New-York tribune., 1918-05-13
Attorney General Formally
Announces Candidacy;
Criticises Whitman
William Barnes Hand
Is Seen Behind Move
Statement Follows Two
Conferences With G. w.
Aldridge in Rochester
,speeio, Dispatch TO Th, Tribune


ROCHESTER, May 12.-Attorney
General Merton E. Lewis. of Roches-
ter. to-day in formal statement put
himself in the field as a candidate for
the Republican nomination for Gov
ernor. His statement follows:
II am opposed to Governor Whit
mans methods and to many Of his pol
icies. A large number of people en-
;ertaining views similar to mine have
urged mo to become candidate for
Governor Without obligation to any
one in my candidacy and with the sim
cere purpose of reestablishing party
responsibility to the people of the
state I shall be candidate for the
Republican nomination for Governor
On Primary Day, September g."
A representative of The Tribune
asked Mr.. Lewis for his specific
grounds of opposition to the Governor
"'rhat is all have to say at this
time" said he. 81 am going to Albany
tonight. and later in the week I may
nave something else to say, but for the
present that is ali"
Hand of Barnes Seen
Until the Attorney General made his
formal announcement his closest friends
in Rochester were in doubt as to what
he would decide to do. Newspaper men
in Rochester asked him time and again
for q statement, but were put off with
promises. The Attorney General had
Aldridge. the Republican leader of Mon
roe County, yesterday and to-day
Friends who seemed to know said after
ward that the meetings seemed to be
cordial. Afterward it was said by an
&ldridge' man that the Attorney Cen
eral told Mr.. AlIridge he intended to
refrain from attacking the Republican
organization of Monroe County, but
that in every other county he would at
tack Governor Whitman and his sup
rorters.
There is only one construction placed
Upon the candidacy of the Attorney
General by the Aldridge men. 1t is re-
lated In Rochester as having been die
tated by William Barnes. of Albany,
with whom for years Attorney General
Lewis has been on intimate terms no.
litcally.
"The candidacy of Merton E. Lewis
means an attempted rehabilitation of
the Barnes machine and Barnes con-
troll of the state,' said James L. Hotch-
kiss, chairman of the Genesee County
Republican Committee, to a Tribune
representative. Lewis always has
found more comfort from association
with Mr.. Barnes than any one else The
fact is we'll known in Albany.
Barnes Ticket Predicted
The announcement by Harold J. Hin
man that he will be candidate in the
primaries for Attorney General also
is part of the Barnes drive. Hinman
is Mr.. Lewis's deputy and no doubt
the Barnes men have arranged full
anti-Whitman slate. Other names for
other places will soon be announced,
and when they are made public it
Will be perfectly clear that Mr.. Barnes
and his friends are trying to regain
control.
THE Republican organization in Mon
roe County, both in the primaries
and at the election in November. will
be found very solidly supporting the
Whitman ticket. Mr.. Aldridge an
nounced last week that he was COM
mitted unequivocally to the support
OF the Governor, and all that he said
since then has confirmed his first
statement. Mr.. Lewis, of course, will
get good many. votes in his home
county and city, but he will get less
than he is counting on.
There is no doubt whatever that
ne ne VIII run bad second. All that
Mr.. Lewis has he owes politically to
the organization in Monroe County
we have supported him when it was
our candidate for Mayor back in 1893,
and was beaten by George Warner.
democrat. by about 5000 votes.
Says Whitman Will Win
His election as Attorney General
last year was due almost wholly to
the thoroughgoing support of the
nepuphcan organization, dominated by
Governor Whitman. Now that he has
saken his stand, he will be recognized
oy republican voters all over the
didate. think there can be little
doubt about the result of the pri-
mares. Whitman will win"
senator George F. Argetsinger, chair
man OF the Cities Committee in the
senate ana one Of the prominent AL
ufldse men, when told about the A.
'orney Generals decision, said:
ith ms home organization stand
ing oy Governor Whitman for renomi
Ia.;n aunon ! ana not believe that Merton
M Mus"'s, after talking. things over with
1.f. Aiaridge, would enter the fight
means that he will depend almost
Ynvreiy upon William Barnes, William
4. ward and one or two other irrecon.
enables around the state. OF course
he Will receive a good vote. az Gov
ernor Wnitman has made in the appre.
gate good many enemies, but cannot
sse "nere ne has chance to win"
Liquor Issue To Be Prominent
1t is believed among the Aldridpe mo,
mere That Uncle George as he i
called, Will do his utmost tn ,ndrcs
arthur +. Sutherland. former Jmst;ce
OF the Supreme Court, to 60 on fhe
ticket as candidate for Attornav
General to keep down to the min;mm,n
the votes that might 70 to Lewis on
the ground of his being a fayorite
son.
In the judgment of the Aldridre man
the wet and dry issue will becoma
prominent. They hold that the main
financial support of the Barnes-Lewis
MEN will come from the LIQUOR inter.
ests, as Governor Whitman is fully
committed to the dry side. The All.
bridge men expect to have more or los.
trouble with this issue in Rochester,
but they say 1t is q matter that cuts
both ways, and that while they NAV
lose votes to Lewis in Rochester thev
will make almost q clean sweep in the
farming districts.
1t is understood here that Governor
Whitman and his friends will force the
fighting. charging that the Attorney
Generals main hackers are the liouor