Senator O'Gorman, who was
elected.
They assert that Gov Dix. in downright
opposition to Murphy's wishes, obtained
the passage through the legislature of the
resolution favoring federal income tax
boss in the nomination of two public
service commissioners. and Murphy, in
retaliation, demonstrated his power by
having the nominations overwhelmingly
rejected. with the aid of republican votes
But there are many cases OF the COVER
nor's apparent yielding TO Murphy. and
the fact IS accentuated that these were
instances where the issues were of ma
teriai and commercial Importance to
Murphy and 10 Tammany. After all
thats what Tammany wants.
Alleged Tammany Domination.
The governor allowed Murphy to die
tate the distribution Of the bulk of the
patronage under the state administration
l IL is charged that Murphy's friends some
how or other. obtained the most valuable
contracts for state improvements II Is
alleged that Murphys friends received
preference in the designation of bonding
institutions and in the obtaining of con-
cesslons Of many kinds
The governor signed the Levy election
law. which demanded by Murphy to
increase the power OF the Tammany ma
chine. and which was violently opposed
upstate. The highway department IL is
charged. was reorganized in behalf Of
Murphy, and the checks which Gov
Hughes had PITT upon Tammany's gasp
| on the department We're removed.
| All these questions are being thrashed
| out by the democrats at this time while
the leaders are trying to get together on
caqdidate for governor The odds are
that Murphy win have his way. and the
next question is. What will that cost
the democratic party of the state of New
York and of the nation in case New
Iork's electoral vote should decide the