New-York tribune., 1918-04-24
Thew Ask Democrats Meet
ing at Syracuse To-day
to Choose Collector
Publisher Is Weak,
Says Judge Seabury
Ex-Football Star Expected
to Have Backing of
Washington

William II. ("Big Bill") Edwards, Col
lectcr of Internal Revenue, was for
mally placed in the race for the norni-
nation for Governor on the Democratic
ticket yesterday. To-day his old friends
and boyhood chums in Broome County
will tell the upstate Democratic lead
ers, at their conference in Syracuse,
what strong candidate the former
Street Cleaning Commissioner and
onetime Princeton football star would
make.
"Big Bills" candidacy and fresh
attack on William Randolph Hearst
and Tammany Hall by Samuel Seabury,
who resigned from the Court of APP
rcals two years ago to run against
Governor Whitman, helped to focus
attention on the Syracuse conference,
which is in a large measure an anti
Hearst-T Tammany mass meeting.
Local Democrats regarded as spokes-
men for the Wilson administration
declared last night that Washington
will be behind any anti-Hearst move
ment. Such q movement has been un-
der way not only upstate, where it has
been directed by Joseph Murphy
Harvey Ferris, former state Senator
of Utica, but here in this city. for sew
eral weeks. Judge Seabury so far has
been the only one to lead the fight in
the open here, but men OF equal proml
nence and power are in it.
The Edwards candidacy is regarded
as another antiHearst move, and lis
official connection with the Admins
tration, coupled with his known friend
ship with William G. McAdoo and other
men close to the President. is taken
~ T47Immany leaders, who have no love
for Hearst, as an intimation from
Washington that Hearst must 60.
The intirlation is intended for
!, Mayor Hylan, who is openly espousing
the Mearst boom, and for Charles F.
Murphy, with whom Hearst is said to
have entered into an agreement last
September to withdraw from the race
for Mayor on condition that he receive
the support of Iammany this year in
his Presidential ambitions, which he
hopes to realize through the Governor
ship.
Hearst's candidacy, Judge seabury
declared it was being fostered by
agents of Hearst. who have been going
| throughout the state, buttonholin
county. leaders everywhere, telling
them that Tammany was behind Hearst
and reminding them that Hearst has
millions of dollars. Hearst's nomina-
tion, the jurist added, would be a dis
i grace.
ut is of the greatest Importance that
the Democratic leaders should keep in
mind the fact that for years Hearst
has been a diminishing factor When
he first ran for Mayor, against McClel-
! Ian, the independents in New York,
being ignorant of his record in Cali
fornia, gave him generous support. His
vote was 225,000. The next wear he
ran for Governor and was the only
man on his ticket defeated In 1905,
running for Mayor on the same plat
form as in 1905, he received 1900 less
votes than the first time he ran, The
better he becomes known the less his
voting strength"
"Big Bill" Edwards admitted that his
friends in Broome County were putting
him forth as candidate. "Bic Bill"
was born on his fathers farm at Lisle
Broome County, and worked on it as .
boy.
~ have nothing to say on the Gov
ernorship," said "Big Bill" II have
been too busy collecting money to helm
finance the country and trying to do
my bit here without taking an active
interest in politics. Of course 7 sym-
pathize with my friends in Broome
County who believe that it is about
time we had some one at ALBANY who
has the interest of the farmer at
heart