New-York tribune., 1918-07-24
Democratic Plea
In State Fight
Centres in Wilson


SARATOGA, N. Y, July 23.-With
Tammany Hall in complete control the
unofficial Democratic State Convention
ut its night session adopted a platform
in which the principal plea for support
for the Democratic state ticket was
based on the fact that President Will
son is a Democrat, and that, therefore,
the state administration must be
turned over to the Democrats to insure
the success Of American arms.
This was the only work done to-
night, SO that the sum total of the work
of the convention to date is
/. Adoption Of an anti-Hearst res
olution forced down it's throat by Sam
uel Seabury, former judge of the Court
of Appeals and Democratic candidate
for Governor. in 1916.
2. Adoption Of the platform.
Tomorrow the convention will ballot
on the names Of gubernatorial posi-
bilities considered by the conference
committee of forty-two, and if the
present plan goes through, Alfred E.
Smith, president Of the Board of AL
dermen and one of the inner circle at
Tammany Hall, will be designated for
the head of the ticket.
Not to Name Osborn
The name of William Church Osborn,
former Democratic state chairman, who
was first choice of the conference, will
not be presented to the convention.
This is at Osborn's request, who re-
CARDS designation as violation of
the spirit of the direct primary law.
Should the programmes, decided on by
Charles F. Murphy and his kitchen
cabinet undergo no change All Smith
will be designated, and this will mean
three candidates in the Democratic pri
maries-Osborn, Hearst and Smith.
The proposed designation of Smith
in view of the known pact existing be-
tween Murphy and Hearst, is credited
to threatened revolt on the part of
upstate Democrats and anti Hearst
Tammany men to bolt if Hearst is des-
ignated.s
Hearst men here are making no at
tempt to disguise their disappointment
But said one Of them tonight: "Smith
won't be in the race two weeks from
now"
Hearst Plans Attacks
This was taken by Smiths friends to
mean that Hearst would make per-
sonal attack on Smith. 1t is gossip
here that Hearst, anticipating Smith s
designation has spent time and moncy
in trying to find something vulnerable
in Smiths public and private life.
Some upstate Democrats see in Muir
phys stamp of approval of the Smith
boom bit Of Machiavellianism. These
men say that Murphy, jealous of ZAP
Smiths popularity, and fearing he nav
wrest the leadership Of Tammany Hall
from him, has consented to Smiths de.-
ignation knowing that one of two
things is certain to happen-either
Smith will be beaten in the primaries
by Hearst or Osborn, and that if he
would be a certainty. Thus Murphy,
it is figured, would be rid of the Smith
nightmare.
There are two factors which would
insure Smiths defeat if he won the
nomination." said one upstate Demo
crat tonight. "The first is that he
was Speaker Of the Assembly which i'm
peached Governor Sulzer, and there are
many sections of the state which re-
gard Sulzer as martyr. The second
is that he carries the Tammany tag"
Tammany Fears for Jobs
John H. McCooey, leader of the
Brooklyn annex of Tammany Hall and
partner Of Mayor Hylan in the .atter's
espousal of Hearst's political ambitions,
is openly in revolt against the conven-
ton designating any one except Hearst.
McCooey has told Murphy, it is said,
that if Smith is designated, and Nc
Cooey believes the designation is we'll
meant, it will mean that Hylan will
take the feed bag away from the Tam
many offlceholdcrs and leave the Hall
without patronage, and that Hearst will
let loose his battery of mud mortars.
The Hearst men, according to reports
current tonight, would have the ed
itor's name presented to the convention