New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-06
WHITMAN IN OPEN
FOR MAY0RALTY
Frankly Tells Citizens 0emoc.
raCy He Will Accept Nomina-
tion from Any Regular
Political Organization.
WANTS OFFICE, HE ADMITS
Party Leaders and Presumptive
Candidates Refuse to Discuss
District Attorneys State
ment-Activity in Nomi.
nation Campaign.

ment-Activity in Nomi.
nation Campaign.
District Attorney Whitman threw his
hat in the ring" yesterday for the
| Mayoralty nomination. He said he
would accept a nomination for that
Office from any regularly constituted
political organization.
| This statement came out when the
| District Attorney received the men,
| bers Of the executive committee OF the
Citizens Democracy at his Office in the
| Criminal Courts Building. They told
him they wanted to name him as their
candidate for Mayor.
He replied he would welcome the sup
port Of any organization, and he would
he glad TO have them go ahead with
their plans TO further his nomination
| and election.
Speaking Of the visit Of the members
| Of the organization. which is composed
of independent Democrats, the District
Attorney later said:
Il think II is pretty generally under
stood that the nomination would be ac-
ceptable to me-
Organized for Whitman.
| ouie Uoifart Oh aIryoop - tha ann,
mittee said the movement he repre-
sented had been organized solely for
| the District Attorney. and that the
! Citizens Democracy had no present in
tention Of naming any other candi-
dates. II would begin at once. how
ever, TO get the required four thousand
signatures to place the District Attor-
ney in nomination for the head Of the
municipal ticket.
For some weeks the organization has
! had headquarters in the Grand Union
Hotel. but Mr.. Wofert said additional
headquarters would be opened In other
boroughs.
We are interested in putting at the
head OF the city government the right
man." said Mr.. Wolfert We know
the District Attorney is such a man
and we want 10 assist in electing him.
The fusionists are on the wrong
track. They are trying 10 do what no
other fusion body ever attempted 10 do
before. They want TO dictate the nomi-
nations absolutely. In the political
tockeying that will ensue Mr.. Whit
man might be passed over. That is
what We intend 10 prevent We want
to see that he is properly placed before
the people"
Other members OF the committee
we're Henry ". Harris, Jacob G.
Lazarus, Theodore Diebold, Thomas F.
Thornton. Frank Donnelly. Isaac New
man. Moses Morris, Arthur j. Noble
and Thomas +. Long.
Activity Now Expected.
Now that his hat is ''in the ring" II
is likely that the friends OF the District
Attorney will become exceedingly ac-
tive TO secure his nomination under
the most favorable auspices. There
has been Just enough public opposi-
tion 10 him on the part OF some men,
bers of the fusion committee TO lead 10
the possibility that he would not re-
ceive the Endorsement OF that body.
Many organization Republicans be-
lieve not only that as their party fur
nishes the largest number OF votes IN
any fusion movement they should re-
ceive the place at the head OF the
ticket, but also that this year they
have got the strongest candidate. They
advocate running him on a straight
Republican ticket in case the fusionists
should not select him as their nominee.
In a three-cornered fight. however. II
was said there would be disadvantages
and weaknesses in candidacy backed
solely by the minority party in the city.
1t will be remembered that four years
ago the candidacy Of Mayor Gaynor
was brought out first by a non-partisan
citizens committee. IL was then taken
up by a number OF independent crgan-
izations. Finally he was chosen as tha
regular candidate OF Tammany Hall.
This independent support made him in
finitely stronger than he would have
been otherwise.
Under Broader Auspices.
SO il would be in Whitman's case. his
friends argue. II ne should be named
first by an independent organization
and then should be taken up by the Re-
publicans he would be presented 10
the public under somewhat broader
auspices than IL he were simply the
Republican nominee. That, OF course.
is based on the possibility that the
fusion committee will not name him.
Friends OF Whitman yesterday said
they believed he might win out handily
in the Progressive primaries II he
should be properly placed in nominal
ton. Not one OF the leaders interested
in the coming campaign. nor any OF the
men who have been mentioned as pos
sible candidates on the city tickets this
fall, would comment yesterday upon the
frank announcement OF the District At
torney.
The Republican organization has not
yet come out for the District Attorney.
as IL was felt that IL might embarrass
the fusion movement However. ths
/ c.t..