The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-04
RECOUNT BILL IS SHELVED.
ASSEMBLY RECOMMXTS MEASURE
DESIGNED TO HELP HEARST.

OdeiI's Followers Join With the NJ. O.. Men.
the Deposed Rogers Leading Their
Fght-Moreiand Points Out Faults
OF the Bln-Democrats Not United.
ALBANY, April 3.-By q vote OF SO ayes to
AZ noes the Assembly to-day after a five
hours debate recommitted to the Assembly
judiciary Committee ~Assemblyman Charles
F. Murphy's bill, the ostensible purpose OF
which is to secure a recount Of the ballots
cast at last falls election in New York city.
The action Of the Assembly indicates that
the bill Is dead. However, II the bill makes
it's temperance from the committee again
it will be in such shape that the ~introducers
will fail to recognize their child.
The compact that existed between Will
lam Randolph Hearst and Benjamin b.
Odell, DR., at last falls election was in evil
denoe to-day. OF course the seven Munich
pal Ownership Assemblymen voted against
reoommitting the bill and they we're Joined
by all Of the odell Assemblymen.
The effort to reoommit the bill was at
tackled by James T. Rogers. who to-day
more than ever proclaimed himself to be
the Odell leader in the lower house.
hlI. lNOBoib q CdptiOuo'y S'SNJ
thing done by the new leaders Of the lower
house at this session and they have not
seemed to mind it in the least. He has
sneered at the idea Of reform and he has
poked fun at housekeeping.
To-day he attacked the Governor, charg-
ing Mr.. Higgins with being responsible for
the change in attitude in regard to the
bill and likened him to that illustrious
man who had an army which he led half
way up the hill. This recalled to some
members the remark Of Gov. Higgins last
December when he was apprised that the
man from Broome had announced his
reentry into the Speakership race after
declaring himself out.
"Oh, Rogers will flop around some more
All Of the New York city Republicans
voted against ~recommitting the bill, with
the exception Of Assemblyman Prentice,
who represents the Assembly district OF
Herbert Parsons. Mr.. Prentice has been
opposed to the bill from the outset. The
Democrats were not united on the bill
either. Messrs. Bernstein and Cohalan
speaking in favor Of the bill and voting
against recommitting. Assemblymen Feth,
Fritz, Nolan, Oglesby and Shanahan also
voted against reoommittal. The Brooklyn
Republican members voted against re-
committal.
It developed in the course Of the debate
that very few members had even read the
provisions of the bill. They had q better
understanding Of the matter after Majority
Leader Moreland had finished his speech.
Mr.. Moreland tore the bill into shreds.
He said the bill had to go back to the
committee for amendment. Assemblyman
Hartman interjected to ask "Why can
you amend it on the 1oor7"
Because was the reply, after a reading
and study Of the bill I find that more than
sixty amendments are necessary to make
the bill workable, and a closer scrutiny
will reveal the need Of many more un-
doubleday"
MIR. Moreland showed that the bill per-
mitted of the tying up Of elections and de-
priving honestly elected candidates of
their office through mere afidavits. He
showed In what manner schemes could be
entered into and candidates who had re-
ceived good sized pluralities forced to de-
fend their election through the maohina-
tons of INSCRIPTIONS defeated candi-
dates.
Mr.. Moreland also showed that the bill,
IL enacted into law, would permit not only
Of one recount but a succession OF them.
If there we're q half dozen or more candi-
dates for the same Office he showed how
each Of the defeated candidates could one
after another institute proceedings for a
recount.
Members we're amazed at the provisions
of the bill as Moreland explained them.
They had thought it was only a measure
that was, to overcome the decision Of the
Court Of Appeals to permit a recount of the
ballots cast at last falls election In New York
CITY and had given no further thought to
the matter.
A~ssemblyman Burnett said he favored
the bill, but he was forced to admit that
it was in a very crude form. Mr.. Burnett
had worked hard to get the bill reported
from the Judiciary Committee. Assembly,
man Tompkins, who comes from Mayor
McClellan's home district, attacked the
n in which the bill was framed. He
said Mayor Mcclellan did not fear a re-
count, but he wanted an honest recount.
Assemblyman Ia Fetra, who represents
Charles F. Murphy's Assembly district,
also cited legal objections to the bill.
Assemblymen Rogers, Cunningham, Stan
lev, Cohalan and Bernstein favored the
bill with Mr.. Murphy. None Of them at
tempted to combat the statements con-
corning the legal defects, but all spoke of
the suspicion that Mr.. Mcclellan was not
honestly entitled to his office.
After the bill had been recommitted
one of the Republican leaders said; THAT
is the last time we will have to consider
this bill"
Slattery Can't Open Ballot Boxes.
Supreme Court Justice Greenbaum denied