The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-17
Will Withdraw From Race if
q Better Man Can Be
Found.
IN THE CONTEST AS
A MATTER OF DUTY
+. d. Roosevelt Also Issues a
Statement Defining His
Attitude on Campaign.

John A. Hennessy and Franklin u.
Roosevelt issued statements yesterday
explaining their positions as anti-Tam-
many candidates for the Democratic
nominations for Governor and United
states Senator respectively.
Mr.. Hennessy charged continuous mall
administration since Mr.. Murphy and
his allies ousted William sulzer from the
Governorship." lie spoke OF the shame
lessness OF the present State organiza-
ton and It's corrupt alliances" He as
serted that this was tho opportunity for
enrolled Democratic voters to dec,d.
whether tho party shall BE- purified or do
stroyed and he offered to step aside IL
the Democrats would unite on an abso-
lutely anti-Murphy candidate for Cover
nor.
tie said that he had worked for q
tusion candidate for Governor. but no
union OF independent voters had come.
ana he WAS making tho fight In tho
interest OF decency In politics Mr..
roosevelt In his statement made Il clear
tnat no also was against the control
exercised by Murphy. Mr. Hennessys
statement follows:
Tho direct primary, such as II is pre-
sents TO the enrolled Democrats OF this
state an opportunity to say for the first
tiine whether they approve tho acts OF
the state organization. This organization
- wholly controlled by Mr. Murphy OF
| New York and his sub bosses These ara
the men who contrived and controlled the
shameful conditions In the Administered
tion OF John A. Dix These are the men
who executed William Sulzer when n.
undertook to purify the State denart-
fnents and declined to be "a proxy Cover
nor. as was his predecessor. These ara
| the men now directing the hands OF State
government in every department, includ-
| ing the Executive Chamber
Tho Party's Opportunity.
This is not tho time to discuss the
continuous NATURALIZATION since Mr.
Murphy and his allies ousted William
Sulzer from the Governorship. This liz
not tho time to uncover the shamelessness
OF the present state organization and
Its corrupt alliances. THE Is not the tina
70 sweep aside the screen and show what
has been going on and is going on I'm
framing a ticket designed to keep the
present boss and his sub bosses In power.
This IL the time to give the enrolled
Democratic electors an opportunity to de-
eide whether they will purify their party
or see IL destroyed az AN agency for good
government In this state. This is the
time to let 1t he known whether a ma
Jority OF the enrolled electors uphold the
criminal acts which will be made plain
in a statewide primary contest. This ~
the time to say whether the party shall
he purified In September by the votes of
Its enrolled members or smashed at the
, polls in November.
81 am a candidate to the finish In the
primaries, and at the request OF men
whose position In New York state poll
ties never has been In doubt. No innu-
ence and no pressure can change my po-
siton unless in one contingency.
II do not ask that | only shall be the
agency through which decent minded Dem
ocrats shall express themselves This
crisis, affecting the public welfare of
nearly 10000 600 persons. embracing vex-
Ing problems which concern taxpayers and
non-taxpayers. is too grave to hang upon
the desire OF any one man In ofrer him
self as the only choice for those who
would change the degrading condl-
lions of party government In this
State to-day. have no Illusions
about the Office OF Governor and no
ambition for public place except as
an imperative duty. The forces In the
Democratic party which would destroy
evil conditions ought not TO be confined
/ to acceptance Of my candidacy as the only
alternative in grave situation. II my
declaration. made in utmost good faith,
that shall be a candidate in the Demo-
| cratic primaries has served to rouse the
/
nation. then let them without delay do an
| urgent public act In suggesting a candi-
| Date to At tho issue. and I will do my
share In fighting the battle for this great
cause.
No Compromise with Dishonor.
IT make only one condition. There
must he no compromise with dishonor
Tho leader chosen must head straight
out anti-Murphy ticket. The battle must
be for the destruction OF the control now
held by the leaders in tho Tammauyized
State Organization.
Party machine ties have never hung
fast on me. ! was a leader IN smashing
tho Brooklyn Democratic ring in 1895.
] was Gold Democrat, and candidate
on that national ticket in 1896 | cam
paigned for Seth Low against Van wyck
In 1897. I go back these years to in
dictate my conversion TO broadness in
party spirit In not new. | had hoped
TO see a fusion ticket In this State which
would have smashed two machines in
stead of one. I had hoped we could as
semble men OF different national views,
keep disputed party policies out of tho
situation and clean up the State as we
have cleaned up the nrst city ~ tho
state. ] would have lent my assistance
to such movement. But the issues
remain We want decency. efficiency and
economy. not in words. but in acts.
Mayor Mitchell, Collector Malone. Cor
poratIon Counsel Polk are types OF Demo