Evening star., 1914-07-24
Attempted Fusion of Republic
an Factions Causes Shift
in New York Politics.
COL L0NEL MUST NOW DROP
HIS DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT
Boss Barnes Suit for Libel Amazes
0ld-Timers-Speculation on
Senatorship.
By N. o. MESSENGER.

BY N. o. MESSENGER.
NEW YORK. July 24.-Another shtfs-
ing OF the political Kaleidoscope In New
YORK VIII be occasioned by Col Roose-
seit attempted fusion OF the progressive
ana regular republican factions. He will
nave to part company with Mayor Mitchell.
Dudley Field Malone and all the good
democrats with whom he trained in the
mayoralty election last fal
Those worthless were fins fellows IN
the colonel then. exalted to he skies
as the exponents of reform and L.. truI,
righteous. But now. il they stick tc thei,
own party's candidate for governor she,.
fall under the coloners anathema alo,,r
with Boss Murphy
And at the same time Mr.. Mitchel.
Mr.. Malone and their associates OF a Yea,
ago. after having denounced Boss Mu,
pny SO numerically, must stand shoulder
TO shoulder with Murphy for the demo
cratic candidate. whom, of course, Muir
pny must lndorse and support
Politics make strange bedfellows'' in
very truth, as is often exempiified il!
New York. Why don't we recall hou
Murphy and Hearst were hand in glove In
one campaign and the very next couldn't
ma things hard enough to say about
member how Murphy threw Sulzer Out
OF the Buffalo convention one time to
nominate Hearst for governor and sub
sequently two years ago elected SuIzer
governor-only to turn on him swiftly
ana put him out Of the chair through
impeachment? There are numerous 9TH
er instances OF equally glaring incon-
sistency by other leaders. The leopard
may not be able to change his spots
out OF verify your New York boss
can make some lightning changes OF po-
hdcal clothing and OF associates, which
Is some slight commentary upon the
deadly seldshness and gross insincerfty
OF New York politics Before the cam
paign is over you will probably see
Murphy. Mitchell Malone and the big
and small fry OF the erstwhile warning
factions In the heavenly chorus. pro-
nouncing lie one grand. sweet song.
Amazed at Boss Barnes Suit.
Boss Barnes suit against the colonel
for libel has amazed the old-time poll
ticians who think he must be joking or
showing mighty thin skin. entirely un-
like the bold and hardy Albany leader
who has stood the gan so many times
without hinching. The colonels Ian
guage was regarded by these tough vet
Grams as mild compared to the terms
that used to be applied, when one po-
ftical leader would call another thief
thug and highbinder. and then branch
out from that
The Barnes-Roosevelt feud dates back
some year,. covering several battles.
with varying success to the combatants.
Barnes helped tn defeat Roosevelt and
Hughes in the first fight for the direct
primary bill. Then Barnes bested Rooee-
welt in the state committee for the
Craftsmanship OF the Saratoga conven-
ton. whereupon the colonel took the
quarrel to the floor Of the convention
and licked Barnes
That fight was really the cause of the
defeat of Henry L. Stimson, Roosevelt
candidate for governor. But Barnes took
q fall out OF the colonel at the national
convention Of 1912. when he prevented
the New York delegation swinging to
Roosevelt and nominating the colonel for
President over Taft. so there you have
the case of two political leaders letting
their personal animosity to each other
and desire for revenge initiate against
the interests of their state and national
parties. Politicians are asking IL an
other chapter with like result is to be
written this year in the contest between
Barnes and Roosevelt
And yet it is not certain that disaster
Is inevitable. AS these dispatches
stated yesterday. it Is not only possible.
but by many considered quite probable.
that at the state convention to be held
August IS. the county leaders may take
charge OF the situation. eliminate Barnes
ana discourage w nltTIldf, ana throw
their united strength to Col. Roosevelt's
candidate, Hinman. If that is done
even democrats admit that republican
prospects of victory will be roseate.
In point of fact, the prospective case
of the republicans in this state is not
as bad as that Of the democrats. There
is a wide field of opportunity for the
democrats to make a smash unless some
very skillful work is done. which vi
include the eating OF some political
crow.
Await Presidents Attitude.
You will remember that two years
ago President Wilson, then the nominee
for the presidency, snubbed Murphy
most numerically, and that last year
he lent his moral influence and the work
of his young men" to the defeat of
in the mayoralty campaign.
The democrats here are wondering
now what the President will do in the
coming campaign toward supporting OF
opposing a gubernatorial candidate for
whom Murphy will be fighting.
That there is disgruntlement amonl
the democrats in the state is beyond
question. 1t will be interesting to
how the President will harmonize the
factions; how he will adhere to the
high standard set in his past opposition
to Murphy and yet retain the inyal-
liable support of that chieftain.
Experience has taught that Tammany
has no compunction whatever in
throwing a candidate of the demo-
cratic party il there lis something i'll
il for Tammany." Tammany is indis-
pensable to democratic victory in tho
state. although it cannot always win
for itself alone in Greater New York.
It Is feared by some Of the democratic
wise ones here that the troubles of the
democrats have not yet reached !.
crisis, but that the worst is yet to
come.
On the other hand. every hour indi-
Gates increasing popularity Of Col Roose-
yelt's plan for fusion of the republican
factions on the gubernatorial candidate
Reports from up state show that many
of the old guard rank and file are going
to II like a bass for a minnow. They
know, there is a .T. R." hook concealed
n the tempting bait, but thing they
deal with that afterward. What these
old guard republicans want is to get
back the state Offices and legislature and
retain the senatorship.
senatorship Causes Speculation.
And speaking Of the senatorship. there
Is much speculation among the republ
cans over the hnality Of Senator Roots
intention not to stand for re-
election. The general belief is that he
may be prevailed upon to reconsider, ir
view of the changed conditions conse-
,cir f,l~~