New-York tribune., 1918-09-30
Denies He Planned to Use
His Influence to Obtain
War Contracts
Kellogg Expected
To Be Successor
Elk State Chairman An
nounces He Will Sue News
paper That Accused Him

Edwin S. Harris, of Albany, resigned
as chairman of the Democratic State
Committee yesterday after being be-
sieged by his friends for several days
to take that course.
In brief statement left at the Ma
tional Democratic Club for newspaper
men Mr.. Harris said the charges that
he had planned to use his influence IN
obtaining war contracts for his friends
and political associates were untrue,
and that he would make a full state
mcnt to-day or tomorrow.
He said he would start. libel suit
against "The New York Globe" which
made the charges and that nc had IN
structed his counsel to take immediate
action.
Mr.. Js ri suggested that his sue
cessoa chosen Immediately and that
a m ng of the state committee be
call. that purpose. 1t l3 under
stood Alfred f. Smith, Democratic cam
didate for Governor, and some Of his
political advisers, notably Sen fors
Robert F. Wagner and James A. ! ley,
had already arranged for this. and that
George r. Van Name, secretary of the
committee, would issue the call to-day
or tomorrow.
AeilOKE Ilckeu TOT IIdce
In all likelihood Joseph A. kellogg. of
Glens Falls, former Supreme Court jus
tce, will be elected chairman and will
manage the Democratic campaign. This
was foreshadOwed in statement made
by Mr. Smith last night when told that
Mr.. Harris had resigned
''lnasmuch as Mr.. Harris cmphati-
cally denies the charges made against
him. said Mr.. Smith, 81 am not in
position to pass upon them. He has
removed himself from the campaign
and desires to have some person
elected chairman Of the state COM
mittce in his place. From now on
ex-Judgc Kellogg will take full con-
troll of the Democratic campaign in
this state"
Mr.. Harris's statement was typcwrit-
ten and signed with his initials on the
typewriter. 1t read:
"At Syracuse. Thursday, some of
the Democratic leaders expressing
the utmost confidence in my in
tegrity, and saying that they did
not believe any of the charges made
against me to be true, said that it
would be politically expcdent for me
to retire.
Every Charge Denied
II told them that every inference
and every charge against me was abb
solutely false, but that it was more
important to me to dispose of those
charges and correct whatever false
impression they have created than
to do anything else, and that | must
devote my time to this work
81 wished to be relieved from all
connection with the campaign. Late
last Thursday I told Judge Kellogg
that he must assume complete man
agcment of the campaign. Since re-
turning to New York | have been
more convinced that | must do this
so | have notified Judge Kellogg that
have absolutely withdrawn. ] hope
the state committee will meet at the
earliest date to take action on the
election of my successor"
Pcncillcd at the bottom of the note
was the following postscript in Mr..
Harris's hand:
81 have directed my attorneys,
Morris. Plantc and SAKE, to proceed
against 'Thc Globe Monday or
Tuesday I will give out statcmeat.'
Urged to Get Out
The charges against Mr. Harris were
first printed by "Thc Globe" Saturday
week ago. BY the time tie Demo
Gratis met at Syracuse last Thursday,
when Mr.. Smith and The other can
uiuoCc OH tnc SldlC tlCkcr were OIL
cially notified, these charges were the
chief subject of conversation among
politicians, Democratic and Republican
alike. Mr.. Harris protested his in
nocence, and when it was suggested
that his res csgnation would avoid future
embarrassments to the Democratic can
L'dates, the state chairman's reply was
that he would issue statement clear
ing himself of the charges
1t is understood that prominent Dem
ocrats urged MIR. Harris to get out any
way; that it would not be possible,
even though he were innocent, to con-
tlnuc as manager of the Democratic
campaign and expect the Democrats to
make any sort of fight After several
hours of pleading some of the Demo
cratic leaders, including the head of
the ticket. prevailed upon the state
chairman to resign.
Mr.. Harris could not be reached yes
tcrday. 1t is known that early in the
Jay Mr.. Smith conferred with him at
the National Democratic Club, and that
Senators Wagner and Foley spent three
hours with him on Saturday night.