The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-28
LEWIS DENOUNCES
GRIFFTTHS'S ACTION
Protests Against District Lead
: er's Attempt to Gust Anti
Whitman Captains.
E. r. BROWN HITS AGAIN
Accuses Governor of Double
Dealing, Pursuing Selfish
Policy and Juggling.

Vigorous protest was made by Attor-
ney-General Merton e. Lewis yesterday
against the attitude taken by Charles II.
GrifYiths, Republican leader Of the
Eleventh Assembly District. that all his
captains who could not work whole
heartedly for Gov. whitman should resign
in favor OF whitman men.
Mr.. Lewis sent red hot letter to the
leader, following q row that occurred in
the headquarters Of the district on Mon
day night, after the appearance Of the
Attorney General there. 1t is said that
nearly half Of the captains are in sym
pa&hy with the Lewis campaign. and
some OF them resented hotly the at
tempt to force them to work for the
Governor.
General Lewis was told that
after he had left the clubhouse Mr.. Grif-
ffths and Judge Samuel Strasboureer de-
clared that orders have come from
downtown that any captain who can't
support the Governor should resign.
Samuel Leavitt and others announced
IL was an outrage to dictate to Repub-
licans for whom they should work. So
much feeling was shown that no formal
vote was taken. DR.. Eugene II. Porter,
a Whitman office holder and resident
of Broome county, after the meeting
tried to persuade all the men to work
for whitman.
Lewis's Letter to Grimths.
81 understand that after I left your
meeting last night instructions were Is
sued to the district captains that they
were morally bound to support Gov.
Whitman for denomination" wrote the
Attorpey-Genera to Mr. Griffith, that
unless they could do so cheerfully and
heartily 1t was their duty to resign as
district captains and allow successors
to be named.
IL thought I made the subject per-
fectly clear in my speech when l said
that the spirit and letter of the primary
law gave to all Republicans the right to
exercise their individual judgment in de-
terming for whom they should vote at
the primary election; that any attempt
on the part of any organization to con-
troll the action Of Republican voters In
favor of one candidate and against an.
other is a return to the old boss sys-
tenn, which the party repudiated years
ago.
IT cannot permit the opportunity tc
pass Of protesting against your attitude
and the attitude Of others associated
with you in the leadership Of the dis
trict.
II feel that the instructions which
were given last night after I left the
meeting are unjust and unwarranted
that they are In violation Of the spirit
of the primary law and calculated not
to promote the real welfare Of the Re-
publican party. but rather the welfare
and political advantage Of single men,
Der OF the party as against all other
members.
II protest also against the determine
ton Of your organization to create a
Whitman primary campaign committee.
Blast From EIOn n. Brown.
In a statement OF his reasons for OPP.
posing the denomination OF Gov. Whit
man, Senator Elon r. Brown of Water
town asserted that the Governor was
weak on financial affairs. dealt doubly
with many issues. exploited the farmers
for political purposes and did not har-
monte his personal policy with his
political policy.
Brown. II believe the Governor should be
a straightforward man who would rather
be right than Governor, IL a choice had
10 be made. Acknowledgement Lewis Is
such man. knows States affairs and
has rendered tremendous service in his
office. routing traitors in this country
and France. He Is right on State and
national matters, and I gladly support
him in preference to Gov Whitman ant
urge other Republicans to do likewise.
Senator Brown went so far as TO say
that Gov. Whitman was the weakest
Governor in financial matters he evei
served with at Albany. The last ap
propriations OF sS1,000.000 were made
he said, without any consultation be
tween the Governor and the financia
chairmen of the two houses With {
spirit of cooperation large sums coult
have been saved. A good deal OF tn
waste had been used for political ap
pointees. many of whom had draw
compensation without giving any ade
quate return.
The Governor deals doubly will
many issues. seeking to cultivate il
this way the favor OF both sides" con
tinued Senator Brown. at was a com
mon thing at Albany to have the Gov
ernor commit himself to a measure anC
when the bill WAS passed veto 1t. or L
announce either in public or private tina
no would approve OF a measure II /
came to him, and then exert his IN
fiuence to defeat it in the Legislature.
Agricultural Policy.
Ellis attitude toward agriculture wa
consistently one of exploitation fO