The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-30
ODELLISM;; RISE ANDPROGRESS
FROM THE ALBANY LOBBY, IN
SIDE AND UPSTAIRS.
Speech by Ex-senator Thomas r. Donnelly
NJ an Eyewitness OF the way the
Legislative Power Was Seized and
the Judiciary Was Grabbed At.

A great audience of citizens greeted anc
chered the Hon. Thomas +. Donnelly a
the MONDAY meeting yesterday OF thu
Democratic Commercial Travellers League
597 Broadway. Mr.. Donnelly, as Senator
at Albany and as an eyewitness and keeI
thinker, was put forward az wholly com
petent to speak on Odellism. Mr.. Donnell,
was cheered from start to finish and hi
speech was regarded as one OF the mos
effective In the campaign to rid the State Of
Odellism.
Mr.. Donnelly said:
No State chairman before odell claimed
the right to interfere with the work OF the
Legislature. other than to advise and con-
fer with the leaders and active members OF
both houses relative to the policy of thu
party. Odell changed this idea of the province
OF chairman Of the State committee anc
claimed the right to supervise the enact
ment of all political legislation. He accord
inRly ensconced himself in chair in the
lobby OF the Senate and commenced to give
ORDERS rela tive to political bills At first
he claimed only the right to NEEDLE with
bills OF a political nature land his inter.
ference was tolerated on that theory. AZ
all events, all bills OF political nature had
released from committee. At the outset
his interference was confined to matters OF
| substance. and the members OF the Lesisla-
skill and judgment in drafting and framing
laws but the, pencil habit grew on 0del
and after while The members Of the i;fegisia;
drafting and framing bills. but were also l;;
forbidden to change the phrasepblosy Of bills
as they were handed to them, always with
the excuse. however. that the machine want ed
them that way. And so 1t came to pass that
body bod It simply convened for the purpose
Of registering the will of the machine. The
celebrating and legisating We're being done
by ali eNtraneous power. the so-called ma
One OF the results Of this machine made
bills which were Immediately declared un-
constitutional by the courts of the State
tcheersl because of some technical defect.
members of the Legislature been permitted
to exercise their own skill and knowledge In
were passed i'll few years, Notwithstanding
the fact that the Republican side of both
branches of the legislature contained many
experienced legislators. The members OF
the minority protested against this humiliat-
ing condition Of things. but it must be said to
that they allowed their constitutional powers
and prerogatives to be usurped without
odell. finding that he had completely usurped
the functions of one coordinate branch Of
the State Government-the Lesisature.-
other the judiciary,-and made three abortive
attempts to control the selection OF Judges
who were to preside over trials in the City of
New York. Public opinion would not tolerate
rcheersl interference with the Judiciary. how
ever. and Odell was compelled to abandon this
latter scheme for the time being, TCheers
In order to keep this machine well oiled and
In perfect rum ne order Odell had to reward
the faithful. whose cooperation made the
existence OF the machine possible All the
Republican Law ers in the Legislature who
had given proof OF their loyalty to the ma
chine were rewarded with fat fees as special
State. and even to-day there liz hardly law
yer on the Republican side who has any claim
to political prominence who Is not in receipt
counsel: Innumerable places were created
for the faithful who were not lawyers, and as
the sse Mere 90
under Flower to $40, ooo. 900 under 0del; and
In order to conceal fs sant esaya
The aatismpt q odslI to hold ,1 he Demo
rtU Of the Repabcan sd Dr .ne
tration is absurd. IA voice Nodeli knows
that now.l Bills are referred to, the. At
as to their form and constitutionallty. and he
has nothing to do with the substance and
political complexion OF bills. He, cannot
propration bill, The Governor OF the state
alone has that right, The Attorney General
that it costs the present Democratic At
torney,GeneEal $4,000 cheeIsl less year
eral Is responsible for the passage, Of ,un-
tSas the DURING ss last 'e t%"
bills in general and bills which seek to usurp
thanks to Attorney General Cunneen
CommeTcialism made its appearance with
the introduction of the state Lunacy bill
" q m M
ridiculous piece OF Legislation that was ever
conceived by the mind OF man. It not only
but every rule OF common sense II invites
dishonesty and of1cia corruption. No pri-
yate corporation. no business concern would
this bill provides that our State hospitals
aged Cheers In substance it L provides that
the State Lunacy Commission which. under
our state Constitution is vested with the
FOR the insane, shall also have the right to
manage them and that the power to manage
Vestn this Submission With this dual SUthor
ity practically gives to 1t the pQwer to inspect
Its own work. to pass It's owl, accounts and to
ing accounts OF it's own superior skill and
All these tncongruities were pointed out
when the bill was up for debate In the Sc nate
but the Republ lean members refused to change
a single word. The bill had received the
IL u
In any. particular. At that time we thought
that 1t was simply another instance OF
machine-made law and had no intimation
hat the Governor contemplated going into
he grocery business with view of supply |
ing the state hospitals for the insane with
can understand why the Governor wanted to |
have the same officials WHO mana ged tn o |
state hospitals pass their own accounts.
| have said that Odellism reached its full |
eTnor. which is true. il reached an anti
climax. however, when 0dell became state
chairman as we'll rs Governor. This act OF |
his shows that he has lost all sense Of decency |
and propriety. and has placed his high Office |
OF Governor on the level Of that of Doodle |
II Ia the business OF the chairman OF the |
State committee to collect contributions for
his party. either directly OF indirectly. That /
Is what he is appointed for.
The legitimate expenses OF a political cam
got to be paid his rent for the use Of this |
hall which we now occupy. for instance
and the chairman OF the State COM
Inittee has got to see to It that suf-
ficient money for the legitimate expenses OF
offices. The law forbids State oiIlcials to
to campaign funds, and the duty
IL imposed on the Governor to execute the
laws OF the State. This embarrassing posi-
ton certainly places the Governor between
whether his actions will be guided by the
former or the latter consideration.
The TACT OF the matter Is tnat the governor
has got his weather eye on the sl0i Oo0. 900
ment OF the canals, He knows ST that t' Il he
lasts long enough to get control OF the ma
n ipulation OF that money he will have no dim
Guilty in keeping his machine well oiled and