New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-20
Big Republicans Laugh at
Brooklyn's Plan for
Straight Ticket
mitchell LOGICAL
CANDIDATE, THEY SAY
Sure He Could Beat Hearst,
Who Seeks Tammany
Nomination

Mavor Mitchell and his associates IN
the fusion administration are not wor-
ried over the early appearance OF storm
clouds on the political horizon, pre-
hrninary to the fall campaign.
Reports from Albany that certain Re-
cpblican members of the Legislature
are openly aligning themselves against
the Mitchell administration and selzing
every opportunity TO cast reflections
mon il are looked upon here merely as
family jars, particularly in the BROOK
lyn wing of the party.
The squabble between the Livingston
and Calder-Kracke factions for Brook
lyn leadership is of long standing, and
the leaders in Manhattan are not sur
prised that some Of the Brooklyn legis-
Istors who are followers Of the Liv-
inrston standard have begun early to
attack Mayor Mitchell and his policies
They declare, however, that the drive
will not last and Brooklyn will be IN
line with the rest Of the city for fusion
when the time comes to get down TO
action.
Big Republicans for Fusion
The idea Of nominating a straight
Republican Mayoralty ticket, as is said
70 have been suggested by some of the
Brooklynites, impresses the local chiefs
as amusing, and that's all. Samuel 5.
Koenig, chairman Of the Republican
County Committee, and other leaders
have pointed out that any such move
would only result in throwing wide the
doors of City Hall TO Tammany. They
can conceive of no candidate whom the
djsgruntled faction in Brooklyn could
suggest who would stand the ghost Of
a show on a straight ticket against
Tammany. They are convinced OF the
hopelessness of trying to nominate
Republican for Mayor, and believe that
Mayor Mitchell is the only logical and
by far the strongest candidate to head
another fusion ticket against the Demo-
cratic regulars.
Even with W. r. Hearst as the op-
posing candidate, with the Endorsement
of the Murphy organization, the Re
publican leaders are confident that
Mitchell would win. AS the situation
looks now, most of the fusion advo-
Gates are willing to concede that
Hearst would probably be the strongest
candidate Tammany could support as
against the present Mayor.
The Hearst forces are knownrto be
angling for the nomination for their
leader. II he should fail to get it, the
possibilities of three-cornered fight,
with Hearst running Independently, are
worrying the Republlcan-Fusion lead
ers more than if Hearst should be the
Tammany candidate. Some Of the
politicians feel that Hearst's dislike
for Mayor Mitchell might lead him to
run independently for the sake of beat
ing Mitchell They declare that the in
dependent vote that Hearst might at
tract from the fusion candidate on
third ticket would be more potent than
if he wore the Tammany tag.
Factions Twisting Facts
Brooklyn legislators are using the
West Side improvement plan, the Rock
away land deals and the charges
against Controller Prendergast merely
for their own purposes in local fac
tional fights, according to the leaders
here. The Republican leaders who are
for fusion. and that includes practi-
cally all of them, declare that however
these matters may be twisted for po-
litical purposes, by certain Republicans
or by the Democrats. the final record
of the Mitchell administration, as 1t IS
bound 10 be demonstrated to the
voters, will outweigh any arguments
!. that may be made against it.
n While the Mayor and other city OFF,
III Gals stand ready TO oppose any parti-
" san or prejudiced attacks on the West
Side-New York Central plans, as has
been demonstrated at the public hear
ings now in progress, those who have
their confidence say that they are
equally ready for, and court, an i'm
partial survey of the plans By all
parties interested. They are open TO
any constructive suggestions which
could be determined TO be more to the
interests Of the city.