New-York tribune., 1918-05-02
Expect Hearst
IoBackS kShearn
For Governor
Politicians Say Publisher
Is Convinced That He
Can't Win

William Randolph Hearst will with
draw from the race for the Democratic
nomination for Governor next fall in
favor of Supreme Court Justice Clar-
ence j. Shearn. This is the latest word
OF men in touch with the inner circle
of Tammany Hall. composed of Charles
F. Murphy, Senators James A. Foley,
Robert It. Wagner, "Al" Smith, presi-
dent of the Board of Aldermen, and a
few lesser luminaries.
Hearst reached this conclusion fol-
lowing word brought to him by his
political agents, who recently have
been touring the state. Justice Shearn
was formerly counsel to Hearst and
the Hearst newspapers, and is highly
thought of by the editor of "The Amer
lean"
Hearst was told that not only was
there a strong sentiment against him
among the upstate Democratic leaders,
but that practically every man in Tam
many Hall was of the opinion that with
him candidate a Republican land
slide unequalled in the history of the
state would result.
So Hearst, whose liIc ambition is to
be President, is said to have come to
the conclusion that it mattered not who
is Governor for the next two years
provided he is Hearst man who will
swing the New York delegation to the
Hearst column at the Democratic Ma
tional Convention in 1920.
Monday night, at an uptown club not
far from Delmonico's, where the off,
cial family of Charles F. Murphy gath
ers, anti-Hearst Democrats from this
city and upstate met and discussed
this latest phase of the situation.
These men agreed that no man with
the Hearst tag would do, and that if
Murphy, Mayor Hylan ct al, tried to
force Hearst or Hearst imam on the
party, they would bolt and run an in
dependent ticket, headed by Samuel
Seabury or some other out-and-out
ti-Hearst man.
The Tribune's informant, who at
tended this conference, declared that
wealthy Democrats who regard Hearst
and anything he stands for as men
ace, stood ready to finance a campaign.
These men, some of whom attended
the conference, expressed the fear that
Hcarst's newspaper and financial in
f1uence might swing some of the anti
for that reason they decided to form a
permanent antiHearst organization
The organization will be statewide
and an announcement of it's plan and
scope will be made public shortly.
Hopes To Be President
The general talk at the conference
was that If Hearst succeeded in nam
ing a candidate for Governor, as he
succeeded in naming Hylan last fall
after he announced his withdrawal
from the race. and, with the aid of
Tammany, managed to stage another
Hylan fling, he would be in splendid
position for achieving the ambition of
his life~to capture the Democratic
nomination for President.
Back of the Hearst movement is
"Fingy" Conners, the boss of Buffalo
and one of the Tammany regents up
state; Norman T.. Mack, Democratic
National Committeeman from this
state; Mayor Hylan and Charles F.
Murphy.
The subtle disclaimers of Murphy
do not impress the anti-Hearst men,
who point to the newspapers of 1906,
when Murphy, three days before the
Democratic State Committee met at
Buffalo and nominated Hearst for Gov
ernor, publicly declared Hearst was not
candidate and he was not for Hearst
VI the 254 votes in the Electoral Col
lege, which elects President, forty
iive, or aimost 20 per cent, come from
this state.