New-York tribune., 1905-12-31
g NOSOP." SAYS MERRITT
WONsT TAKE LEADERSHIP.
In Fight TIL Sessions End
Thought Declaration of WGr.
TBy Telegraph to The Trioune,l

.u.,r nee 2o-In unnistakable fashion
Asseznblyrnan Merritt this evening setueo tae
stories which politicians have been dlscussiiie
mat TO prevent a breach IN the Assembly JsAiies
". Wordsworth. jr. If elected Speaker Wouiu
maize his opponent In the fight the majority
leader Mr. Merritt emphaticaIiy declared ',1-' -.~
he would take no such soD and reiterated ms
attitude. to-,
orr in the fight for the Speakership to stay
,,,tfl the end OF the session. maybe
C,onmentins politicians here treat Mr.. MeE-
.+..- lords as = virtual declaration of war
which pursued, might lead to all Ahos oA ie
rr3seis because of Mr.. Wadsworths Vlc1oiy AZ
the spealu aluership contest The possiDllhy VI op
-,os,,ior 70 Mr. waasworth from some Of the
older members has been discussed but fOr the
lest day or two the belief has been prevalent
.9o+ can,pror1iss might be effected which
rro,,,5 leave no possible ground for resentment
or bitterness 80
In auy case il was predicted, discomfort WIN
the result Of the Speakership contest Woulo hot
be continued into the session. unless leader OF
strong personality were found TO head the po-
tenttal Insurgents"
Mr.. Merritt IL was believed. Wouo not Ceie
to take such attitude. Now 1t Is peheVeo
Mr. Merritt. In view of his statement. will lead
any opposition party which might come ineo
existence. Mr.. Merritt had been declaring MS
intention OF remaining IN the Speakership con-
test and his belief that the result was not SO
certain as Mr. Wadsworths friends seemed 10
think The question was asked Whether ne
would be Inclined to accept compromise II ns
opponents suggested t.
No I wouldn't accept anything from them
as a uuid pro quo" he answered, with ccnslo-
erabla heat. mot the floor leadership, under
any circumstances. It would be silly In me. IL
nothing worse It would make me laughing
stock.
I'm In this fight for the speakerstip until the
end-un4il the end of the session don't want
10 be considered as making threats don't
know whether it's worth while holding OUT
against them, but don't want anything from
them. 7 don't purpose to accept any response
biIity for what they do"
There Is q probability that James I. Rogers
of Brooane the present leader, who announced
his candidacy for the Speakership, withdrew it
and announced it again. will be placed IN noTnl-
nation In the caucus on Tuesday night James
x. Apgar. of westchester, has said recently that
he vrould nominate him. GIr. Merritt has heard
of this indirectly. He said that In such a case
he believed Mr. Rogers would get some support.
which probably would not come from his own
supporters Jean L. Burnett, Of Ontario who
WIS pleaxed TO Mr.. Rogers originally, would
support nn. Mr.. Merritt thought.
Aside from this decalration of no compro-
mise. Eae speakership fight to-day was barren Of
deyetopraerlts Mr wadsworth spent the day
in his rooms IN consultation for a great part of
the time with Assemblyman Cox, Of Erie, who is
considered here a strong candidate for chairman
of the Ways and Means Committee.
Mr. Wadszyorth had little to say about the
situation. which, he indicated. unchanged
ct his end Of the line BE would say nothing
about the appointment Of chaiTnen of the vari-
Gus committees.
Mr.. Cox came to this city this morning, and
left here this afternoon He laughed when asked
whether he expected to be the next floor leader,
but the laugh was his only comment He said
that he did not know whether his two Republi-
fellow Assen1blylnen from SuIIalo Wou4o
support Mr.. WadsWorth or not He spent much
n time with the candidate for Speaker. Neither
Il he Ar. Wadsworth would discuss the SUB
Ject OF their conversation
Sherman MoreIand Of Chemung, mentioned
as the probable floor leader II Mr.. Cox were not
appointed also was in the city. Mr.. Wads-
worth said that Mr.. Moreland had called on him
The lGtUer would not talk about it. Neither ne
nor Mr.. Cox called on Mr.. Merritt, whose only
caller belonging TO the legislature was Assem-
blymRn Schoeneck, Of Onondaga-
Governor Higgins said this afternoon that he
had heard nothing directly from Mr.. Merritt
since he came here He had Indirectly he
said. A few Of Mr.. Merritts friends had been
In TO see hTn-''nOt members of the legislature
report reached this city this evening that
William Loeb. jr., President RooseVelts secre-
tary, being considered as candidate for
chairman OF the State Republican Committee, to
succeed Ex-Governor OdelL IL commenting on
this Mr. Merritt said that it might not be as
unlikely as soma people appeared to think.
1T is more unlikely than the appointment
o.. Cortelyou chairman Of the national COM
mittee," said he. Loeb IS as able man as
Cortelyou"
tomorrow morning. II was reported that ex-
Governor Odell would be here. but nothing
definite was known about il. J. Calvin Nc
knight came here this evening.