The Detroit times., 1913-10-21


point mis- friend, John Calvin, public
service commissioner in the place OK
Mr.. Wilcox. urged the appoint
ment of Henry Morsenthau or George
Foster Peabody or Col John Temple
Graves. Mt. Murphy would not hear
OF these incn. He talked long and
earnestly In behalf OF Mr.. Calvin.
! Finally. suggested as compromise
Judge Mccall Mccall. himself, said
he would accept provided II was
agreeable to Mr.. Murphy.
AT this meeting and subsequently
Mr.. Murphy demanded OF me pledges
regarding legislation and especially
concerning appointments. He
insisted that George NJ Palmer should
be appointed chairman. and Patrick
f. McCabe member OF the public ser
| vice commission of the second dis
tr;ct. Mr.. Murphy further insisted
upon having The McManus' for state
labor commission, a man named Mey-
ers for state architect, a man from
state hospital commissioner and
/ James E. Gaffney for highway COM
missioner In case wished to sup
plant Mr.. Reel.
Mr.. Murphy finally said. I am for
Carney. The organization demands
his appointment and I want you to
do IT, replied l will make no prom
Use about It. He said. IT will be
| Carney or war
| Il had several talks with Mr.. Muir
ply and in some OF these talks told
him | was the governor and that |
intended to be governor.
| He laughed at me. and rebuked me
for this and said that might be the
governor, but that he controlled the
legislature; that unless | did what
ton and appointments, | could not
get my nominations confirmed and
that he would block everything"
when Mr.. Murphy found out that
he could not use me and control me,
he sent emissaries to see me TO de-
mand that do certain things and
to threaten me II I refused.
MY efforts for truly progressive
government were blocked by the re-
fusal OF the Murphy legislature to
let me install In ONCE men capable
and willing TO work out progressive
policies.
my final interview with Mr.. Muir.
ply In the late night of April Is, was
marked in my memory for HIS inso
lence TO me and for the sordid brutal.
ity of his demands. Before we parted
that night. / warned Mr.. Murphy
that he would wreck the party and
accomplish his own destruction II he
! persisted In shielding grafters and
violating platform pledges. His
angry retort was that I was an in
CRATE and that he would disgrace and
destroy me.
Il knew the terrible odds against
me In the fight which | courted when
declined to submit to Mr.. Murphy's
dictation when declined to turn
my ONCE into an instrument for the
corruption Of government and the de-
bauching Of the state. was reluct-
ant to break with Mr. Murphy. did
| II only because II became impossible
| to do otherwise and not betray my
oath of ONCE and forfeit every shred
OF self-respect.
when I returned to Albany after
my last interview with Mr.. Murphy, I
carefully considered my plight and
the whole state situation. II was
only at that time. not since. that any
thought Of resigning my Office was In
my mind.
There were three paths for me to
travel: to surrender to Murphy and
be unmindful Of every thing except
orders; to fight for what believed
was right. regardless OF Murphy. or
to resign my ONCE and give the peo-
pie my reasons. II did not take me
long to determine not to surrender.
I could not do that and maintain my
self-respect. Could l fight and win?
II did not seem possible. Then
wrote out and signed my resignation
as governor. 1t seemed the only
thing to do. but as thought it over,
finally. It looked cowardly. tore
up my resignation.
And I have fought hard from that
moment to the present day OF my
unjust condemnation-how hard 10
proven by the enemies I have made
and the conspiracy they have worked
out against me. Every agency these
enemies could use to destroy me has
been used. II Is long, pitiable
story, miserably contemplate in its
meanness and pettiness."
"A prominent New York man came
to me from Mr.. Murphy one day In
June, and told me In plain language
that would be impeached unless
abandoned my opposition to Mr.. Muir
ply, and especially unless I aban-
doned the efforts to convict the
criminals who were connected with
the highways and canal steals.
AT that time Commissioner Hen
messy was beginning to get close to
the thieves. This man said that II |
would consent to call OF Hennessy
the impeachment proceedings would
not be begun. ! said I would not for
a moment consider any such action.
The truth Is, that II had been
willing to connive at corruption, II
had been willing to act as a plant
and servfle tool for the men whose
sole conception of politics is plum
dering the public. there would not
have been SO much as breath Of at
tack upon me or a suggestion Of I'M
parchment proceedings.
"A governor OF the state OF New
York has been impeached and remov-
ed at the command Of the CHIEF
because he dared % stand against
the forces of corruption and for the
rights of the people themselves.
"As for myself, l. feel that am just
beginning the most important part OF
my life"