New-York tribune., 1918-05-23
Lewis Will Stay
In the Primaries
Against Whitman
Denies Report He'll Quit +;
Says He Is Candidate of
No Combination

Merton E. Lewis, State Attorney
General, declared last night that he
would stay in the race for the Repub-
lican nomination for Governor. At the
Murray Hill Hotel he was asked if the
story in "The New York American"
yesterday, that he was out of the race,
was true.
"There is not word of truth in the
report" said Mr.. Lewis. 81 am a
candidate for the Republican nomina-
: tion for Governor and l am in the
race to the finish"
His attention being called to a story
in The Tribune yesterday that Jacob
A. Livingston, the Brooklyn leader,
did not take kindly to his candidacy,
and that the Brooklyn organization
would prefer to support Justice James
c. Cropsey as the antiWhitman can
didate, Mr.. Lewis said:
~ have not asked Mr.. Livingston or
any other Republican leader for per-
with any offence. l did not even dis
cuss it with my own leader, Mr..
Aldridgc. am no mans candidate,
nor the candidate of any combination.
| received a stack of letters from
prominent Republicans throughout the
state asking me to be a candidate. The
letters came from men like John
Merritt, of Niagara, and Harvey D.
Hinman, of Broome."
Mr.. Lewis will make one speech in
September. shortly before the prima-
ries, in which he will make known his
position on the various issues which
will be features during the campaign.
Mr.. Lewis has already announced
that he is against the ratification of
the Federal "bone-dry" amendment, be-
lieving that the question should be
submitted to a referendum of the peo-
pie. He is for the restoration of the
convention system of selecting candi-
dates and against the Federal suffrage
amendment.
On this last the National Woman's
party issued a statement which Mr..
Lewis last night characterized as a
distorted version of an interview he
had with two suffragists at his home
on Sunday, May 12. The statement
reads:
"Mrs. Mary Ertz Will asked Mr..
Lewis whether, if nominated for Gov
ernor, he would support the Federal
suffrage amendment.
"Mr. Lewis replied that he did not
believe in universal suffrage and would
not support the Federal suffrage
amendment. In fact, he believed in
limited suffrage for men and women.
He thought that only the educated men
and women should have the right of
the franchise.
"Mr. Lewis said that he did not con-
slider that the foreigner, after only
five years residence in this country,
was eligible to vote-that there should
be literacy test to eliminate the un-
desirable voter, either man or woman
q I hot tt1I L
zen ought to speak English, should
have some knowledge of the Constitu-
tion and history of the country, and be
familiar with the ideals of American
government.
miss Edith Ainge, of jamestown, N.
Y, said: The women voters will be
| interested in your statement, Mr.
[ Lewis. We cannot have a Governor in
the State of New York that will not
favor the ratification of national
woman suffrage
"Mr. Lewis answered: 4 hope the
women will support me, but I will
stand by my principles even if the
women do not vote for me-
"The statement" said Mr. Lewis,
leaves out the declaration I made that
woman Suffrage had been made a part
of the state constitution and was here
| to stay and that ! accepted it. l did
say that I believed that the woman
suffrage amendment would double the
illiterate voters. I said that l be-
lieved that we ought to have lteracy
| test. The ladies then said:
1--WE can't get the literacy test. Are
you in favor of the woman suffrage
amendment?'
~ replied: That is purely matter
! for Congress to determine. But we
have woman suffrage in this state and
I hope that the educated women will
| fit their less fortunate sisters to use
the ballot intelligently.'
at is true that I have been opposed
to woman suffrage. But three years
and women who passed literacy test
could have the VOTE"