THE SULZER BATTLE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1871, 3 October 1913, Page 5

THE SULZER BATTLE.

TAMMANY'S PET LAMB. BITES THE HAND THAT FED IT. It is a pity that Balzao was not allowed to live in Now York in the present year of grace. With what zest ho would have studied its politics, and with what industry ho would have added new volumes to his "Comedio Huniaine," for in New York to-day there is material for a new human comedy, to rival the original. In support of this view Mr. A. Maurice Low tells, in the "Morning Post," the following story of William Sulzer:— Last year Mr. William Sulzer was elected Governor of New York, thus realising an ambition that had been his for many years. The son of a Gorman father and a mother of ScotchIrish and Dutch ancestry, he had lived tho adventurous life so common among Americans. At eloven years of ago ho was a cabin boy on a brig sailing around Capo Horn. He was a sturdy lud, intelligent, with an appetite for., work and anxious to get on. Ho had tho favour of his captain, who taught him tho uso of tho sextant and tho quadrant, so that ho was able to work out the ship's course, and what time ho could spare from his duties in tho galley and tho mess was spent at the wheel. Ho returned to New York having seen much of tho world and with a knowledge of seamanship that stood him in good stead many years later when he was a passenger on a vessel off Alaska, whose captain had lost his nerve, and was trying to find it at the bottom of a bottlo of brandy. Then when he had had his adventure on the sea ho studied law and was admitted to the Bar. This was in 1884, when he was just twenty-one years of age. Liko nearly every American the lovo of politics was in him, for tho American is a born politician and as dearly loves tho gamo as the Athenians loyod to listen to the discourses of the wise. Occasionally there may be found an American, a business or a professional man, to whom politics moan nothing, but not the lawyer, for tho law is regarded oither as a. stepping-stone to politics or is looked upon by the lawyer as an aid to advancement in his .profession." While waiting for clients tho youngster who had just been admitted to the Bar mado political speeches for the Democratic party, and five years later he .was elected to the Assembly, which is tho Lower Houso of the New York Legislature, and in four years, that is, in 1893, ho had reached the Speakership. He was. now thirty, and a man to be reckoned with in the politics of his State, but nationally he was almost unknown. -The next "year saw him elected a member of Congress from ono of the New York City districts, and for the succeeding eighteen years he held his seat, gradually becoming more prominent until, when he resigned to take his seat as Governor, he was Chairman of tho Committee on Foreign Affairs. Mr. Sulzer was a Tammany man. From time to timo ho had -had his littlo difficulties with the Mogul of Tammany Hall, tho groat boss who made or unmade members of Congress and Senators and Cabinet Ministers and sometimes Presidents, but they were not serious, and while Tammany respected Mr. Sulzer's power in his district, Mr. Sulzer knew tho wisdom of keeping on good terms with Tammany. Mr. Sulzer's strength with his constituents was that "ho was a plain man of tho plain peopIo ; " No frills about him, no foolish aristocratic luxuries or extravagant pleasures. What was good enough for "his peoplo" was quite good enough for him. Plain living and high thinking mado up his life and Mr. Sulzer thought his thoughts aloud. Behold him six feet or more tall, spare, with long arms, a rugged, homely face with high' cheek bones, and a voico that was made to proclaim simple truths to the common people. Mr. Sulzer's Ambition. It is the ambition of every New York politician to bo Governor of tho State, just as every member of the House of Commons listens to the still small voice that tells him the Premiership is a prizo not beyond his merits. In 1896 Mr. Sulzer thought that the timo had como for him to be nominated, but Tammany thought otherwise'.' That, however, mado no difference to Mr. Sulzer, nor did it affect his loyalty. Ho made speeches for his successful rival and "worked" for the ticket. From that time on Mr. Sulzer's uamo was always mentioned when a Democratic candidate for Governor was to be nominated, and ho always enjoyed tho delight of an abortive "boom." There were always delegates willing to vote for him, but Tammany found this man or that moro available or better suited for its purposes? Mr. Sulzer as a gubernatorial candidate becamo somewhat of a joke. When a candidate for Governor had •to be nominated last year Mr. Sulzer had ceased to bo a joke and had become a reality. The Bull Moose nominated Mr. Straus, a former member of Mr. Roosevelt's Cabinet, a man of high character, noted for his charities, and because of his religiou believed to bo able to command tho support ,of the imsense Jewish population of New York City. Mr. Sulzer could meet Mr. Straus on his own ground, for Mr. Sulzor,_as'j Chairman of the Committee on Foreign "fl'jirs, had introduced the resolution denouncing the treaty with Russia because of tho Russian treatment of tho Jews. That was something moro than even Mr. Straus had done. Tammany did not want Mr. Sulzer, but it was no timo to t'ako chances. Mr. Sulzer was nominated and elected. If you play tho political gamo in America according to tho rules it is veiw simple. Before election, wliilo you are* wooing tho voterSj you may say anything you please, \ou may be Lincoln, or Henry Clay, or Tammany, according to time, circumstance, and locality. You may be a reformer or a spoilsman, you may proclaim your independence and avow your scorn and detestation of bosses, or you may declare yoursolf to bo a stout party man and vaunt tho virtues of "organisation " and party regularity. No matter, but after tho election it does matter whether tho bosses are to bo allowed to continue to boss or to be turned out in tho cold. During tho campaign Mr. Sulzer treated Tannnany with contempt, and showed the' lifjht esteem in which ho hold Mr. Charles F. Murphy, tho boss of Tammany Hall, and ho declared that if elected Governor ho would be his own master. Tammany was not unduly disturbed. Now York was in ono of its moral spasms, and the more the "Tigor" (the Tammany symbol) was prodded with hit irons and mado to danco tho better the chance for tho tiger enjoying- a good meal when tho show was over. Murphy went about his business, which was to see that , tho usual Democratic majority was rolled up in Now York City, and tho followers and cohorts of Tauimany gavo themselves no alarm. The Poople's Covernor. When Mr. Sulzer went into tho Governor's chair in tho Executive Mansion in Albany (tho Stato capital) he immediately announced that all he had said during tho campaign had been said with sincerity. Ho acknowledged one boss—and his namo was William Sulzer. Ho waß the peoplo's Governor, and not tho Governor taking his orders from Tammany. He called tho Executive Mansion "tho Peoplo's House." If the Legislature did what ho believed ought to bo done tho relations between him and tho Legislature would bo amicablo, if not thcro would bo trouble. If an appeal had to be mado it would not he to Mr. Murphy or any othor boss, but it would Co to the people. The plain friend of tho plain pooplo know where Mb strength lojk