New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-10
"Billionaire Band"
In Fusion Ranks
Assailed by Hylan
Judge Says They Tried to
Steal Primaries for
Mitchell

Judge John 7. Hylan. Democratic
candidate for Mayor read speech
last night to the Retail Grocers' Asso-
cation at 400 Bridge Street, Brooklyn,
in which he defined the municipal
campaign as Contest of the people
Of all parties against the boldest and
most daring combination of taX-eating
franchise grabbers, food price Jug
glers. land sharks and city financial
manipulators the people of this city
have ever had to deal with"
As proof of his statement the Judge
pointed to the personnel Of the Fusion
Committee, one hundred members of
which, he said, were directors in ap-
uroximately five hundred corporations
with total capital and resources Of
over nine billion dollars" He con-
tinued:
These agents Of great wealth have
banded together with few old guard
bosses in the Republican party for the
purpose of continuing officials IN
charge Of New York City whom they
can control and who will be absolutely
subservient 10 their dictation. 1t was
this little Millionaire band the Republi-
can bosses were serving when they
attempted to steal the primary election
for John Purroy Mitchell
Says Vote Was Falsified
AT the primary election the rank
and file Of the Republican party Of
this city, who stand for honest cleo
tons, triumphantly repudiated the die
tation of the Committee of Two Hun
bred and Fifty and nominated another
candidate. Then somebody sent out
word to defy the law and name the
committees candidate by fraud. The
returns were padded and falsified
throughout the entire city. Who was
the man higher up in this city-wide
conspiracy? Who gave the order?
The Mayor and Reynolds knew and
the corporate interests knew that when
these frauds became public the people
would demand the opening Of the bal
lot boxes. SO, in an endeavor to shake
off the odum that would inevitably
follow exposure, the Mayor rushed into
court 70 make application for the open
ing Of the boxes. When he made this
application he knew full well that his
opponent would make a similar sppli-
cation the following day. The people
escape responsibility by getting to
court before his opponent.
in the face of this exposure of
fraud the same band who have been
exploiting the city for their own pri-
waite gain during the last four years
demanded that their candidate. though
rejected by the people. should seek a
new issue and continue TO fight. So
Mr.. Mitchell wrapped himself and his
repudiated administration in the Amer
lean flag and shouted that all who
are against him are traitors"
The Judge then launched into a dis
sertation on the increase OF the city's
debt and Of its annual budget in the
course Of the Fusion regime. partlcu-
larry condemning the Mitchel-Pren-
dergast administration for turning
over the Control Of the city 10 the
Rockefeller and the Morgan interests
in Wall Street" and for its "Uplift
Patronage Bonanza He promised
that if he should be elected Mayor he
would provide the city with an indie
pendent and economic administration.
Business Agents for Hylan
The united board of business agents
Of the building trades. representing. it
] 4 y
eight trades of the building industry.
met yesterday at Brevoort Hall. Thirty
fourth Street and Third Avenue, de-
nounced Mitchell and unanimously de-
cided TO indorse Hylsn and the rest of
the Democratic ticket. A committee
Of FIVE was appointed to confer with
Hylan and outline Il general plan OF
campaign.
The general committee Of the Italian
American Democratic Union of Greater
New York has adopted resolutions
embarrassing" Mayor Mitchell into the
discard and approving the Democratic
ticket. One of the grievances II enun-
! cates against the Mayor has TO do with
his failure TO give proper support 70
! President Wilson in the last national
campaign
Judge Hylan has also been Endorsed
! for Mayor it was announced. by tht
J local lodges Of the Brotherhood OF 10.
connective Firemen and Engineers. sever
in all, while representatives OF labor