The Washington times., 1905-11-17
EASY BOSS PLATT
ON ODELL'S TRAIL
Seeks to Dethr0ne New
York Leader.
AFTER PRESIDENTS AID
Also Issues Call to Leaders for Recon-
struction of Old Sunday
School Class"
AFTER PRESIDENTS AID

If there was doubt after Senator
PIatt's brief stay in Washington on
Wednesday and Thursday. that he had
made terms with the Administration
looking for an effort to wrest the New
York organization from Odell 1t was
Set at rest promptly upon the Senator's
return TO the metropolis.
The Senator conferred with the Presi-
dent about New York politics, went
away smiling and satisfied with the re-
cognition he had received. conferred
with Secretary Root, and left for home.
As soon as he got TO his Offices he start
ed the business Of ousting Odell froz.
Republican leadership in New York city.
Call to Lieutenants.
Without any preliminaries, the sena-
tor prepared a letter 10 the district
leaders. inviting them TO call on him
1T his offices at their earliest con-
venienee for The purpose of talking It
over. This means that the famous old
Sunday school class which used TO
meet with the easy boss and approve
his plans or occasionally object to
them, is to be reorganized. Every leader
viii be asked 10 pledge himself 10 the
new movement, and if he doesn't give
proper assurance it VIII be assumed he
Is against il.
The first business viii be that OF re-
organizing the county committee away
from OdeI, who now controls 1t through
William Halpin. his chairman II IS
taiG that Haipin alone OF the district
leaders was omitted from the invitation
list for the sunday school" sessions.
Platt is understood 70 want J. Van
echten Oicott as chairman He Is
closely allied with Frank s Black, and
therefore his selection would be calcu-
lated to draw in the important element
of Blacks followers, who have been
especially bitter against Odell since the
latters alleged treachery 10 Black last
winter in the Senatorial contest. 1t IS
important for the Piatt movement to
have Black thoroughly in sympathy
with them Job z. Hedges is also nam
ed as a possible Piatt. candidate for the
chairmanship.
odeIl Issues Def.
odem promptly replied TO the PIatt
nnove with a def. He declared that he
would not retire from leadership. and
expressed confidence In the loyalty Of
MS organization
That the contest win be anybOdy's
game until the meeting OF she county
committee is generally believed. Odeu
came out of the election last week with
comfortable control OF the Legislature.
and that is a tremendous leverage IN
less il can be pried away from him, il
will be difficult in the extreme TO take
the organization IN the city out Of his
Ing the city campaign that Odell and
Hearst had deal by which the Hearst
vote was TO help Odell legislators and
the Odel Republicans to support Hearst.
The deal. II there really was SUCH had
slt~ht effect in the face Of the tremen-
dous upheaval which election day de-
veloped; but Odeu came out with his as
sembly and control Of the assembly IS
= heap OF ready political capital
Odehs friends insist that the Fedora
Administration has not committed itself
TO any active participation with Platt
and deny that the President will take
q hand in Empire State affairs at this
time II the President is as much in
tefssted as reported. i !s difficult g SCI
how Odei can hold his grip.
Governor Higgins IS against him
Black is his bitter enemy, the Republf
can masses in the city are disgusted be
cause OF his attitude during the city
campaign. people who have been read.
ing the Insurance Investigation are
rather more than disguised. the Sena-
tors are against him, and the newspa-
pers are almost all with mis- opposition