The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-01-03
WADSWORTH
IS NAMED
victoryfor Higgins Nominee
at Albany Caucus.
ODELL MAN WAS NOT IN 1T
Assembly Would MOI Have Secret
vote-first Ballot Wadsworth
Had Is.


son of Congressman james " Wads.
worth nnd son ln,law ~ the late Soc
rrinry 0f State John Hay. VAS npinl'
mated last night ~ ihe Republican a..
.-nhly caucns fur speaker VI ih" a.
.~lnbly aud will b. elected 10 tint n
ncc today. wbrn ilic assembly cpn.
ycn.s. Ills Democratic opponent viii
he GEORGE ". Palmer ~ sehoharie, Who
for many year. haf l-'cn the minority
leader on the assembly noot
Colonel Archie a. liaxtcr OF Chcuung
was nominated for a twelfth term as
clerk II the assembly
The vote was taken 10y open rpli call.
AMI there was no nticup, 10 secure a
secret ballot. as hnd been expected.
'ihis result hrinE- O. close one ~
lh- most rrmark able spcakcr-hip cam.
paigns Of re' M year. characterized
To- market factionai bitterness aud
some unu uii features Mr. wads.
worth va not among the candidates
originally Ia the field. but was prcl'cs
I'd 10y Governor Higgins In a formal
statement aud. In addition 90 n" sup
port 81 the governor aud biz friends.
was regarded as having the approval
II President Roosevelt.
Nc. Merritt had the backing iof State
Chairman B H. odell. Ir.. and HE
friends In the state organization. who
fought with marked determination for
his election or. falling that for the de.
feat 81 Mr.. wadsworth.
The Republican assembly caucus was
called 10 order by Mr.. Phillips tAllc-
gnnyl, chairman OF the caucus commit
tee. aud Mr.. Mead albany was elect
ed chairman Of the caucus. lie spoke
briefly Of the importance OF harmony
aud crediiablc action on the part Of the
caucus.
Mr.. Wade lChautauqual introduced u
resolution calling for the nomination Of
a speaker and specifying that the vote
should be taken 10y open roll call, each
member Of the caucus a. his name was
called rising 10 name his candidate.
The resolution was adopted without a
roll call.
Assemblyman :. Percy Hooker Gen.
esee). who was himself a candidate for
speaker. nominated James w. Wads-
worth. Jr.. Of Livingston. lie first ex.
pressed deep regret nj the death Of s.
Fred Nixon. remarking that no man
could hope to All his place. lie then
placed in nomination the name Of Mr.
Wadsworth whose name was well
coined with applause. He referred to
him as having been cordially commend.
ed by the press of the state.
Mr.. Gates Oncida) In a brief speech
presented the name Of Edwin 4. Mer-
rift. j.. (St. Lawrence,.
Mr.. Stanley New York; nominated ].
Mayhem Wainwright (Westchester).
Mr.. Apgar (Westchester) In secondlng
the nomination of Mr.. Wainwright said
he did not sympathlze with the critl-
cisms of President Roosevelt and Gov
ernor Higgins. which had been made
during the contest, but believed the as
sembly should elect its speaker, free
from outside Interference. He pointed
to the many eases Of precedent for
electing n man of experience and to the
fact that Mr.. Wainwright was entering
upon his nth term
Fred J. Gray (St Lawrence second
ed the nomination % Mr.. Merritt.
Mr.. Rogers Broome) made a speech
for peace, hoping that from this time
on acrimony should cease, personal am
bition he waived and the welfare Of
people and party take first place. He
seconded the nomination of Mr.. Wads-
worth.
Mr.. Agnew New York;, seconding
the nomination of Mr. Wadsworth. said
he had maintained that 1t was the right
of the metropolitan district to have the
speakership, but present conditions
made that impracticable.
Mr.. Hartman further seconded the
nomination Of Mr. Wainwright. He at
tackled what he said was dangerous
tendency Of dictation in legislative
matters. He deprecated any effort to
make the speaker of the assembly "the
creature Of the executive"
Mr.. Hartman defied any man who
should vote for Mr.. Wadsworth to
claim honestly that he believed he was
voting for the man best fitted for the
speakership Any man who did not so
vote was violating his oath and betray-
ing the interests of his constituents.
The executive, he declared, "just at
present has forgotten to mind his own
business" He paid high tribute to
MIR. Wainwright for his character and
record.
The vote was then taken, and Mr.
Wadsworth was nominated on the first
ballot, which gave him rs votes, Mer-
rift got IA and Wainwright 10; total
vote, 104; necessary to choice, "a.
Mr.. Merritt moved to make the nomi-
nation unanimous. In doing so he COR
daily thanked his friends for their sup
port and his opponents for their con-
sideration and honorable treatment of
him. Aside from his personal disap-
pointment, he said, he bore no III will
He understood the attitude of each
man and declared that he had .stood
for principle which he was sure
would in the near future receive great
er consideration. He said he felt sure