The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-22
REPUBLICANS i. IN A WRANGLE 0dell Accuses Higgins and Roosevelt. FIGHT FOR SPEAKERSHIP Governor and President Are
 for Wadsworth. OdclI Is Supporting Merritt for the Job and Declares That He VIII
 Be Chosen--A Gem
 eral Row.
FIGHT FOR sPEAKERsHIP


 lican State Committee, today made a statement in which he charged Presi- dent Roosevelt and Governor Higgins with deliberate attempt to wreck the Republican Party of this State for their own personal ambition. He declared that if disaster ensued, they. not he, will be responsible.
 Mir Odeirs accusations were a part of his comment upon the situation growing out of the contest in the Re- publican Party in this State for the speakership of the New York State as- sembly. Mir. odell declared himself in favor of E. A. Merritt, Jr., several days ago.
 Monday last Governor Higgins came out in favor of J. W. Wadsworth, Jr.
 Mir. Odell said today:
 T notice that Governor Higgins said he never was for Merritt. Shortly after election went to Governor Hig- gins and asked him who he was for for Speaker. He eliminated all but Merritt and said that neither New York nor Buffalo could have 1t because it would stir up opposition against the cities. I asked him if Merritt would be satisfactory to him and he asked me to see Merritt and ask him some ques- tions.
 T saw Merritt and reported to the Governor and he said he was satisfied. clearly understood he was for Mer- ritt and was never so surprised as when he changed his trolley. This is the worst case of dup1icity in politics have ever known. Merritt is abso- lutefy right in saying that the Gov ernor agreed to support him. He off, fered to the Governor to stay out of the contest if the Governor wanted him to do so.
 Led to Defeat.
 'Le1 by the collarless and coatless young man who took us all to defeat in 1891 Apparently referring to J. .Sloat Fassett), William Barnes, Jr., Colonel George W. Dunn and other with sore thumbs, visited Washing con and stirred up this trouble. If President Roose- welt had the good Of the party at heart he could have sent for me at any time and T would have been glad to confer with him for the sake of obtaining har- mony in the party If that had been done, all this trouble would have been avoided without warfare.
 T charge President Roosevelt and Governor Higgins with deliberately trying to wreck the party in this State for their own personal ambitions If this means party disaster, they. and not I and my friends, are responsible They, and not I, are to blame.
  Governor Higgins certainly owed me something. Instead of putting out the hand of friendship he chooses to throw stones at those who have been his friends. Higgins could have told me that he did not want me nor Merritt to be in this affair, but instead he throws stones. If the President want ed reform. was friendly and he could have had 1t.
 ba r0a y,tu, ana fba r, injecting their personality into this matter. Their harmony consists of knocking They had time to write letters in support of District Attorney Jerome in the last city election. but never said a word for Wins. There was no cause for friction. Mir. Halpin Chairman of the County Republican Committed was willing to go to Wash ington and see the President. They have done the damage and will have to take the consequences.
 Threw Olcott Down.
 "The President sent for Olcott. form erly candidate for chairman of the New York County Republican Committee, and then threw him down."
 Speaking of the candidacy Of Con sressman Herbert Parsons for Presi- dent of the New York County Commit tee, MT. Odell said: "Parsons's idea of party harmony Is to throw bricks ait my friends. There was no talk of OdelI or anti-Odel1 in the County Committee. The trouble was all due to Mir. Fassett. He changes oftener than the tides. We are in for harmony If we have to fight for 1t.
 T make the prediction that wads- worth will not be elected as Speaker. We will put him out.
 Speaking of the conference of the Republican members of the Assembly called to meet at the Cadillac Hotel to- morrow. MT. odell said:
 Fifteen or twenty members of the Assembly got together and decided to have the meeting. I suggested to them not to bother me about it. There was a great deal of resentment among the older members of the Assembly"
 Mir Odell said he does not know who the Higgins following will support for State Chairman.
 "Is 1t Fassett?' was asked.
 T hope so." said MT. OdelL
 At a dinner of Republicans of the Thirty-ifth Assembly District in the Bronx last night. Mir. Odell told those present that he intends to remain as Chairman of the State Committee until the party indicates that 1t wants a high source. he said. will not affect his attitude.
 Peculiar Situation.
 The contest for the Speakership has created a political situation that has not existed in this Stat for many years. The action of . ernor Htg- gins in endorsing AsseInplymen James w. Wadsworth, Jr., as choice for the position, led the friends of former Governor odell. as chairman of the Re- publican State Committee into an act i've campaign in the interest of As- semblyman E. A. Merritt, Jr,. who had previously announced his candi- dacy. Senator George R. Malby, who was at the Murray Hotel today acting as spokesman for the Merritt forces. declared that Governor Hi.sins' action fin naming Wadsworth as G.s candidate for Speaker, was an '1mpeachnhle of- fense."
 T never knew of such coercion" continued the Senator. '"rhe Governor announced himself for Wadsworth and then up steps his insurance com missioner who has retained his position tIndar diff1eulties and dacIaraS that his