The sun., 1917-08-26
BY THOMAS E. RUSH.

NY reason for becoming a candidate
In the Democratic prima ries at this time
10 because l have reached the point
where patience has ceased to be a vir-
tue in eliminating my individuality and
my seif-respect in the leadership Of the
Tw enty-ninth Assembly district. 1t is
all well enough for man to be loyal TO
his organization and its leader. but no
man with a particle of deccncy in his
character will stand for the treatment
given to the average district leader by
Charles F. Murphy.
began my interest in Tammany Hall
a. secretary Of the general committee OF
the Sixth district before l even had a
vote. and later became an election dis
trict captain under James J. Martin In
the old Twenty fifth district. l believed
that II was a safe political investment
for Q Tammany man to interest the in
dependent voter in his district organiza-
ton to overcome what considered to be
al unjust prejudice against the ma
chine. When became leader in the fall
Of 1908 / still had those ideals and I
feit that there was a new era before
Taminany.
had known Charles Murphy more or
less intimately for several years: he
had declared to Mcclellan and to me his
intention of cleaning up the party man
ayers and had criticised openly some Of
the leaders whose methods were not ac-
cording to his alleged political stand
ards Inspired by that assurance l
promptly organized my new general
committee with the election of James
W. Gerard as it's chairman. Gerard
continued for three years. We also had
on our committee William Nc Adoo.
present Chief Magistrate Harry Payne
Whitney and his brother. Payne Whit
ney: Patrick J. Conway. Richard T.
Wilson. Herbert II. Lehman. now head
Of the textile industries in the Council
Of National Defence : Je sse Isidor Straus.
the head Of r. II. Macy & Co. Thomas
Crimmins. son Of John d. Crimmins, and
Francis X. Pendleton. now Supreme
Court Judge, who was elected by our
committee to succeed Mr.. Gerard when
the latter went on the bench. and other
men of that kind.
Did Not Want High Calibre Men.
Later ! made n suggestion to Mr..
Murphy. following the election when
Bryan was defeated for President by
Taft, that It would be n good thing to
includes on the subcommittee ap-
pointed by the chairman Of the general
committee Mr. Whitney or Mr.. Wilson
or other of the men whose names have
been mentioned here because II had been
the policy of John Kelly and Richard
Croker to appoint men Of that class on
the subcommittee on organization or
committee on resolutions or Legislative
committees. &c. l reminded him that
under the previous leader the names Of
Arthur 1/eary. Augustus Schell, Rhine
lander Dillon, Elbridge Gerry and men
whose activities in life were so involved
that they could not give attention to dis
trict politics were all identified with the
organization by appointment to these
committees under the chairman OF the
general committee. but he promptly
answered that he did not think that was
good policy and preferred, apparently,
to stick to the old political hack methods.
1t was about this time that the change
came over the Chief which indicated a
marked lack of affability and showed
him to be accessible only at certain
times OF the year, and very infrequently
at that. The visits to Mount Clemens,
Atlantic City. Hot Springs. French Lick
Springs all took the Chief away. and
when he returned 1t was down to Good
Ground, except one day in the week,
and the best part OF that day at Del
monico's. He was not as tolerant Of the
complaints Of district leaders as he used
~ be. When the advice Of a district
'eader. although frequently bene-
hcial 10 the organization, showed
Murphy to be In error in his
Judgment he promptly became angry at
this adviser and the enmity displayed
itself on every occasion thereafter; SO II
became common talk that YOU couldn't
take a matter up with the Chief this day
or that day because he was not in good
humor.
Only one Of the numerous instances
which shows how the Chief changed
was when the nomination for Con-
gress was made In the Thirteenth Com
gressional district in 1910 At that
time the Congressional district includ-
ed a substantial part OF the Twenty
1fth. Twcnty-seventh and Twenty-ninth
Assembly districts and a few election
districts here and there of other As
semlbly districts We had a conference
In the Hall. proposed William T.. Cur
tts. William Temple Emmet and Frank
L Polk. and other district leaders made
other suggestions. 1t was finally agreed
that Gen. Henry De Witt Hamilton be
the nominee. In the presence OF the