New-York tribune., 1914-09-24
Mr.. Barnes's Activities Menace
70 Republican Prospects This Year.

to Republican Prospects This Year.
Mr. Rarnes's support Of District Attorney WHIT
man Is danger signal to Republican Vo'erS' -
makes no difference to the state at large whether
,. ,5ves that support as state chairman or as
nr,v.,s individual. II is given while he Is state
c,.,-r,an which Is what counts and Mr.. Barnes as
4, nracticai politician knows 1t. The fact tha' 'n'
state chairman is vigorously supporting S"'e
whose names have found statewide circuauo"
shows how foolish and misleading was the oiu
,-.-s ,r, that rsarnes's announced retirement had
removed the Barnes issue"
The Barnes issue is not removed II eXlsUs VIII
redoubled force now that he is backing tne WIN
man slate. It will continue to exist If he prihsS
.bout the nomination of this combination, even
though he himself quit the state committee Inc
man who nominatcs candidates is the boss whether
he occupy the office of state chairman as MI
Rarnes has done or whether lie make state cha'r'en
and candidates alike. as Murphy has done lhere
would no no profit for the Republican party in nav
ing Mr.. Barnes retire from official position III It's
state organization merely to become It's Murpn''
milling wires and exercising influence without even
the responsibility which goes with the office OF state
chairman.
That is the danger to the party III MS SUPPORT u
Mr. Whitman. The Whitman ticket is branded aS
the Barnes ticket TO nominate it IS to nominate
man who so far as the voters of the state are con-
oo-red have attached to them all the antagonism
nn1ifi
Mr. Barnes would doubtless split hairs in arsu 'g
that this ought not TO be so. and, Of course MT
whitman would gree with him. Yet the plain fact
erists that it is So Mr.. Barnes has given long aud
earnest service to his party, as he understood al
fairs. He has fought bitterly and increasingly for
what he believed. The Barnes antagonlsm TO Gov
ernor Hughes was the chief factor in the defeat OF
rho Renublicaps In 1910 When, following that, Mr.
Barnes took command Of the state committee and
continued his policy of opposing everything that
savored of modernism, OF rational advancement and
nroeress In political methods and thought, he con
tributed as much to the disruption Of the Repub.
,can marty in the state as he afterNard did to its
disruption in the nation.
The Tribune believes that the hope of decent gov.
crnment for this state lies in the Republican party
Mr.. Hedges. Mr. Whitman, Mr. Hinman would
make better Governor than Mr. Glynn, with his
Tammanv affiliations and his spccious economy
which holds down appropriations for unfortunatcs
in the state hospitals in order that Tammany job
holders salaries need not be cut But Mr.. Whit
niau. backed by Barnes will never have as good a
chance TO become Governor as Mr.. Glynn. The
state at large makes no distinction between Barnes
aud Murphy The Harvard graduate and the street
car conductor as bosses, look alike to the voters
There is this difference-that the Democratic party
is united with the prestige Of national admins
tratlon and the power of state patro age behind It,
whereas Mr.. Barnes has split the Republican vote
and kept the party q minority party That is why
Mr. HARNESS support of Mr. Whitman is a danger
even a handicap-to Mr.. Whitman himself.
Barnes must 60 He is going out of Office in the
state organization, but he must so further than
that Before his activities will cease to be a men,
nee the Republican voters must make it impossible
for him. directly indirectly, to control ticket or
he Republican organization The surest a ! safest
aay TO do that is TO nominate Mr. Hi II for Gov
ernor-there is no suspicion that he is getting
Barnes support-and elect Mr.. Mills state chair
man. With that combination in the election the
Barnes issue would be gone-kied by the Repub
leans themselves.