New-York tribune., 1907-12-31
GATHERING AT ALBANY,
Mr.. WADSWORTH'S PLANS.
assembly Organization and Clerk'
ship Chief Subjects Of Interest.
fBy Telegraph to The Tribune

fBy Telegraph The Tribunel
Albany Dec. 30.-Slowly- and with not nuch
show of interest the legislators are gathering
for the session of 1908 which will begin at
noon on Wednesday. Senator Ralnes anu
Speaker Wadsworth. leaders of the respective
houses. the ground early, but only
handful of their colleagues are here to-nlsht-
State Chairman Woodruff is expected to-mor-
row.
Aside from the Governors message the rec
concentrations of which are discounted to some
extent by recent developments in the banking
traction and insurance fields and the Cover
nors known views on other important issues
there are only two subjects of interest to leg
islators Just now. These the organization
of the Assembly, which contains more than
fifty new members and the Clerlship of. that
body. over which there Is fight.
Speaker Wadsworth expects to be able 10
name his committees by next Monday 'Severai
of the important chairmanships will have to
be filled, and one or two committees practt-
cally rebuilt" The question of the chairman
ship of the Committee Ways and Means.
which carries with 1t the majority leadership
of the Assembly, is still open. Most of the
legislators here believe that Assemblyman Mer-
ritt of St Lawrence County will be named
for that important place. Jesse Phillips. of
Ailegany County, however. is still a candidate.
and, like Speaker WadsWorth comes from the
western part of the state Indeed, earlier in
the year some of the politicians from that part
of the state said confidentially that Mr.. Phillips
was the Speakers candidate. If Mr.. Merritt
is not appointed chairman of Ways and Mean.
he will be retained at the head of the Commit
tee Railroads. Mr.. Phillips, If he does
get the leadership. will be placed at the head
Of the Committee Judiciary. of which he
the senior member
The delegation from Kings County. which
contains several of the men of longest service
in the Assembly now. will get important
mittee places this year. Charles F. Murphy is
being backed for chairman Of the Committee on
Cities by Chairman Woodruff. This chairman
ship was held last year by Edward c. Bowling.
now the bench In Brooklyn. Assemblyman
Hammond. Of Onondaga County, Is making Wig
orous efforts 10 obtain this place. Warren I.
Lee. Of Kings. of the stronger members, is
scheduled for a place the Cities Committee
and other important assignments. John Lord
OBren, OF Buffalo. who made excellent
record last year; Beverly r. Robinson OF
New York who is the choice of Her
bert Parsons for the chairranship of the Cities
Committee, and Mervin K. Hart, of Oneida
County. doubtless Will have places on this COM
rnittee. The probability is that member from
New York County will get the place the
Rules Committee left vacant by the retirement
OF AsssembIyman Prentice.
AssenbIymau J. Mayhem Wainwright Of
westchestcr will be retained as chairman of
the Committee Banks one of the important
posts this session In view OF the financial
trouble and the expe, led amendments TO the
banking laws. The insurance Committee of last
year has many vacancies that II will be
virtually a completely new committee. The
Committee on Water Supply. Gas and Electric
ity and the Committee Railroads, both i'm
portant will have to be reorganized.
Raw B. Smith assistant clerk of the Assem-
bly, who is a candidate for election to the clerk
ship and Colonel Archie E. Baxter. the clerk.
who is seeking reelection. have opened head
ouarters here Neither knows Just where he
stands because of the great number of new
members this session Colonel Baxter Is a Civil
War veteran, and the Grand Army of the Re-
public men are working vigorously to help him
keep his place Smith has the backing OF
Francis Hendricks his political sponsor; OF
State Chairman Woodruff and William Barnes.
of Albany County. Speaker Wadsworth has
said that he as an individual member would
vote for Smith
II want to make perfectly clear my attitude
8, This - he said to-day II am for Smith. but
shall not let the fact that any member OF the
Assembly votes for Baxter make any difference
have never adopted coercion In the Assembly
and do not expect to begin now L have writ
ten this to the grand army people who asked
me about my attitude"
Smith seenin ; has the better chance of
election now although there is some show OF
feeling among the older members at his effort
IN get the place from Colonel Baxter. who has
held II for many years and is popular. Chair
man Woodruff probably will be able to deliver
all the Brooklyn Assemblymen TO Smith, but
there is some doubt about whether Herbert Par
sons can swing all the New York Republicans
to Smiths side.
Speaker Wadsworth's reelection is taken for
granted
On the Democratic side there is some talk
about a contest over the minority leadership
but there will be real fight. George NJ
Palmer, of S5choharie County, who held that
place for several years up to 1907, when he did
not come back to the Legislature. has been
picked for the post again. Paradise Jimmy
oliver, whose manipulation of the minority lead
ership last year finally caused revolt of the
Democrats, hopes to have another trial "Af'
Smith, another Tammany man. Is being talked
about somewhat, but the general belief is that
the big BOSSES" meaning Murphy and Conners.
have picked Palmer