The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-05-08
NEA Service Writer


 Washington = The extreme im- portance of carrying New York in the next presidential election, Gov- ernor Franklin D: Roosevelts rela- tions with Tammany and the ques- tion whether Roosevelt could be nominated and elected in the face of Tammany opposition are becom- ing political topics of increasing importance even though the repub- lican and democratic national com mittees have been confining them selves to calling each others chair men liars.
 As things stand today it appears that Roosevelt, should he defy Tammany, could win the demo- cratic nomination despite his party's archaic twD-thifds srule and the fact that politicians. in some other north, ern states probably would conn bine with Tammany in an effort to stop him. If this is true and re- mains true, the question whether Roosevelt could carry New York in the election is then of most vital moment.
 Wilson Won Without N. Y.
 It has become almost automatic among political experts that a presi- dential election can't be won with out New York's 45 electoral votes. If the democrats take the state in 1882 it will be the first time in 40 years, except for 1912, when the republicans split Wilson was elected in 1916 without New York, but only by carrying such seemingly republican states as California. Col orado, Idaho. Kansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Wyoming.
 Roosevelt regardless of what he may do about New York city's scandals. Even if he desired, he could hard- ly .conciliate Tamrhany without conceding. so much as to-ruin him. self with the rest of the country. So he probably will e.forced to let the nature, of the Tiger take Its course, capitalize Tammany enmity for all it is worth and risk a, knifing in New York;scity a year from next Novembefsif he is nominated.
 Cleveland Beat the ''Tiger."
 Tammany, of course, has been ac- cused of knifing nearly every demo- cratic presidential candidate-even Al Smith-and sometimes. 'at least, the charge has been true. But OruiHdD4iy tHS Poiey uoPS cA Tammany to, get a New York vote big enought to overcome the usual republican majorities upstate.
 Nearly all discussions of the Roosevelt -Tammany situation hark back to the days when Grover Cleveland defied. Tammany and yet got his party and the country be- hind him. There are certain ob- vious parallels and other great diff ferences in Cleveland's experience which may we'll be sketched. Cleveland ran and was elected first in 1884 and Tammany treach- cry would have then lost him the presidency except for a curious combination of factors and events. Governor of New York, as Roose- welt, is he faced hostile Tommany and made no attempt to conciliate it. Tammony delegates were forced to have their ballots cast for him, however. under the unit rule - something which now seems unlike ly to- be repeated in 1882. Four Important Factors. Cleveland won New York. which then meant the presidency for him, by 1149 votes. Because of Tam many's opposition X it seems likely
 that he could not have won had a SlnSle one OL .tHc FLoioWiHS AaCCoi p been absent: ,ass
 1-The famous :.'R Rum Domanism and Rebellion'f bcner pulled by clergyman at a reception to his op- ponent, James G. Blaine
 2---The large "mngwump" or inc dependent vote withheld from Blaine.
 3-The hatred of Roscose Conk-
 ling, an important republican lead CT, for Blaine. A prohibitionist vote of 25.- 900; most of it normally republican. All these things seem to have been worth more than 500 votes apiece to Cleveland and possibly so were others, such as the Long Island City frauds where votes cast for Ben Butler were allegedly count ed for Cleveland.
 Tammany could not block Cleve- lands nomination in 1888, but 1t
 was commonly believed to have en- lcompassed his defeat in the election by selling him out in order to elect | it's gubernatorial candidate, David B. Hill. Benjamin Harrison took the state by 13,000 votes; a switch of half as many would have given Cleveland the state and the election. nominate Hill over Cleveland and
 was overwhelmingly defeated. ale though New York's delegation voted lsoiidly against Cleveland, During