The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-21
ODELL GUARD WINS A VICTORY
GETS A FRANCHISE RENEWED so
SOME ONE CAN SELL 1T.
Leaders OF 1he HOnse VINO Had Declared
Against ThIs Policy OutyOted-Hade.
Rogers and Merritt Lead the Fight
-Sneers for Reform Democrats Help.

Against THIS POIlcy UulNOIeu- Wuue'
Rogers and Merritt Lead the Fight
--Sneers for Reform Democrats Help.
Albany, March 2O.-The Odell guard has
won out in its first legislative battle for
0dell and the preservation of a corporation.
For the first time this session they were
called upon to battle with the new leaders
of the Assembly, and corporate influence
was too much for thems 1t was over a bill
to renew the franchise of an electric rail-
road in Duchess county that was never
built.
With such high minded public servants
a. Assemblymen Wade Of Chautauqua,
Rogers, Odell's Broome county lieutenant;
Merritt Of st. Lawrence, the defeated an
didate for Speaker, and Phillips, who was
obliged to be for the new deal, working
openly in the interests of a bill extending
the life of the franchise, the bill was squeezed
through by 10 votes in the affirmative, just
enough to pass it. 1t was not until q rollcall
Of absentees was ordered that the Odeli
guard did its work. Then Messrs. Rogers,
Phillips, Yale and Merritt, as well as the
%introducer of the bill, A. B. Gray, circu-
lated among the member trying to get the
necessary votes. They managed to get
four members to change their votes from
the negative to the affirmative, and in this
manner the bill was passed.
Rogers was unable to deliver anything
but his W vote. He undertook the task
of getting Assemblyman West Of Wyo-
ming TO change, and labored long and ear
nestly with him, but Mr.. West didn't change.
It was significant that the first lineup came
on the arrival of Mr.. 0dell's lieutenant
and field marshal, Cal Mcknight, in this city.
Another significant fact is that every menu
Der who voted against the election of James
w. Wadsworth, Jr,, for Speaker and for
Edwin A. Merritt voted for the bill. or
course there were others who did the same
thing and tried to excuse themselves on
the ground that the bill was merely a local
one.
The bill has caused more of a scandal
than any other measure that has come
before the lower house this year. While
the measure in itself is of little importance,
1t shows the tenor of the House regarding
corporations when there is something
doing. Deputy State Superintendent of
Insurance Robert Hunter and some other
Duchess county politicians twelve years
ago secured a franchise to build an electric
railroad from Rhinecliff to Rhinebeck.
The road was never built and the franchise
expires this year. There is a report that
somebody has been found who will buy
the franchise and build the road il the
franchise is kept alive.
Early in the session Assemblyman Percy
Hooker OF Genesee county, chairman
Of the Assembly Railroads Committee,
announced that it would be his policy to
oppose extending any Of these franchise
grabs Of years ago. Mr.. Hunter. however,
used his personal influence on the men,
bers of the Assembly Railroads Committees
and as a result the bill was reported to the
Assembly by a vote of seven to five. To-
day 1t was indicated In the speeches OF
Majority Leader Moreland and Assembly
man Hooker that the policy Of the new
leaders was the one outlined by Mr.. Hooker.
But the old guard refused to surrender to
reform.
Assemblyman Wade in his speech in favor
OF the bill said that he was not worried
by the wave Of reform that is spreading
over the country and declared he thought
It would pass away. He also charged
that the Legislature was beset with more
foolish propositions from the people than
ever before.
Mr.. Rogers also declared that he was not
gong TO 10 Iahcu up III tue TolOTIn ClOuu,
and he spoke sarcastically about the new
keepers Of consoienoes in the Assembly at
present. Mr.. Rogers is inclined to hold
aloft the Odell banner in Broome county
in an effort to dethrone Col. George W.
Dunn and to return to the Assembly next
year. Mr.. Rogers hopes to accomplish
this by riding su the wave Of popular APP
pFoval in Bing1amton over the escape of
ex-senator George E.. Green from con-
viotion in connection with the postal scan
dals. Rogers is a political protege of
Green. Mr.. Green's friends have intimated
to Mr.. Rogers and his Odell allies, however,
that too much capital should not be at
tempted to he made out Of Mr.. Green's
escape from the clutches of the jurisdiction
of the Federal Government, In view Of the
ments in connection with the postal scandals
growing out of the sale OF Dorcmus stamp
cancelling machines remains undisposed Of.
Mr.. Moreland stated that the proposition
was whether the people shall indulge in
the same kind OF franchise giving to-day
as they did thirteen years ago. He de-
clared the franchises we're the property of
the people, andnot Of the locality, and could
not be grabbed for speculative purposes
or for monopoly designs. 1t was time to
determine what the policy of the State
should be in this matter.
The speakers in favor OF the bill urged
1t as a local bill, but when the vote was
being taken it was not the i%ntroducer who
showed the interest in it's paasage so much
as did Messrs. Rogers, Merritt, Yale and
Phillips. All OF the oldtime members who
could be counted upon to be with any meas
ure in favor Of the corporations voted for
the bill, and they also managed to get
enough Democratic votes to help hem