The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-01-30
SULZER WON'T BEND
TO HEARST DEMANDS
Will DO Nothing to Interfere
With subway Contracts BE-
fore February 3.
MAKES FORMAL PLEDGE
Governor Will Keep Wilcox in
office This Week and Per-
haps Also Next.

ALB.Ny, Ian. 29.-The question Of
whether Gov. Sulzer is to nave the sup
port or the hostility of MIR. Hearst as a
result Of the subway contract question
now rests entirely with Mr.. Hearst. Gov.
Sulzcr to-day fatty and apparently def
nitely declined first to name successor
to Mr.. Wilcox this week and second to
name a Hearst man at all. In word.
he has met the Hearst demands with q
fat and complete defiance.
Tho Governor has been some time in
deciding TO 20 to the extreme limit in
risking his hitherto friendly relations
with Mr.. Hearst. His anxiety in recent
days has been very real He has listened
with frank interest and concern to all
that the various messengers from Mr..
Hearst have had to say to him. But he
has also listened to the advice of his
party leaders and Of various citizens OF
New York. To-day his mind Is made up
and he demonstrated this by discussing
the whole question with complete frank
ness for the first time and disclosing
his decision 10 keep Wilcox in office
This week and perhaps next.
When the Governor does make his
dppolIlNIllfuN ~ IL IpN wv al pc-
lief of the politicians that he will name
Democrat who, while not closely con-
ncctcd with Tammanv, is wholly salts
factory To Murphy. II is definitely un-
drrstood that he will not name a Hearst
man or in any way bend to the Hearst
demands save that he has dropped the
man selected by the organization in ad-
vance and determined to name a man
L., rra, l,,s
minor qualification his position Is plainly
precisely what it would have been with
out the Hearst eruption into the subway
situation, and the def.at of Mr.. Hearst
is complete.
The Governors statement Of his pur-
pose in the Wilcox matter was made
in the course Of long discussion Of the
subway situation this morning and in
response to various questions. The most
noticeable thing about the whole inter-
view was that throughout he spoke with
a tone of complete decision which his
recent interviews on the subject have
not disclosed. and instead Of the familiar
Il shall not cross that bridge until |
come to 1t" answered the leading ques-
tions frankly.
He was asked first:
Shall You send an appointment to
the Senate prior to February l?'
Il do not see how | can do IT," was
his reply. and ! cannot make any ap-
pointment on February l. because the
Senate will not then be in session"
IN other words you will have to send
It on Friday or Monday" was asked.
Yes but shall not send it on Fri
day"
You have also said that you would
not remove Mr.. wilcox"
II did say that"
Does this apply to all Public Service
Commission vacancies In both commits
sons?"
II should say SO"
That is, YOU will send no nomination
IN prior to the ConveninG Of the Senate
on February a.
Well as | view the situation this
morning my judgment Is that I cannot
make an appointment until there Is a
vacancy"
"Wil. YOU say TO what extent you
Apply the idea of home rule to the sub
way situation? Do you mean. for ex-
ample. that your home rule views con-
stitute n reason for not interfering in the
natural operation of affairs until the
ternf W Commissioner Wilcox expires?'
THAT is IT,"
Have you been asked TO make an
appointment this week."
81 have been asked TO do a great
many things"
Has Mr. Hearst asked you TO send in
an appointment this week."
Il am asked to do great many
things: but | do what think is right
And as | am responsible I am very care
ful in doing anything to be sure. so far
az my own conscience is concerned
that II Is for the best interests OF the
general welfare"
Has Mr.. Hearst asked you to make
an appointment in advance OF the ex-
piration of Mr.. Willcoxs term"
Il do not care to discuss the matter
further. | think | have put my posi-
tion clearly to all of you now, and I
hope that you will put it clearly before
the people OF Greater New York"
II Mr.. Hearst has asked the Governor
personally, as every one knows he has by
messengers, attorneys and the like. to act
in advance Of February l. he now has
his answer from the Governor in tones
which are unmistakable, for the Gov
ernor's statement this morning was
plainly nothing less than pledge given
10 the people of New York city that he
would do nothing before February 3 to
intarfcre in the contract question.
But the Governor in his talk this
morning went even further than the
mere giving of a pledge not to make
any appointment before next Monday.
Thus he was asked:
You do not want To say that you
will send a nomination In on Monday
night?"
NO" was tho answer
Then that question Is left entirely
cpcn?"
yes"
The Governor is understood to have
selected for the uD- State commission