The boss, or the governor

Front matter

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CHAPTER I Preface 1

Introduction 3

By Chester C. Platt

CHAPTER n

A Short Sketch of Governor William Sulzer 13

By Col. Alexander S. Bacon

CHAPTER HI Mr. Sulzer's Brilliant Record 46

CHAPTER IV

The Constructive Record of Mr. Sulzer's Eighteen Years

in Congress 50

CHAPTER V Congressman Sulzer's Remarkable Record 53

CHAPTER VI Sulzer's Record as a Member of Congress 57

CHAPTER VII Sulzer the Unspoiled Public Servant 64

CHAPTER VIII The Truth About Wm. Sulzer 68

CHAPTER IX The Truth About the Trial of Gov. Wm. Sulzer 72

CHAPTER X

Mr. Sulzer's Speech of Acceptance as the Democratic

Candidate for Governor 78

CHAPTER XI Mr. Sulzer's Great Campaign for Governor 89

CHAPTER XII

At First Mr. Sulzer Tried Hard to be at Peace with

Mr. Murphy 95

CHAPTER XIII The Boss C. F. Murphy 105

CHAPTER XIV Graft! Graft! Graft!. 109

CHAPTER XV Road Fund Looters 123

CHAPTER XVI Graft in the Prisons 133

CHAPTER XVII Legislative Graft 143

CHAPTER XVni War with Mtirphy and Tammany IW

CHAPTER XIX

Murphys War on Gov. Sulzer in Light ©f Actoal

Developments •* • • • ^^^

CHAPTER XX

"What is Greatness?"

Speech of Gov. Sulzer at Executive Chamber March 31,

1913 173

CHAPTER XXI

"Patriotism"

Speech of Gov. Sulzer at the Unveiling of the Mame Monument .v 175

CHAPTER XXII

Gov. Sulzer's Remarks to a Delegation of the Hudson

Valley Loyal Order of Moose 178

CHAPTER XXIII Speech on Fire Prevention, April 2, 1913"^ 180

CHAPTER XXIV

Speech of Gov. Sulzer at the Dinner to Celebrate las

Fiftieth Birthday 183

CHAPTER XXV

Gov. Sulzer's Speech on Political Independence at Albany,

CHAPTER XXVI Gov. Sulzer's Fight for the Full Crew Law 195

CHAPTER XXVII Gov. Sulzer Drives Boss Barnes from the Capitol 211

CHAPTER XXVIII Justice to Our Negro Soldiers 213

CHAPTER XXIX Gov. Sulzer's Veto of the Foley-Walker Act 215

CHAPTER XXX

Mr. Sulzer's Great Fight to Compel Honest Dealings on

the New York Stock Exchange 218

CHAPTER XXXI

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Governor Sulzer Frustrates the Attempt to Inject Religion

into the Public Schools 231

CHAPTER XXXII

Mr. Sulzer's Successful Efforts to Repeal the Notorious

Charter of the Long Sault Development Company 233

CHAPTER XXXIII Mr. Sulzer's Great Fight for Direct Primaries 237

CHAPTER XXXIV Sulzer's Ringing Veto of the Fake Primary Bill 246

CHAPTER XXXV

"Why I am for Direct Primaries." Speech of Governor

Sulzer in Buffalo, May 19, 1913 253

CHAPTER XXXVI Speech of Gov. Sulzer at Corning, N. Y., May 20, 1913 259

CHAPTER XXXVII

Address of Governor Sulzer at Elmira College, May 21,

1913 266

CHAPTER XXXVIII "What arc You Going to do About it ?" 272

CHAPTER XXXIX "Shall the People Rule" 275

CHAPTER XL

Remarks of Governor Sulzer in the Executive Chamber, Albany. N. Y., June 23, 1913, on the bill for Direct Primaries 282

