New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-23
HOW THE VOTES WERE SECURED.
fry TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuNE.l


Albany, April 22.-Thomas C. Platt succeeded
to-day in tanning the Greater New-York bill
through the Assembly over the vetoes OF Mayors
Strong and Wurster. though he had only two
votes to spare: and now nothing but the veto OF
Governor Morton can preven. II from becoming
law The bill reached the Executive Chambe'
shortly before O'clock. as soon as II could pos
sbly be taken from the Legislature. The Gov
ernor has thirty days In which to act on II.
This is the most cruel treatment Of Governor
Morton by Mr. Platt" said an intimate friend OF
Mr.. Morton this afternoon for he knows that
the Brooklyn Republicans are opposed 10 this
Greater New-York bill. Why. Mayor Wurster.
who vetoed the bill. V Of Mr. Mortons dele
gates to the National Republican Convention. ana
there are seven other followers OF Mayor Wurster
who are also delegates to the convention. II
the Governor should sign this bill Ii would b
nothing more than human II these Brooklyn dele
gates should desert him. After this shall doubt
the sincerity Of Mr.. Platt's support Of Mr. Morton
for the Presidency"
The bill was passed with the votes recorded
against Il OF most of the representatives OF
New-York and Brooklyn In the Assembly. The
Republican city OF Brooklyn cast fifteen votes
against the bill and only six In Its favor. OF
the eleven Republican Assemblymen eight OPP
posed the bill and only three favored II. and OF
the ten Democrats there were seven opposed to n
and only three for it. There were twenty-five
votes cast against the bill by the representatives
OF the Democratic city OF New-York and only
eight votes in its favor The twenty-five votes
against the bill were cast by two Republicans
and twenty-three Democrats The eight votes
for the bill were cast by two Democrats and six
Republicans.
DONE BY COERCION.
It vas clear that the Republican vote for the
bill from New-York and Brooklyn was obtained
In most cases only by the coercion OF Assembly
men by the Plat machine leaders. Jacob Worth
contributed three votes from Kings County OF
men who had persstently opposed and voted
against the measure heretofore. and these three
votes carried the bill In New-York also the
machine leaders compelled Republican Assembly,
men 10 surrender their own convictions on the
bill and vote for It. Amasa Thornton twisted
around DR.. p. II. Murphy. Il don't care cuss
for the BILL" said Thornton. but believe In
standing by the other boys" .----
There were seventy Eight votes for the bill ana
sixty-nine against it, II required seventy-six
votes TO pass 1t. change CT three votes would
have killed 1t. Only by profuse promise OF
patronage apparently and by the intense pressure
exerted by the leaders OF the Platt machine was
this small majority secured for the measure.
James NJ f. O'Grady. the Republican leader
I'm the Assembly was boasting In New-York on
Sunday that three OF the Erie County Assembly,
men would vote for the bill. Daniel O'Grady,
his brother was recently appointed head OF the
State Excise Bureau In Buffalo 1t was said
that he had secured the votes OF the two Erie
County Assemblymen who had before voted
against the bill. one OF them II was said. was
to have a place under the state Government.
arother was to have friend appointed 40
Factory Inspector Three of the Erie County
Assembymen did not vote for the bill. Local
sentiment In Buffalo, they were well aware. 10
opposed to the bill The newspapers Of Buffalo
unanimously opposed 10 IT, Yet they voted
for IL. Why
Nor was this case Of the Erie County ASSEM-
bynen the only one There were other Repub-
Leans who had apparently been brought into
line" by procecs OF patronage. Coercion was
also a weapon Charles " Hackett. chairman
of the Republican State Committee, and Ed
ward Lauterbach. chairman Of the Republican
County Committee OF New-York demanded of
Republican Assembymen that they should vote
for the bill. Finally they went 70 Speaker tfshs
room and the Speaker sent for Republican AS
semblymen and talked with them in private.
oDELLs ATTITUDE
Benjamin b. Odell. jr.. came here. it will b
remembered last week and announced his oppo-
sit.on to the Greater New-York bill Yet to-day
the representatives Of his Congress district all
voted for the bill. The action OF these Assembly,
men. whom he controls dsclOses his real position.
Mr. O'Grady in the course Of the debate on the
bill. said that there would be mo supplemental
legislation regarding Greater New-fork and no
postponement OF the adjournment OF the Legislat-
ure" People will believe this statement when
they ii borne out by an adjournment OF the
Legislature on April 30. Pressure will be put
upon Governor Morton 10 compel him 10 sign
the Greater New-York bill at once and appoint
the Greater New-York Commission Immediately
after this Is done. Mr. Platt will decide whether
or not to have supplemental legislation. The
same vote that passed the bill I'm the Assembly
to-day would pass the supplemental measures.