The Washington herald., 1907-04-04

New York. April at was stated on
December a that Edward H. Hartman
had declared THAI he would spend SlO-
eco, COO 20 rehabilitate former governor and
state Chairman Oden as Republican
leader Of his party in New York State.
Mr. Harriman's declaration was made
Immediately after Governor Hughes was
elected and the rest Of the Republican
State ticket defeated. Mr.. Hartman, dur
Ing the campaign, had refused to contrib
ute to the campaign fund. although re-
peatedly impOrtuDed to do so by State
Chairman Woodruff. Mr.. Odell came TO
New York after January and practically
opened headquarters at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel. where he has frequently consulted
with Republican maehinists from all parts
Of the State, especially New York City.
An this was preliminary to the proposed
defeat at the primaries in September OF
Representative Parsons, president Of the
New York County committee, and the
ousting next spring OF Mr.. Woodruff as
State chairman. The State convention to
name the four delegates at large TO the
national convention is to be held in the
spring. and in Presidential years, if there
is TO beva change in the State chairman
snip. il is usually made at that time
OdeII to Oblivion.
Friends OF Hartman and friends of
Cdeli said to-day that Mr.. Hartman in
his latest controversy with President
Roosevelt had irrevocably consigned Mr..
Odell to continued political oblivion, and
that they had now given up all hope Of
rehabnitating MIR Odell as the leader of
his party ia the state. They recalled that
Mr. Hartman. as "a witness in the IN
surance investigation, had flung oUt the
statement that an erroneous impression
had gone abroad and instead OF Hartman
deriving power from MIR. Odell, Odell de
rived power from Hartman. Mr.. Odell
ii is known, was very much chagrlned
over that statement, and for IA short time
there We're wrinkled broWs when the TWO
met but there was no break in their re-
l9tions.
Odeil's friends went on to remark to-
day that while the open rupture between
President Roosevelt and Mir. Hartman
had because of the close relations be-
tween Mr. Hartman and Mr.. Odell, pre-
Guided further hope of Mr.. OdeIs reha-
bilitation as Republican State leader, the
effort 10 dethToRe Mr.. Woodruff and Mr..
Parsons would so on undated and inoiden-
tally it was mentioned that Speaker Wads-
worth would be good man 10 succeed
Mr.. WoOdTuff. and that either Edward
Lauterbach or former Attorney General
Julius Mayer should succeed Mr., Parsons.
Mr.. LauteTbach was formerly president
OF the county committee.
CoHId Not Elect Wadsworth.
Speaker Wadsworth's selection 10 be
State chairman could not be accom-
plshed: was admitted. without a COM
promise. President Roosevelt and Gov.
Higgins FIRST made him speaker, but last
spring the President fell out with thu
Wadsworths-"Ol Jim" and Young
JIm"-because OF "OId Jim's" attitude On
the meat inspection bill, and yet "Old
Jim," in bis vaiedictory TO the House of
Representatives, declared that after all
the literature which had passed between
the President and himself, the bill adopted
was Identical with the recommendations
OF the President and the Committee on
Appropriations, of which ne, Representa-
tive Wadsworth, was chairman.
Yet ID was because of an erroneous i'm
had successfully combated the Presi-
dents views on the bin and because OF the
open opposition of Frederick G.. Stevens
that Representative Wadsworth was de-
feated after representing his district for
twenty years continuously.
When Gov. Hughes appointed AIR.
Stevens State superintendent of public
works be Informed young Mr.. Wads-
worth who had Just been reelected
speaker without opposition that Mr. Ste
Vens selection did not represent the
slightest personal hostility to Wadsworth
Democrats Get In Power.
The other day. though. the board of
supervisors OF Livingston County, which
for time out of mind had been dominated
by the Republicans, was turned over to
the Democrats and adherepts of the
Wadsworth family to-day charged this
up TO the persistent. though unobstructive
antagonism Of Supt. Stevens, who was
sliced out of his senate district by the
apportionment planned and carried out
by Gov. Higgins. George W Aldridge.
Morton Z. Lewis, and Representative
James W. Wadsworth.
Speaker Wadsworth and AssembIyman
Edwin A. Merritt, jr., who. as Mr.. Odelrs
candidate Tor speaker year ago last
winter. was defeated by young Mr.. Wads-
worth, are now working together cor
daily. on its face. though, In the iudg-
ment OF Republicans, no successor to Mr..
Wcodruff can be named without the get
ting together Of the Roosevelt men on
tie state committee and the groups
friendly and unfriendly to Gov. Hughes
and Mr.. OdeIl.
But even the slendeFest hope that Mr.
Odeu can ever again become the leader
Of his party in the State has been relin-
quished.
President Parsons. Mr.. OdelTs friends
said, could easily defeat Mr. Mayer for
president of the New York County com
mittee Mr., LauteTbach. it was stated.
would not think of going back into the
harness as president Of the county com
mittee.
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