New-York tribune., 1918-07-21
Governor Will Begin Pri-
mary Fight for Nomina-
ton i'm Yonkeys
OthersWatchR Roosevelt
Lewis Men Hope He Will Go
Into Contest, but Word of
Assurance Is Lacking

Roosevelt would not be candidate,
w. w. Cooks, Governor Whitman's
campaign manager, announced yester-
day that the Governor would begin his
fight for denomination Monday night.
The Governor will begin by carrying
the fight into the enemy's country,
Westchester County, which for years
has gone whichever way its vet
eran leader, William l.. Ward. has
Indicated Ward, one of the signers
of the round robin calling upon Colonel
Roosevelt to run, is strongly anti
Whitman, and his district is one Of
the three big anti Whitman strong
holds. The others are Albany and
Kings.
Will Speak at Yonkers
The place selected for the Governor
to inaugurate his fight is the War
burton Theatre, Yonkers. This city has
been the centre of the various move
mcnts which have had for their object
the dethronement of Ward. None pro-
gressed beyond the menacing stage.
The Yonkers insurgents are planning
a a., big reception for the Governor.
will march through the principal
streets of Yonkers. If it can be ar
ranged, it is proposed to have the
Governor lead the procession. After
the meeting a reception will be held
at the City Club under the auspices
of the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce.
Whitman Meets Lenders
The Governor was in conference with
his headquarters here in the city
yesterday. He talked over the long
distance telephone from Albany with
Chairman Cocks and his legal adviser,
Frank Lord. Both expressed their con-
viction that Colonel Roosevelt would
refuse to be candidate.
This was the feeling generally of the
Whitman men, while the men who
backed Attorney General Lewis are hop
ing that the Colonel will heed the
call signed by the Republican leaders
of the state with one or two excep-
tions, call echoed by the Attorney
General in a telegram to the Colonel
in which he offered to withdraw in his
favor.
Wants Colonel to Run
Jacob A. Livingston, the Kings Coun-
ty leader, on his arrival from Saratoga,
said that he felt confident Colonel
Roosevelt would agree to run.
what effect would Colonel Roose-
velt's refusal have on Lewis's candi-
dacy?" he was asked.
eve will grapple with that when we
come to it," answered the Brooklyn
leader.
Chairman Cocks, in a statement is
sued yesterday, said that the Governor
came out of the Saratoga convention
stronger than ever, and that not only
would he be renominated but reelected.
"The Governors invulnerability is
shown" said the Whitman campaign
manager, "by the fact that his oppo-
nents have been forced to turn to the
man Of all men they have constantly
vilifed and abused. Imagine Barnes,
Brown and Bracket enthusiastic
supporting Colonel Roosevelt!
"Hc will not forget the old saying,
Beware of the Greeks bearing gifts
Forced to Pick Candidate
"Convinced that they cannot weaken
the Governors candidacy by one Of
their own forces, they turned in their
extremity to man whom they hate
and fear.
According to the public press, they
stated that Colonel Roosevelt would
enter the primaries. Colonel Roosevelt
stated yesterday that he had not even
considered the proposition. The cam
paign against the Governor was one OF
deception. The names of the stanch-
est Whitman supporters were falsely
reported as having deserted the Gov
ernOr.
"The Saratoga convention closed with
Governor Whitman's strength greater
than ever. The acceptance Of the plat
: form drawn by the Governors support
ers and the absence of minority re-
port were due to the desire to avoid a
blunder of the same kind as the Lewis
managers made at the state committee
meeting, when they asked for rollcall
and disclosed their weakness. Though
courteously presented with at least two
seats OH the committee on resolutions
which they could not have won, the
Barnes men had but thirteen Of the
iifty-one members Of that committee
"Had there been lineup of the
1,034 delegates, at no time would Mr.
Barnes's friends have recorded 200 Ii
was weakness on their part which de-
tered them from risking test on the
floor of the convention"
Attorney General Lewis's manager
did not return to the city yesterday
Some of the local Lewis men said moth
ing would be done until the Colonel
answers the round robin. This he will
do, it is understood, some time this
week.
Lad of II Held as Loafer