THIS DAY IN 1918 IN THERECORD

Saturday, May 18, 1918. Last November, former Fourth Ward alderman George T. Morris was soundly defeated by incumbent Cornelius F. Burns in the Troy mayoral election. The defeat hasn’t made Morris more modest in his ambitions. The Sunday Budget reports that Morris, a fiscally conservative Republican, has decided to run for the office of New York State comptroller. “The decision of Mr. Morris to be a candidate was not reached until late [this] evening,” a reporter writes, “and then was given favorable consideration only upon the earnest solicitation of several friends who believe that Rensselaer county is entitled to a place on the state [Republican] ticket.” The Budget has been more favorable in its coverage of Morris than The Record. While both papers lean Republican, The Record endorsed Burns, a Democrat, for reelection last year. While our paper criticized Morris for often-personal attacks on Burns, the Budget recalls that “The campaign of Mr. Morris last fall for the Mayoralty of Troy demonstrated that he is a tireless worker, a capable leader, and a strong and effective campaigner.” Morris is expected to align himself with state attorney general Merton E. Lewis, who is waging a primary challenge to Governor Charles S. Whitman. Whitman’s supporters hope to retain Rensselaer County’s loyalty by nominating Troy’s state senator, George B. Wellington, to succeed Lewis, but the latest word from the Wellington camp is that he’d rather stay in the legislature. While Morris is willing to try his luck in a primary, he’s also “willing to take his chances in an unofficial convention and abide by the decision of state leaders, providing all other aspirants for state office will do the same.” Nominations must be made through primary elections according to state law, but party leaders can meet informally to endorse favored candidates in the hope of making primaries a mere formality. Local Sports The RPI baseball team loses a heartbreaker at Hamilton this afternoon, The Record reports. After tying the game 7-7 in the top of the eighth, the Cherry and White give up the winning run with two out in the bottom of the tenth inning. Pitcher Lefty Kuhnert strikes out twelve in a complete-game effort. On the bright side, the RPI track team salvages some honor for the school by securing a tie score in the dual inaugurating Hamilton’s new $20,000 stadium. The squads “see-sawed throughout” before ending with 62 points apiece. Back in Troy, the Troy High School baseball team wins its fourth game in a row. The home team rolls to a 9- 4 victory over Berlin High School at the Laureate Boat Club diamond on Glen Avenue.