Evening star., 1924-04-26
MURPHYS DEATH
HITS PARTY POWER
Convention Strategy of Every
Campaign Manager to Be
Influenced.
SMITHS LOSS SECONDARY
Effect of Tammany Leaders, Pass
ing Is Question of Hour.
BY DAVID LAWBEyrT.

1Hs sensation OF the hour is tho
effect that the death of Charles e
Murphy. leader of Tamrnany Hall
VIII have upon tho next Democratic
national convention in New York this
June and the subsequent campaign.
Most of the conversation here re-.
lates only to the influence of the in
cident on Gov. Al Smiths chances
for the Democratic nomination. But
the sudden elimination OF Charlie
Murphy means more than that. It
means the loss Of a great influence
inside the party and perhaps the
most important factor in the conven-
ton strategy OF every campai gu
manager.
Nearly every democratic conyen-
ton of recent years has depended 10
no small extent on what Charlie MUIR
ply would say ana what he would do.
other leaders We're Influenced not
merely by the fact that he controlled
New York States ninety votes i'm the
convention, but by his aStutcuoss and
vision.
Held True Leadership.
If Murphy thought a certain oh
others under his influence were likely
to think the same thing. He, more
than any other man in the party, was
its leader until the Democratic con-
vention of 1912. After that It was
Woodrow Wilson versus Charlie Muir
ply or the type nf organization poll
tics which he represented The ef-
fort Of William Gibbs McAdoo ard
his followers to win the presidential
nomination has been simply a con-
tinuation of the old fight against
Murphy-ag against Tammany.
1anmanE, however. is as strong in
q convention as its spokesman. George
Brennan of Illinois, who succeeded
quickly to the toga Of leadership on
the death of Roger Sullivan, in Hi
nols, is likely to take charge of the
Al Smith boom and the general or
ganization" strategy at the coming
convention, but it is not probable that
any one in Illinois Will permanently
take Charlie Murphy'S place in tho
democratic party. The position OF
Democracys leader i'll the Empire
state almost always gives him a place
of vantage in the party from a ma
uonal viewpoint.
Task to Find Successor.
Tammany Hall is a compact organ
ization, but it cannot overnight fur
nish a leader of national influence
1t may develop that the absence ot
Charlie Murphy Will have quite the
opposite effect from that which is
supposed at first glance. AL Smith
would have been hailed as the tool OF
Charlie Murphy's maneuvers had
Murphy lived. The delegates from
other parts of the country would have
come Steeled to resist the Tammzny
influence.
The objection would have been
made that the Dem ocratic convention
meeting in New York could not afford
to appear to be yielding to the die
tation of Charlie Murphy. Now all
is changed = Tanmanys power will
the same number of votes from other
states.
But in the tactics of the convention
will Charlie Murphy be missed. He
knew just when to throw his in
fiuence to a candidate. He knew
his direction. He was powerful be-
cause he had political sagacity. And
he also ruled New York states
politics on the Democratic side No
antl-Tammany movement has ever
been sufficiently strong to overthrow
him.
He has controlled the nomination or
state, county and New York city Off
clalS. Tammany Is today in greater
danger of defeat by fate than it ever
has been.
Unless it can find at once man OF
convincing personality to dominate tho
affairs of the Democratic party in New
\ ork state, 1T may ind itself in the
same situation as the Republican or
ganization did in Pennsylvania, when
Senator Penrose died. \ number OF
leaders arose and on one became dorui-
nant. An era of confusion in party
cQnnSelS friction
Pinchot. an anti-Penrose man, became
governor. In the next Republican ma
tional convention there will he no Fem
rose. So in the Democratic national
convention this year and maybe for
years TO come there will be no Charlie
Murphy.
nnnFn ALL AEElnEnN