New-York tribune., 1918-05-11
Democratic Chiefs
Deplore Idea of
Hearst Candidacy
Nomination for Governor
Would Be Calamity, Senti-
ment in Conference

An important conference of Demo
Gratis Of state and national prominence,
at which the Hearst menace came in
for considerable discussion. was held
at the National Democratic Club YES
tcrday.
Among the men who attended this
conference were Congressman Scott
Ferris, of Oklahoma, chairman of the
Democratic Congressional Committee;
Edwin S. Harris, chairman of the Dem
ocratic State Committee; Norman e.
Mack, of Buffalo, Democratic National
Committeeman from this state; cx-
Mayor Dan Shcehan, of Elmira; w. D.
Jameson, assistant treasurer Of the
Democratic National Committee; Jo-
seph Murphy, Of Troy, Democratic
leader of Rensselaer,; w. w. Farley,
Democratic boss of Broome County,
and Harry Walker, Mayor of Bingham
ton, one of the men suitable to the up
state Democrats as the standard
bearer of the Democratic party in this
state next fall.
There were a dozen other upstate
leaders of lesser prominence, and those
who were willing to talk about the
gubernatorial situation all declared
that the nomination of William Ran
dolph Hearst by the Democrats for Gov
ernor would be mistake and a calam
ity to the party.
The fear expressed by some of the
men at the conference was that Hearst,
with the aid of Charles F. Murphy and
"Fingey" Conners. of Buffalo, could have
the nomination if ne said the word,
Ihey believe that unless a real fight is
made on Hearst he will say the word,
But the mere withdrawal of Hearst
Will not satisfy the anti-Hearst men in
the party. They want candidate who
is not tied up with Hearst in any way.
Some of the men opposed to Hearst be-
lleve that at the last moment Hearst
will repeat his move of last September
in the municipal camaign and an
nounce that he will not be a candi-
date, but will support some candidate
that he has picked.
Congressman Ferris refused to dis
cuss the state situation when inter
viewed at the close of the conference
he said that the Democrats were or
ganizing throughout the country to
maintain the Democratic supremacy in
Congress, and that the outlook was
good. He said the Democratic Con
gressional Committee would be en-
larged by adding to it all Democratic
Senators as associate members. to-
gether with Champ Clark, the Speaker
OF the House, and Claude Kitchin, the
majority leader.
THE Democratic campaign next fall
throughout the country" said Con-
gresham Ferris, "will be based on the
grounds that the Democrats are the
friends of the President, are friends of
the nag, are friends of the country and
are friends Of the cause for making
the world safe for democracy"
Congressman Ferris said that the
campaign would be waged on the rec
ord made by the Democrats in Con-
gress, and that record, he added.
showed that the Democrats had played
fair with the farmers, the workingmen
and with the boys in the trenches.
There would be no mud singing, he
said.
The Democrats are going to follow
the lead of the Republicans, and es
tablish the headquarters of the Con-
gressional Committee in Washington.
with branches possibly here and in Chi
cago. Mr.. Jameson left last night for
Chicago to talk over the advisabilitv
OF establishing q branch there