Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-22
New York a battle-ground.


The Republican, Democratic campaign
for Governor of New York will have its
groundwork laid definitely this week.
The Republicans are to meet in Albany
Thursday to name their candidate and
to draft their party platform. The
Democrats. who do not meet until next
Monday, in Syracuse, have determined
in advance that Gov. Franklin D.
Roosevelt shall be the party nominee
and that their platform shall generally
follow the line laid down by Gov.
Roosevelt recently in his statement ia
voring repeal of national prohibition
The Republicans, in considerable
measure, therefore, will have the deter
mining of some of the important issues
which are to come before the voters.
Prohibition has been the great STUN
bling block in the way of party harmony
for the Republicans of New York. The
wet wing of the party this year has be-
come far more militant and apparently
more numerous in voters than in the
past. 1t has declined fatty to go along
with the drys of the party. 1t remains
to be seen how far the drys are willing
to go along with the wet wing. Strenu-
Gus efforts have been made by party
leaders to effect something of a COM
promise between the two groups, a COM
promise which will permit both to vote
for the same gubernatorial Candidate
after he shall have been nominated.
United States Attorney Charles H.
Tuttle, who recently came out for re-
peal Of the eighteenth amendment, and
at the same time submitted his resig-
nation to President Hoover, is the ex-
pected choice of the vets for the nonai-
nation. Mr.. Tuttle has declared for the
full enforcement of the dry laws pending
repeal Of the eighteenth amendment.
1t is now suggested that this may sat
isfy the dry Republicans and bring them
to support MIR. Tuttle if he is nominated.
From the strictly dry point of view.
it may be good politics to get behind
Mr.. Tuttle in this contest with Gov.
Roosevelt. The Democratic organiza-
ton in New York has been wet for
years. 1t has sought to impose its
views on the national Democratic
party and two years ago its most
prominent member, Alfred E. Smith,
was the Democratic nominee for Presi-
dent. If Gov. Roosevelt should be
elected Governor again this year, he is
likely to be the candidate of the wet
New York Democracy for President in
1882. The drys have no desire 70 see
the national party nominate wet for
President again, nor to see the party
gradually shift over to the wet cause.
If they can kill of the candidacy of
Gov. Roosevelt in 1882 by supporting
Mr.. futile, perhaps they may be will
ing to compromise with the wet wing
Of the G. o. P. in New York.
One thing appears rather clear out
of the muddled New York Republican
situation. The nomination of an out
and-out dry for Governor by the Re-
publicans would probably be followed
by defeat. The vets are in a fighting
mood this year.
While the Democrats have no diff
Guilty this year over picking candidate
for Governor, they are beginning to
wonder what will be the effect of the
revelation of the scandals over the ad-
ministration of the Democrats in New
York City and the talk Of sale of
judicial Offices, with Tammany leaders
prominently mentioned in connection
Herewith. What a few months ago
looked rather like runaway race for
the Democrats in New York this year
has taken on different aspect. The
Democratic majority in New York City
itself is likely to be cut to a very great,
even an alarming degree, due to the
scandals. And If the Republicans
should get together, the Democratic
cause will be in worse case than was
supposed to be possible. Charles H.
Tuttle may be the Republican to lead
his party out of the wilderness, provided
it will unite behind him.