New-York tribune., 1918-04-24
Defeat atHearst.
Is Said To Be
Wilson's Edict
Democrats Seeking 100 Per
Cent American as Nom
inee for Governor
By Charles T. White

Democrats of New York State will
gather around the operating table in
the Onondaga Hotel here tomorrow
and attempt the doubtful operation of
bloodless surgery on William Randolph
Hearst-cutting him out Of the Demo-
cratic body polite without hurting him
very much or making him so sore that
he'll turn around and kick the Murphy
state machine, with it's long retinue
Of expectant job hunters, galley west.
Reduced to the simplest terms, the
upstate Democrats tomorrow wish to
serve notice on Mr.. Hearst in red ink
that he cannot have the nomination
for Governor this year, but they are
afraid of him and afraid of what will
happen to them afterward if they han
die his case in summary fashion.
The incoming conferrees, tonight
brought with them sort Of double
barrelled message. One charge in the
gun was that the Administration at
Washington had sent word to the con-
ference that William R. Hearst was to
be ed-diplomatically if prac-
ticable, but with strong-arm methods if
necessary.
The Tribune representative tried to
lay his hand on the person who
brought this message from the powers
that be at Washington, but was unable
to find him. Probably no one person
received any such message to be de-
livered to the conference. At the same
time, there is remarkable concur
nf Nni@
the feeling of President Wilson and
Secretary McAdoo and the others.
100 Per Cent American Sought
The other charge in the double bar
relied gun was that the discussion of
personalities and candidates would be
barred in the conference, and that all
that the conference would do would be
to pass a set Of resolutions with a
-pV uosI!M e44 10 4ueMosIopu! 5ul5u1I
ministration, for the vigorous prosecu-
ton Of the war and for the nomination
Of 100 per cent american patriot by
the Democrats when their unofficial
convention is held in Saratoga next Au-
gust.
William H. Kelley; of Syracuse, for
the committee Of seven that organized
the conference, took it upon himself to
state the object of the conference, in
| the following words:
Ihls conference was called because
| OF the treatment accorded to the rural
counties of the state By Governor
Charles S. Whitman and the consequent
demand of the upstate voters for pro-
gresslve Democratic candidate with an
understanding of rural conditions and
needs. 1t was not called for the pur-
pose Of advancing or opposing the can
didacy of any one man for Governor,
nor was 1T called for the purpose of
opposing anybody. A conference seemed
the best way to ascertain the sentiment
and few Of US interested in good gov
ernment acting upon our own RESPONSE
bility, called this conference, with en-
tire confidence that the Iublic would
appreciate its purpose and its object"
Rattigan Opposes Hearst
At about the time that Mr.. Kelley
issued this statement news reached tho
| Onondaga Hotel that Charles +. Rat
tigan. of Auburn, spokesman usually
for Thomas Mott Osborne, was on his
way to the conference, with a resolu-
tion in his pocket stating substantially
that the gravity of the war situation
and the interests of the Democratic
party in this state demanded the OPP
position from all rightminded Demo-
Gratis to William n. Hearst or any
thing with the Hearst tag on it.
1t is understood that if Mr.. Ratti-
gan contemplates the introduction of
any such radical manifesto against Mr..
Hearst it will quickly be referred with
out reading.
T. Harvey Ferris, of Utica, said that
it was not at all certain that Mr.. Rat
tigan had proxy that would permit
of his presence in the conference, and
that, IL he had, the matter would be
handled discrectly when the conferrees
had TO meet it.
"This conference is not opposing OF
approving any one" said Mayor John
FitzG Gibbon Of Oswego. "Alf that we
want to do, now that we have a good
chance to elect Governor, is to pick
a candidate who will beat Whitman"
II am Of the opinion that the con-
! ference will avoid doing anything radi.
( cal or Sensational, but will indorse the
Federal Administration and allow tht
; situation to crystallize," said William
/. Church Osborne. v
II was gala night at the Onondaga
for fayorite CONS with CovernorshiT
boorns. Some OF the candidates were
on hand, some are at their homes, con
ycniently near the telephone, end some
VIII be surprised when they read that
the managers Of the conference have
done them the honor to have thei'