New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-17
mitchell TO Be BOSS
OF FUSION CAMPAIGN
Job E. Hedges Declines to Take
Helm Because Of His
III Health.
PLANS TO RAISE FUNDS
Lustgarten Will Organize Unit
ed Gaynor Committee to Work
for Success of Anti
Tammany Ticket.

John Purroy Mitchell. fusion candidate
for Mayor took active charge of his cam
paign yesterday afternoon some hours
before. Fire Commissioner Johnson had
sung the swan song Of the independent
movement that was started for the re-
election Of Mayor Gaynor. Both Jacob
II Schin and Henry Clews. the bankers
who have been most set in their oppo-
sition TO Mr.. Mitchell acknowledged there
seemed 10 he no chance of holding the
movement together The situation has
finally developed into q straight light be-
tween the fusion forces and Tammany
Hall
Although a general committee 10 man
age the fusion campaign will be APP
pointed. with a chairman who will be
campaign manager, it is believed Mr.
Mitchell will he the real boss of the cam
paign
Job +. Hedges declined 10 accept the
MANAGEMENT Of the campaign. He said
his health would not permit Efforts will
be made TO get William Loeb jr TO take
the helm. II is not believed he will CON
sent to dose Three or four other names
are under consideration. among them that
Of former Senator Martin SAKE.
The fusion committee. Of which Joseph
NJ Price is chairman held two hour
session yesterday at the Fifth Avenue
Building. Most Of the time Mr.. Mitchell
was present lie spoke briefly.
Provisional Committee Selected.
provisional campaign committee was
selected. with power to form a larger
committee. which probably Will have
one hundred members. or more. This
committee consists Of Mr. Mitchell Con-
troller Prendrgast and Borough Presi-
dent McAnsny the three city candidates
Norman Hapgood and Joseph VI. Price.
chairman of the fusion general and OK
ecutve committees. respectively and Ar
thur II. Woods and Frank L. Polk per
sonal friends OF Mr. Mitchell As soon
a. the campaign committee has been
whipped into shape the candidates viii
retire nominally from IL. There will lie
many subcommittee on finance. print
inC. meetings speakers. etc. The gen
eral committee will have its headquIr-
ters with the fusion committee I'm the
Fifth Avenue Building. and will cooper
ate with IT,
Mr. Mitchell said yesterday that he lid
not want TO get into any political dis
cussion until after the funeral Of Mavor
Gaynor He wished 10 state, however,
that he never had said anything derog-
atory regarding the ability Of Mr. Hap
good or Mr. Price TO run campaign.
1t had been thought best NJ explained
To get some one TO manage the campaign
who had not been connected with the III.
sion committee
The cable message sent 90 Mr. Hedges
asking him 10 become campaign mana
ger was signed not only by Mr. Mitchell
but also by Samuel s Koeng. Francis w
Bird ir, the Progressive leader: Mr.
Hapgood. Mr.. Price and William II.
Hotchkiss.
Mr.. Hedges. who returned from Europe
on Monday night had a long talk with
Alr. Mitchell Yesterday morning. He told
the candidate for Mayor that If he took
up the work at all. il would be with all
his heart and with the expenditure Of
every bit Of force he possessed. His doc
tor would not permit such a thing, he
said lie had just returned from reCuper-
ating after his gubernatorial campaign
and he did not want TO lose all the
strength he had gained He said he
would be glad TO make what speeches he
could in the campaign. and the leaders