New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-15
MERRITT HAS THE VOTES
SO ODELL MEN say.
Higgins Here on Scout Bracket
and OdeU Burg Hatchet.

Ex-Governor odelI. chairman of the Republi-
can State Committe. had a series of conferences
at headquarters yesterday with legislative leaA-
ers. Members Of the legislature and Republic
can leaders from all parts Of the State kept COM
ing and going all day. At the conclusion of the
days conferences it became known that the
friends OF Edward A Merritt, Jr., had obtained
enough votes to elect him Speaker Mr.. OdeIl is
said to be in favor of his election.
The feature of the day was the sudden ap-
pearance at headquarters of Senator Bracket,
Of Saratoga. who was one of Ex-Governor
Blacks stanchest supporters in the recent
Senatorship contest When Mr.. OdeE came out
in support of Mr.. Depew Senator Bracket
denounced Mr.. Odell in no measured terms.
It had been supposed that Senator Bracket
was irreconcfable, but yesterday he and ex-
Governor oden met on the frendliest of terms
and it said that all past differences had
been buried. and that they t!a work in har-
mony in the future. and that Odells support Of
Merritt was one of the things that brought
about peace.
Governor Higgins slipped into the city last
night, but he was not accessible to newspaper
men. The friends Of Governor Higgins said
that he had CONS here at the request of Sen
atoe Alfred r. Pags Tt said that Senator
Psge visited Albany last Wednesday night and
indica'4a3 to the Governor that Merritt was to
lie selected az Speaker and that steps were to
be taken by electiag vice-president and secre-
tary OF the committee favorable to the State
chairman to nullify the plans Of Herbert Par
scrs for radical reorganization OF that COM
nittee
It said by friends OF Governor Higgins
that he objects to Merritt as Speaker and that
he wants no interference with Parsons in select
ing the County Committee officers. It was said
ton of the plans of Mr.. Odeu and the leaders
working III harmony with him. The Governor
could not be found and Mr. Odell said he didn't
know anything about the visit Of ths Governor.
It was reported last night that Senator Brack-
EFT had just returned from Washington. where
he had talked with the President, and that his
position in the Republican, affairs OF the State In
the future would be governed to a certain en-
tent by what occurred in the course of his talk
with the President
Senator Plat came over from Washington
yesterday and was at his Office for great part
Of the day He had talk with Job E. Hedges,
General Henry L Burnett, Robert c. Morris.
Lemuel E Quigg and others. He would not talk
for publication. He said that he intended to go
to Hot Springs in the next few days TO stay
until late in January and that he was not inter
ested in the local situation He denied the re-
ports of an alleged quarrel with the President,
and on the whole seemed to be in excellent
hunor.
The situation, so far as the reorganization
of the county committee is concerned, is causing
a great deal OF interest. Samuel Strasbourger is
candidate for re-election first vice president
and Ambrose o. Neal is q candidate for election
as secretary OF the committee. Mr.. Parsons is
said to be opposed to both His plan. so it is
said is to enlarge the committee by making the
first and second vice-presidents who are
not district leaders. Senator Alfred r. Page is
said to be his candidate for first vice-president
The OdelI leaders. however, do not think that
Mr. Parsons should ask them to go back on
pledges made before he was talked of for chair
man. They say, many Of them, that they pledged
votes to Strasbourger and Neal long time
ago. They add that Parsons selected for
president of the committee non-boss ISSUE
and that he should not try to force them into |
eleotfng his candidates.
Mr. Odell has sent out a call for twenty-four |
of the thirty-fve district leaders to meet him at
on Saturday and discuss the stu
alton 1t is understood that at this meeting an |
effort will be made to pledge enough votes to
elect Strasbourger and Neal, and a candidate |
will be agreed upon to succeed Rosalsky as |
second vice president.
Among Mr.. Odells callers were w. G. War |
rem of Erie County, who is pushing Assembly |
man Cox for the SDeakershiD; Assemblyman |
Maier, of Seneca; County Chairman c. j. Belts |
of WAYNE County; Senator E. r. Brown, of JEFF |
ferson County; Louis T. Payn, Assembyman |
Wernple of Schenectady; Assemblyman Gray, |
Of St Lawrence County; James H Callahan, OF |
Senator G. w. Ma1by, OF ST |
Lawrence County; Assenblyman Merritt and |