New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12
T ak Of
City Hall

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Il NAV be that the open season for
summer politics is drawing to a close.
In any case, the interesting and rather
exciting diversion introduced by
Mcssrs. Livingston and Cropsey into
an otherwise cut and dried situation
shows signs of exhaustion. The Gov
ernor. the official head Of the Repuo-
lican family, has been down from AL
banv TO end the row with a There,
there, boys; it's almost time to get
down to business" Apd apparently he
has succeeded.
At least he has been able for the
time being to restore outward order
and decency, which. as the late Mayor
Gaynor was fond of insisting, is the
first duty of government. But 1t Is
intimated that below the surface the
triumph lies not so much with Fusion
and its recent ally, Mr.. Whitman, as
with "Jakey" Livingston, the Brooklyn
prodigal. Mr.. Livingston, in return
for abandoning the CrOpsey candidacy,
is to eat of the fatted calf of Brooklyn
patronage. so the story runs-he and
his coadiutor Eugene Travis, the State
Controller. Though the details OF the
feast have not yet been arranged
these two. it is said, may name the
county ticket.
And Justice Cropsey, who has never
said so much as "Barkis is willin',' who
can pretend now that he never dreamed
of running for Mayor, that Livingston
never had the slightest sanction for
using his name as a patronage CLUB,
that il was all a midsummer's night
mare disturbing the slumber of Will
lam Hamlin Childs and the other
wealthy and distinguished Fusion lead
ers-Justice Cropsey seems bereft OF
political support for his low, rumbling
boom. Will he retire while the retlr-
ing is good, or will he cut loose on his
own hook and invade the primaries in
defiance of a united organization?
As a Justice of the Supreme Court
il is not an enviable position he occu-
pies. His very caution has betrayed
him, il would seem, since public an
nouncement that he would or would not
run for Mayor would have committed
Livingston TO definite course OF action,
would have prevented him from sultlng
his own convenience and leaving a
member of the Supreme bench crying
in the wilderness. In any event, the
decision should have been Cropsey's-
not Livingston's.
Il NAV be that Mr.. Cropsey, in revolt
against the indignity of being sold out
for a borough leaders political ad-
vantage. will yet announce his candi-
dacy. But unless all signs fail he Will
be defeated decisively in the Republican
primaries by the Mayor. He may even
run independently for election, despite
the primary verdict. He is known for
his perseverance and disregard OF oppo-
sition and for his enjoyment Of fight.
Hearst might come to his rescue. VINO
knows? Certainly, the third ticket
bogie must not be buried until its
death has been definitely determined.
Meanwhile speculation is rife regard
ing the arguments which induced GoV-
ernor Whitman and Controller travis
TO line up uncompromisingly Tor Mitch
el The Governor was originally an ar
dent supporter of the. proposal that his
partv enter the municipal campaign
with a straight Republican ticket Mar
tin SAKE was his candidate for Mayor
and during the spring and early sum
mer he seemed bent on doing what ne
could to embarrass and dlscredlt tns
Mitchell administration and 20 give ala
and comfort to Hearst.
The Controller, too, though thorn
in Whitman's side, was passionate au
vocate of the straight Republican ticket
idea and, more openly than the Gov
erncr, he gave encouragement TO the
Cropsey boom. Il was even supposed
that the Republican district leaders IN
Manhattan who held jobs under MN
would refuse to obey Sam koenlgs
ukase 10 support Mitchell in the prl-
maries and vote instead for Cropsey'
lust to please their employer. But now
IL appears, the employer is wed to
Fusion. and by the same token so are
they.
Some say the Governor was won
over by the willingness of the Fusion
Committee to name William l.. KAN
som. counsel 70 the Public Service
Commission, for District Attorney
But that is rather a small price TO
nav for a Governors favor. Similarly,
there are those who contend the state
Controller was placated with share
OF pOlJlcdl duLAOi ~ ~ - - -.
The Controllers Office controls vast
sroount of patronage with which politi-
cal authority may be purchased with
less effort or risk than the Cropsey
boom involved. r..
Did they succumb TO pressure from
tho Cbilds-Dodge- Wickersham-Perkins
battery now functiOning for Fusion or
was Sam Koenig finally able to con,
NC them of the truth of United
states Marshal Mccarthy. statement
that the Republican organization had
becn strengthened 900 per cent by the
Mitchell administration The answer
will have 20 wait. iii, :.
In the meantime how readily, IT
seems. a municipal election IN TINS
town NAV be won or lost IN Albany!
Ny:.t- AdIar Near Death