CHAPTER XLI Governor Sulzer's Last Message on Direct Primaries 287

CHAPTER XLII

Governor Sulzer's Speech in the Executive Chamber, July

22, 1913 295

CHAPTER XLIII Mr. Sulzer's Great Fight Against the Grafters 299

CHAPTER XLIV Report on the Great Meadow Prison 302

CHAPTER XLV Sulzer, Hennessy and the Road Grafters 309

CHAPTER XLVI

Presentment of the Rockland County Grand Jury on the

Highway Frauds 321

CHAPTER XLVH Sulzer's Last Meeting with the Boss 334

CHAPTER XLVHI The Delmonico Conference 389

CHAPTER XLIX The GoTcrnor's Last Message to the Legislature 338

CHAPTER L Sulzer, Murphy and the People of New York 337

CHAPTER LI The Bosses' Reasons for the Governor's Removal 344i

CHAPTER LH The Paradox of Sulzer, the Triumph of Duty 351

CHAPTER LHI An Analysis of the Sulzer Case 354

CHAPTER LIV Gov. Sulzer's Denial of Frawley Charges ". . 369

CHAPTER LV

Gov. Sulzer's Reply to Martin H. Glynn Refusing to Surrender the Governorship 371

CHAPTER LVI Who Got the Money ? 374

CHAPTER LVH

Col. Henry V\[atterson's Leading Editorial in the Louisville Courier-Journal 375

CHAPTER LVni Honesty First Mark of Mr. Sulzer 378

CHAPTER LIX The People's House or Fourteenth Street 382

CHAPTER LX The Assembly Roll Call — The Record of Dishonor 384

CHAPTER LXI The Sulzer Trial a Disgraceful Political Farce 388

CHAPTER LXH The Murphy Charges Against the Governor in a Nutshell. . 392

CHAPTER LXHI Quack Justice in Albany 399

CHAPTER LXIV Gov. Sulzer Says His Removal Was a Political Lynching.. 401

CHAPTER LXV Sulzer Nominated and Elected to Assembly 404

CHAPTER LXVI Mr. Sulzer's Speech in Hennington Hall 408

CHAPTER LXVn Col. Theodore Roosevelt's Letter to Gov. Wm. Sulzer 417

CHAPTER LXVni Shall We Do Our Duty? 440

CHAPTER LXIX The Court of Last Resort 446

CHAPTER LXX Why Gov. Sulzer did not Testify in the Murphy Court 451

CHAPTER LXXI Watchman, What of the Night 454

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

It is the custom of authors to give by way of preface the reasons for the book they write and ask the pubUc to read.

There are three reasons for this book:

First : Truth.

Second : Law.

Third: Justice — "And for Justice, all seasons summer and all places a Temple."

The removal of Governor William Sulzer marked the zenith of the arrogance and the brutality of corrupt bossism in New York State. Up to this time political bosses had controlled party organizations ; they had commanded legislatures and administrative officers of the state government ; they had nominated, for a consideration, justices of the supreme court, but it remained for Charles F. Murphy, the reigning boss of his period, to impeach a governor because that governor refused to do the bidding of the boss.

In that respect, and for many other reasons, the removal of Governor Sulzer is without a parallel in history — since civilized government began.

It is one of the crises in human affairs, an event of epochal importance in the evolution of popular government. Only the perspective, which time and vision create, can reveal its tremendous significance.

It is doubtful whether any executive of New York State ever accomplished so much of permanent good to the public as did William Sulzer by his courageoas and unswerving assault upon graft and bossism during the seven and a half months he was permitted to exercise the functions of the office.

History will record that William Sulzer proved faith-

2 THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE

ful to his trust while he was governor. He was the powerful instrument during that brief and interrupted term to strike the fatal blow to a political oligarchy, and to inaugurate a new era of freedom in the state government.

Governor Sulzer immediately was the victim of a corrupt boss, but primarily he was the victim of the Invisible Government — those sinister forces which stealthily and powerfully operated through the bosses.

His fate was designed by his assailants to be a warning forever to governors who dared to harbor any notions of independence.

The future historian will say Mr. Sulzer was removed from office not because he was corrupt, but because he would not be dishonest.

Samuel Bell Thomas.

The Boss, or the Governor

CHAPTER I.