The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-21
ON WAR PATH.
Odell Digs Up Hatchet and Dons
Fighting Clothes.
Declares HOstilities Against
Roosevelt and Higgins.
WILL HAVE HARMONY
He Says or Wreck the Party
Trying to Get 1t.
Trouble Precipitated by the
Speakership Contest.

New York, Dec. 21.-Former Cow
ernor B. B. Oden, chairman OF the
Republican state committee, made a.
statement today in which he charged
President Roosevelt and Governor
Higgins with a deliberate attempt to
wreck the Republican party of this
state for their own personal ambitious.
He declared that if disaster ensued
they, not he, will be responsible.
Mr.. OdelPs accusations were 8 part
of his comment on the situation grove
ing out of the contest in the Repub-
lican party in this state for the speak
ership of the New York state assem-
bly,. Mr.. Odell declared himself in
favor of E. A. Merritt, Jr., several
days ago.
On Monday last Governor Higgins
came out in favor of ]. w. Wads-
worth. Jr. Mr.. Odell said today:
Il notice that Governor Higgins
said he never was for Merritt Short
ly after the election I went to Gov
ernor Higgins and asked him whom
he was for for speaker. He eliminated
all but Merritt and said that neither
| New York nor Buffalo could have it
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 questions. I saw Mer-
ritt and reported to the governor and
he said he was satisfied. I clearly un-
derstOOd he was for Merritt and was
never so surprised as when he switched
/ his trolley. This is the worst case or
| duplicity in politics I have ever
known. Merritt is absolutely right in
saying that the governor agreed to
support him. He offered to the gov
ernOr to stay out of the contest II the
governor wanted him to do So
Led by the cOllarleSS and cOatles9
young man who took US all to defeat
in 1891 apparently referring to j.
SlOat FasSett William Barnes, Jr.s
| Colonel W. G. Dunn and others with
sore thumbs visited Washington and
stirred up this trouble. If President
Roosevelt had the good of the party
! at heart he could have sent for me at
any time and I would have been glad
| to confer with him for the sake of
obtaining harmony in the party. It
that had been done all this trouble
would have been avoided without war
! fare.
Il charge President Roosevelt and
I Governor Higgins with deliberately
! trying to wreck the party in this stare
| for their own personal ambitions. #
| this means party disaster, they, ana not
I and my friends are responsible. They
and not I are to blame.
so far as gratitude is concerned.
! Governor Higgins certainly owed me
/ something. Instead of putting out the
hand of friendship he chose to throw
stones at those who have been MS
that he did not want me nor Merritt to
be in this affair; but instead he throws
stones. If the president wanted IeIofil
I was friendly and they could nave nau
it. charge him and Governor Higgins
with injecting their personality into TINS
matter. Their harmony consists OF
knocking. They had time to write let-
ters in support of District Attorney seH-
ONE in the last city election, but never
said word for WINS. There was no
cause for friction. Mr.. Halpin Chair
/ man of the county Republican commit
tee) was willing to go to washington
and see the president They have done
the damage and viii have to take the
consequences.
.The president sent for Olcott (for-
merly candidate for chairman OF the
New York county Republican commit
tee) and then threw him down.
Speaking of the candidacy OF CON
gressman Herbert Parsons for presldeht
of the New York county committee MI
ssMr. Parsons idea of party harmony
is to throw bricks at my 1r1endS- 1netS
was no talk of Odeh or antl-C9ell =
the county committee The trouble was
all due to Mr. Fassett- He changes
I oftener than the tides. We are IL FOR
! harmony if we have to fight for 1t.
7 make the prediction that w aos-
worth will not be elected as spsaN NeIs
We will put him out
Mr.. Oden says he does not know
whom the Higgins following VII sup
! port for state chairman
ssIs it Fassett2'' was asked.
Il hope So said Mr.. Odell-
/ At a dinner of Republicans of the
( Tbirtv-ffth assembly district IN the
/ Bronx last night Mr.. Odell told those
! present that he intends to remain as
! chairman of the state committee un-
I til the party indicates that it wants
I change. Influence from no matter
what source, he said, viii not affect
his attitude.
State Senator Maltby, speaking ok
the leadership emproglio, declares
today that Governor Higgins action
in naming Wadsworth as his candi-
date for speaker was an "impeaeh-
able offense"
81 never knew of such coercion"
continued the senator.
"'The governor announces himself
for Wadsworth and then up steps his
insurance commissioner, who has re-
tanned his position under considerab bic
difficulties, and declares that his three
men are for Wadsworth.
Then Railroad Commissioner AID
ridge, whom Governor Higgins ap-
pointed lately, also announces himself
for Wadsworth, and the effect of the
governors coercion IS evident, is it
not2''
"Can you say whether you intend to
take steps to impeach the govern0r2 %
THAT depends on what more is
done in the matter. I shall hold that
in reserve
Temperatures of Large Cities.