New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-19
THE CONTEST FOR SPEAKER
A CANDIDATE FAVORING NETWORK CITY
REFORM MEASURES SHOULD
BE CHOSEN.


TON IN THE XXvITH DISTRICT.
frRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNE1
Albany Nov 1S.-The Republicans of the in
terror OF the State are watching with consider
able interest the struggle which is now going on
in New-York and its vicinity between the rival
candidates for Speaker of the Assembly. Whether
George z. Malby. Hamilton Fish, Danforth r.
Ainsworth Albert a. Wray, James NJ. b.
O'Grady or Alfred r. Conkling shall be Speaker
is a matter Of concern with them, in so far as
the choice Of any one OF these may affect legis-
lat!on. but beyond that point they are not much
interested. All the candidates have done the Re
publican party service. and therefore there Is
an amiabe desire to crafty their ambitions to
hold the third greatest position in the State Gov
eminent: but this desire does not extend to the
lengths Of granting them the office with the
knowledge that they will betray the Republican
partys present mission to overthrow the cor
rupt government Of New-York City and TO reform
the costly and incompetent Democratic State
Government.
Intimately related to the Speakership of the
Assembly is the office Of President pro tenn or
the Senate Senator Saxton has most honoraby
held this office for the last year. To his care in
the use of the power Of appointment the people
owe the excellent material of the Lexow IN
vestigating Committee whose members have so
unfinchingly and untiringy conducted their in
vestgation Of the robber departments Of New
York Guys government. But Mr.. SaXton has
resigned his post Of Senator; and thus also
resigns his position of President pro tempore of
the Senate Some other Republican must be
elected in his place as Senator. and some
other Republican as President pro tempore. And
by virtue Of his selection President pro
no chosen
Republican leader in the Senate.
IMPORTANCE OF THE CHOICE.
1t is to be hoped that the Republican Senator
who assumes that position will as determinedly
sustain the Lexow Committee az Senator Sax
ton has done. and will favor as earnestly he
would have done the policy of giving Mayor
elect Strong unrestricted power to improve the
government Of New-York 1t will be a public
misfortune If this is not the 1t will also
be calamity If Mr. Saxton Is succeeded as a
Senator from the XXVIth District by a man Of
less lofty political ideals than himself. And it
may be frankly said that some Of the Repub!i-
cans who are seeking the nomination in Senator
Saxtons district at the present time would dis
grace the Republican party if nominated and
elected. If one of them does not. If elected. sell
out the Republican party when the Mayors Re
moval bill comes into the Senate people here will
be greatly surprised.
Senator Saxton's election as Lieutenant-Gover-
nor. while great piece Of good fortune to the
Republican PARTY looked at in one way. is Q
misfortune in another since 1t exposes the Re.
publican party to the chance Of the substitution
for him IN the Senate IF some BLACK Horse
cavalryman." some creature of the lobby, who
will take a part of Tammany's millions TO kill
the Removal bill This matter is spoken Of here
because the Republican majority in the Senate
Is comparatively small. and the loss Of even one
of its votes is a serious matter. The Republican
party last winter was represented in the SEN
ate by nineteen Senators. namely: Senators
Childs Reynolds. owens. Wolfert Robertson
Lexow Donaldson. Kiburn, Mullin. Coggeshall
Stapleton. O'ConnOr. Saxton. Smelzer, Parsons
Pound Iamy Persons and Higgins. 1t takes
II votes to pass bill. The Republican party
thus has a leeway of only two votes In the
present year 1t was only by tremendous party
pressure that the Republican leaders in the Sen
ate contrived to pass their reformatory bills The
bill restoring home rule TO Buffalo was passed
solely because Senator Parker Democrat voted
for it and the Republican conspirators against
the bill whose course inspired by Lieuten-
ant-Governor Sheehan, saw that the measure
would pass without their votes. 1t ought to be
said in passing that nine-tenths OF the Repubh-
can Senators were loyal to their party and
were eager to redeem its pledges Of home rule
TO Buffalo. and that it was only a small frac-
ton of their number that willing to act
with Sheehan and 10 betray their party.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ELECTION.
1t must appear to the members Of the Com
mittee of Seventy from this statement that their
point of peri! with the Removal bill, putting in
Mayor-elect Strong's hands the power to dis
miss the Tammany head Of every city depart
ment is much more in the State Senate than In
the Assembly The Senate. with its small men,
bership and scant Republican majority will be
the weak place in the Republican line which will
he assailed by the wealthy and skilful lobbyists
of Tammany Hall. The Assembly, with It's big
Republican majority Of eighty-four votes, or
with fortyOne votes beyond the s.xty-hve votes
necessary to pass bill VIII be comparatively
easy place in which to pass the Removal bill.
The Committee Of Seventy therefore. could
not do better for the city OF New-YOrk than 10
interest Itself somewhat in the approaching cleo
ton in the XVIII Senate District The voters
OF that district surely could not resent strongly
worded petition to them that they would send TO
Albany as honest and able man as Charles
T. Saxton There are hundreds Of honorable men
in that district They can be found in Cayuga
County in Wayne County in Ontario County. In
Tompkins County and in Yates County 1t
would be an intOlerable disgrace for the $3.50
Republicans of that district to be represented at
Albany the coming year by one who would be
. busy taking Tammany Halls money or anybody
else's money.
But while paying this c.ose attention 10 the
Senate the patriotic Republicans OF New-York
need not neglect the Assembly. Speaker Malby
surprised many Of his friends In the Republican
party last winter by his seeming belief that he
should follow policy suggested to him In respect
to NETWORKS affairs by Thomas G. Plat Mr..
Platt was not the Mayor Of New-York held no
official position could not be held responsible for
its government and therefore voters were
surprised to the Difference paid TO his views by
Mr.. Malby.
A QUESTION FOR Mr.. MALBY
In view OF Speaker Malby's course he can
not deem 1t any impertinence II the members Of
the Committee of Seventy ask him this question:
when the Removal bill comes up In the Assem-