New-York tribune., 1922-02-02
Seabury Asks
Smith to Lead
" ar on Hearst
Pariv's Crisis Demands That
He Oppose Publisher or
Be False to Trustecship.
Former Governor Is Told
Must Fight or Run Away
Urged 10 Say if He Would
Be Candidate on Ticket
With Hylan-Murphy Man


Samuel Seahury, former Judge OF the
Court Of Appeals and Democratic can
didate FOR Governor in 1916. sent an
open letter last night to former Gov
enor Alfred K. Smith asking him to
become the "real leader" Of the Demo
cratic party in this state and oppose
William r. Hearst.
When a crisis is presented leader
must lead or run away. discredted. /"
says Judge Scabury in his letter. "He
cannot. ostrich-likc, bury his head in
the sand until the crisis blows over.
The Hearst candidacy offers YOU only
one OF two ernatives-either to or-
pose Hearst or stand mute. which is
the equivalent of running away"
Judge Seabury recalled to Governor
Smith his attack on Hearst in Carnegie
Hall n October. 1919. when Mr. Smith
said. referring to Hearst's failure to
accept his challenge 70 Joint debate:
Il know that he CHearsN has not a
drop Of clean. good red blood in his
body. I know the color Of his liver.
and know that it is whitcr than the
driven snow, If such thing be posi-
BILE"
Urges Needs Of Party
Judge Scahury's lot+or read In part:
"Mv dear Governor Smith:
Il have taken the liberty Of address,
Ing this open letter to you because OF
The crisis which now exists in the
Democratic party in this state. You
occupy at present unique position in
the party, and throughout the state
there is widespread feeling that you
should throw the weight of your in
fuence against the Hearst threat. In
deed. the public press frequently refer
70 the fact that your close friends say
You would not accpet nomination on
the ticket with Hearst
Il know that you fully understand
the menace to the party that arises
from the ambitions Of Hearst You
know also that Murphy is IN absolute
control of the state organization. and
resist Hearst. if in SO doing he will
risk the loss of local patronage.
have recently taken some trouble to
ASCERTAIN the sentiment Of the party
Up state. Everyw here I have found
opposition to Hearst and a general
sentiment in favor Of Your renomina-
tion tor the Governorship. notwit tn
standing the often expressed disap-
rroval Of the utterly undemocratic and
unrrinciple character of the present
Tammany control Of the state organi-
7at.on. Still the belief was quite gen
eral that il q crisis should arise you
would meet it in the right spirit. even
if in so doing you were required to
antagonl2o Murphy and his group. I
hope this confidence Is we'll founded.
Many Fear Hearst's Abuse
zone Of the evil things that Hearsts
Journalism has accomplished is to
silence great many men who fear to
express their opinions because they
are unwilling to become the target for
Hearst newspaper abuse. In the last
few weeks many have told me that
while they would regard as disgrace
10 the party the nomination Of Hearst
they preferred not to speak cut al this
time lest they should he assailed by
Hearst with his customary methods
1T seems hardly credible to me that
YOU, who have expressed your belief in
clean, good rcd blooded men, whose
'livers are not white VIII hesitate for
moment to speak out on the impor-
tant question whether Hearst, whom
YOU have described as 'an assassin of
charncter,' an enemy OF the people
and an apostle of discord.' will be sup
ported by YOU for the party's nomina.
ton for Senator or Governor. Surely
il Is not unfair to you for Democrats
70 ask you, as now ask YOU, whether
you viii consent to he a candidate for
either e these Offices if Hearst is
nominated by the party for the other,
and whether YOU viii not join with
the element in the party who sre op-
posed to the nomination of Hearst in
openly expressing your opposition to
him ?'
In Tammany Hall it is generally ad-
rltted that the fight is on between
Hearst and Hylan on one side and for
rner Governor Smith. Mr.. Smiths
attitude in support of
Governor Miller's Port Authority bill.
N which he combated the Mayors
letter denouNcing il. has, in the judg-
mcnt OF Iammany men. Joined an is
sue that viii rock the old Wigwam to
ITS base before the summer is over.
Mayor Fylan has gone to Palm
3each, where It is understood he will
confer with Hearst. Every one in Tam
many Hall believes that Hylan Will
stand " tn Hearst on showdown, and
that II Charles +. Murphy does not
deliver a solid Iammany delegation
IN the next state convention for any-
thing that Mr.. Hearst desires there
VIII be a half dozen Tammany district
leaders now holding commissionerships
under Hylan who VIII walk the
planh " N nl.t n nd.a,. 4Aoau 60