Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-05-21
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C.. Could Lincoln.

to have the full pressure and influence
of the Roosevelt administration back of
1t. For the announcement Of the Gov
ernor Of New York that he would not be
candidate for denomination and re-elec-
ton next Fall does not At in with the
plans of the Roosevelt high command.
Moreover, If Lehman does not run again
for Governor, 1t breaks down in part the
political set-up that was so successful
in the 1882 campaign. The administra-
ton political leaders are demanding
repetition of that Set-up with an avidity
that borders on superstition. Postmaster
General Farley is to handle the cam
paign again as chairman Of the Demo-
cratic National Committee. Garner is
to be the running mate of the Presi-
dent. Senator Barley of Kentucky Is
to be the keynote speaker at thc OeE;o-
cratic National Convention as he was in
1882. The Presidents name is to be
placed in nomination by John E. Mack,
who performed that service for him four
years ago.
More particularly, however, the Roose-
welt high command seems to have been
convinced that Gov. Lehman was the
strongest and most available candidate
to succeed himself. He has been urged
to run again by the President himself.
Postmaster General Farley has said sew
eral times that Lehman was the man.
Lehman has been a great vote getter.
He was elected by greater plurality
than any other Democratic Governor OF
the State. 1t becomes now necessary for
the Democrats to build up new candi-
date for Governor If Lehman persists in
his declination to run again. Among
those already mentioned as POSSIBLE
tiles" are Robert H. jackson of Chau-
tauqua County, lawyer, and now serv-
ing in the Internal Revenue Bureau here:
John J. Bennett, jr, attorney general
of the State; Morris S. Tremaine of Buff
falo, State controller; Senator Robert F.
Wagner. Mayor John Boyd Thatcher, I'd,
of Albany and Postmaster General
Farley.
There probably will be others added
to the list of Democratic possibilities for
the New York gubernatorial nomination.
In fact, the successful candidate may
not be included in this list. But Jackson
stands we'll with the Roosevelt admin
istration and might have the support
of Washington when 1t comes to a show
down. If Senator Wagner could be per-
suaded to leave his present office and
run for Governor, he would make a
strong candidate. He would also leave
open a very desirable seat in the Senate
for New York Democrats to fight over.
The administration might be willing to
see Senator Copeland step out Of the
Upper House. but it would hate to lose
Wagner. However Wagner might prove
the administrations best bet in its effort
to carry New York State next Novem-
Der. Farley, although it has frequently
been said he would like to become Gov
ernor of New York, is scarcely available
this year as candidate for that office,
since the President is depending upon
Farley to run his campaign for him.
No wonder the Roosevelt leaders look
upon Lehman as an asset in political
campaign to head the New York State
ticket. Lehman ran more than hun
dred thousand votes ahead of Roosevelt
in the State in the election of 1882, for
he received 2,659,519 votes for Governor
while Roosevelt was polling 2,534,959
votes for President. Lehman beat his
opponent, wild Bill" Donovan, that year
by $4,000 votes, while Roosevelt dis
tanced Hoover by $4,000. Two years
ago. Lehman ran 808 900 votes ahead
of his Republican opponent, Moses, in
the gubernatorial election.
Last Monday Daniel F.. Cohalan, for
mer Supreme Court justice of New York
and Tammany man, wrote letter to
Postmaster General Farley, who is
chairman of the State Democratic Com
mittee of New York as well as national
chairman. urging that Lehman be not
renominated for Governor. Cohalan was
voicing a protest against Lehman from a
certain group in Tammany which be-
lieves that the Governor has ignored
that organization. Cohalan charges
Lehman with reckless expenditures and
extravaganza. He represents the same
element in Tammany which does not
care for President Roosevelt himself,
and he made an unkind comment on
the expenditures Of Roosevelt himself
when he was Governor OF the State
before going to Washington. He goes
far beyond even his immediate prede-
cessors," said Cohalan, lin lavish ex-
penditures of money wrung from the
overburdened people of the State. and
they were not niggardly in spending pub
lie funds-either the one who discovered
him Oehman) in the opulence and OBJ
security of a private banking house in
Wall Street and skyrocketed him into
political prominence and position, or
the one for whom at Chicago he deserted
his discoverer and for whom you are
now asking to sacrifice himself further
by running for Governor SO as to help
carry the State for his patron at the
moment"
Gov. Lehman is q Jew. There is an
enormous Jewish vote in New York City
and in other parts of the State. Many Of
the Jews have in the past voted Repub-
lican. Cohalan asked if Farley was
counting on Lehman's delivering the
Jewish vote to Roosevelt "in the coming
political crisis" If that was Farley'S
desire, Cohalan suggested that another
could be selected from the outstanding
business and professional men in New
York.
The New Jersey Republican primary,
which voted strongly for Gov. Landon
of Kansas, undoubtedly has strength
ened the hold which the Kansas Gov
ernor is gaining on the presidential
nomination. However, 1t was expected
that Landon would carry the primary by
q considerable vote over Senator Borah.
He had with him the entire Republican
organization of the State. And to that
extent the Jersey result may be dis
counted as giving Landon finally the
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