New-York tribune., 1907-06-17
SITUATION In ALBANY.
THE END NOT IN SIGHT.
Legislators Angry When Apportion-
ment Is Mentioned.
[By Telegraph 70 The Tribune l

Albany. June l6.-With a mere handful Of bills
Of any general Importance before II TO give II
semblance OF life the Legislature tomorrow night
will begin another weeks struggle with the reap
portionment problem Whether or not adjournment
can De taken this week, even, is a question which
nobody here pretends 10 be able to answer Most
legislators are at point where that question srs
them 10 sudden violence. Yet Senators and As
semblymen alike reiterate their determination TO
sit here all summer if necessary rather than TO
y.eld inch in the battle
The deadlock into which Sneaker Wadsu-orth
lied the Legislature when he refused TO allow the
Assembly TO accept the Tully plan of reapportion-
Tnent passed by the Senate has become a farce
yet with all its farcical character grave menace
TO the reputation of Legislature with an excellent
record. Despite the workings of the conference
committees and all the discourse about ''mathe-
Tnatical apportionments' and abolition of dis
tricts in the shape Of living animals" there seems
small chance that the conference committees can
agree on any fair compromise plan. In the last
Gay or two the situation has become one of noliti-
ciu manipulation-each side has used its utmost
thoeaNor 10 TICK the other side into false posi-
ZION which should weaken its prestige in the Legis-
nature and present II IN unfavorabe light before
the public.
Just now the "rectillnear" apportionment OF New
1ofK ana Kings counties Is the uppermost phase
OF the situation. According to Senator Cassidy
lhls followed out properly. will abolish not only
me districts in the shape of living animals but
those animals which now cast their shadows over
New York and Kings counties" Certain Il is that
,h1cn apprehenslon has been expressed here since
tfle Senate conferrees compelled the Assemblymen
10 take up this question OF redistricng those
ses. foIticians familiar with conditions in Man
haitian and across the river declare that while
such mathematical and "geometric' districting
OF the counties might not change their political
representation so much has been supposed. II
would wreak havoc on the politicians themselves
the district leaders and their sub-leaders taking
political clubhouses of districts and placing
them in districts dominated by other leaders and
leaving leaders themselves living in districts where
they possessed no political 'potentality,' Her
bert Parsons terms il
NO REAL MIDDLE GROUND EXISTS
II is impossible 10 forecast the result with
ne day the
Speaker hurled his defiance at the Senate The
breach now is as wide as 1t then: there exists
no real middle ground which the two houses
can meet TO effect a compromise. Certainly the
position of the Assembly is not becoming any
stronger with the passage of time, and the almost
dalv adoption of some new plan- At present its
representatives seem TO have allowed themselves
TO be forced into a bad mistake tactically. They
cannot well refuse 70 accept any exact mathe
matical apportionment. both upstate and in New
York City II such scheme could be worked out
there is considerable doubt whether II would suit
Speaker Wadsworth better than the Tully plan
did, while most of the legislators here say with
much emphasis that il would not suit State Chair
man Woodruff and President Parsons of the New
York County Republican committee. Since both
OF these men jumped into the fight vigorous
supporters Of the Speaker any act of the Assem-
piyaen which alienates them from the Wadsworth
side cannot well help the Speaker
The subcommittee Of the conference COM
rnittees VIII go TO work again tomorrow.
tensbly continuing their carving up of New
York and Kings counties. Meanwhile they must
consider the upstate situation as we'll. If Sela-
tor Tully returns Albany Tomorrow the
subcommittee will report the conference COM
mittees, and meeting of those committees Will be
arranged 10 take up the subject again. No result
could be reached before Tuesday, at any rate
Every Will congratulate himself If any result
Is reached early enough TO permit final adjourn
this week.
Many persons here believe the situation now Is
essentially a battle between the Tuny plan and
the Speaker, with especial plan, as il was at
the very beginning. Senator TulIy predicts that
eventually the Senate plan will be accepted by the
Assembly Senator Raines doesn't predict much
these days-he is too disguised with the affair
but his faith in the Tuly plan and his confidence
in the Senate's position have not changed in tho
least A breach in either Of the battling forces
might bring about solution OF the difficulty
yet even i such a breach grew among the Senators
that the Assembly could take advantage of il, the
Assembly has plan which II has agreed
save the original Wadsworth scheme. and it has
shown how faulty it considered that by its prompt
abandonment of il.
WOODRUFF AND PARSONS EXPECTED.
Senators expect 10 see changes in the Assembly
alignment this week. State Chairman Woodruff
and President Parsons are expected 10 come here
tomorrow 10 look after their own bailiwcks which
low seem in danger. According the Senate's
ideas, they will be likely to cause an abandonment
OF the rectilinear' appOrtionment idea as applied
10 New York City. That will compel the Assembly
10 form front; all OF which lends hope to the
Senators that presently Of the lower house
will get disgusted and demand end Of this farce
Whatever other business there is of any great
benefit to the state be transacted by the Iegs-
the Senate the Travis direct primary nominations
bin. amended by Senator Travis is ready for
fnal vote Its passage is likely be comparatively
Senator Fancher'S bill prohibiting
agents from working for or against any ticket or
trustees election of mutual companies is
tabled waiting reconsideration Of the vote on the
Cohalan amendments. Assemblyman Rogers's bill
identical with the original Fanchor bill, passed