The Columbia evening Missourian., 1922-05-15
NY. STATE IS
BADLYTANCLED
UP POLITICALLY
Republicans in Bad Plight
Fear That Gov. Nathan L.
Miller Will Retire to
Private Life.
DEMOCRATS ARE IN LINE
William Randolph Hearst Big
Party Puzzle-Is Believed
to Be Seeking Some
Nomination.

By Staff coue,pondent.
ALBANY, n. Y. May l5.-NOt in years
has the political situation in New York
State been so badly involved as it is this
year.
Just three things stand out at this
time:
l.-That the men popularity expected
TO head the Republican and Democratic
tickets have as yet refused TO indicate
their willingness TO take the guber-
patiorial nomination.:
2.-Modi6cation of the VOlstead act
is bound to play a part in the con-
gressional elections.
3.-The Republican state administra-
ton must assume whatever resentment
is felt toward the national Republican
administration.
The REPUBLICANS are perhaps in
worse plight than the Democrats, for
the reason that Governor Nathan l.. Mill
er, whose term will expire this fall, has
indicated that he desires TO return TO pri-
vate life. Despite pleas of party leaders,
he has refused to grant their request that
he seek reelection. He has made it
plain that he does not wish re-nomina-
ton.
In case Miller finally decides to quit
the political game, there are a dozen or
more candidates for the nomination who
are all more or less prominent in Repub-
lican circles in the state, with the re-
sultant factional fights.
DEMOCRATS IN LINE
On the Democratic side, Alfred E.
Smith, former governor who was defeated
by Miller, is popularity expected to lead
his party again. but he has been as COM
municative as an oyster. Smith has been
quoted by friends as saying that he does
not care to run again, but pressure from
within the party may force him to.
George r. Lunn, mayor of Schenectady
and former Socialist, IS seeking the gu
bernatorial nomination, but it is doubt
full if he will receive the backing of the
leaders because of his rebelious attitude
toward mary of them since he joined the
party in 1916 and also because of his
friendly attitude toward the Wilson ad.
ministration-never popular with the ma.
jority of New York Democrats.
The one big puzzle on the Democratic
side is William Randolph Hearst. Where
he stands no one except he himself
knows. 1t is believed that he is seeking
the endorsement for United States senator
or the nomination for governor. The re.
cent organization the Political Union
for Progress in Government" by the late
L. J. O'Reilly, Hearsi's political manager, !
was believed to be step to furnish We.
hicle to convey to Hearst either nomina.
tion. But there is no positive evidence
that this is the case.
As bearing on the intention of Hearst, !
the New York Morning World on May 2,
announced that Hearst was in the field
for the Democratic gubornatorial nomina- |
ton and that he desired former Governor
Smith on the ticket for United States sen.
afor.
The World story said that Mayor Hy-
Ian of New York was in on the play and
would force Tammany to support Hearst.
1t also credited William ]. Connors Of |
Buffalo, former Democratic State Chair.
man with leading the Hearst movement
and said he had undertaken the job Of |
bringing both New York City and up
state democratic leaders into line.
FOR THE SENATE
William M Calder, the present sena.
tor, is a candidate to succeed himself. |
But he does not have the backing of all
upstate Republican leaders.
The Democratic position on the United
States Senate will probably not begin TO
clear until Hearst indicates his attitude.
If he stands aside, there will be plenty
of candidates.
Leaders in both parties admit that pro-
hibition is bound to play a prominent
part in the congressional elections. Re.
sentiment against the Volstead act and
the difficulty in enforcing it is growing 1
stronger. This was demonstrated to some
extent in a recent special election in the
congressional district, when
four cities which had voted dry under the
states local option act, voted for an
wet candidate.
The chief concern Of the Republican
upstate leaders is the attitude assumed
toward the Harding administration in rail-
road centers and to a less degree in New