New-York tribune., 1907-11-13
CHALLENGES WOODRUFF
COL. BIXTER TO FIGHT.
Says State Chairman Can't Name
Nert CIerk of assembly.


bly,, challenges the right of Timothy L. Wood
ruff, Republican state chairman. to dictate the
selection of Ray 3. Smith his successor.
Colonel Baxter IS u candidate for the place,
which he has filed for about ten years.
Colonel Baxter says that it is act OF boss
ism, pure and simple. for Mr.. Woodruff to as
sumo the right of naming the next clerk. He
holds that it is the business OF the members OF
the Assembly TO select their own clerk and he
IS going to get all the votes for the place that
he can Mr. Smith was a candidate for the
clerlship last year. but Colonel Baxter had so
many votes at the assembling Of the Assembly,
that the former withdrew from the before
there was q test Of strength
This year the contest would seem to be be-
tween Mr.. Woodruff, state chairman, who wants
to name Mr.. Smith, lieutenant OF Francis S.
Hendricks. of Syracuse, and Colonel Baxter,
whose popularity around the state has never
been questioned.
There are some Republicans who go so far as
to say that Mr.. Smith viii have the anti-Hughes
backing, inasmuch as he will be supported by
the friends of the state chairman, William
Barnes, jr. Francis S. Hendricks. OF Syracuse,
and Congressman J. Sloat Fassett, of Elmiva,
Colonel Bakers home town.
Supporting Colonel Baxter are Senator Will
lam ]. Tully. of Corning: the Buffalo leaders
Butler, Greiner and Warren; George w. Aldridge,
OI 1tOCneSter, william l.. ward, OF WeStClGSteT,
Colonel George w. Dunn Of Binghamton: Rep
resentative NIalby, of St Lawrence; Senators
Cassidy and Raines and ex-senator Bracket.
1t is expected, also. that Ex-Governor Black OF
Troy will throw his influence to Colonel Baxter.
Mr. Woodruff is counting on tho assistance of
Representative Herbert Parsons, Of the Repub-
lican County Committee. and he expects to vote
the Kings County AssembIymen solidly for Mr..
Smith.
If it should appear to their advantage to make
such an issue probably the Baxter people VIII
try to draw the lines for and against Governor
Hughes, holding that a vote for Smith is vote
against Hughes and that the election Of Colonel
Baxter means an Endorsement OF Governor
Hughes's administration.
Colonel Baxter was in town yesterday with
Senator Tully. and he let it be known at once
that he candidate for the clerkship. and
that the fight was to be in the open. Colonel
Baxter is rallying the Grand Army support
throughout the state and believes that with the
old soldiers and their sons he has a valuable
factor in the campaign that he IS waging. When
seen yesterday by Il Tribune reporter the colonel
said:
L am a candidate for the clerkship. and 1 am
going to win II by a fight in the open Perhaps
the foremost issue presented in the contest is
that OF bosssm. If ! interpret the situation cor
rectly 5fr Woodruff. as state chairman, assumes
that he has the right to name the clerk. and he
expects that having named Mr.. Smith for the
place the members OF the Legislature viii fall
into line and vote for Mr.. Smith whether they
want 10 or not
Il take the position that In view OF my ser
vices 70 my country, state and party am en-
titled at least 10 fair treatment at the hands OF
Chairman Woodruff and other Republican lead
ers. l am not getting IT, Last year l contributed
90.
rewarded by the opposition of Mr. Wood
ruffs friends. Last year at the request of
Chairman Woodruff took the stump during the
entire campaign for Governor Hughes and spoke
with the Governor on many occasions l paid
my own expenses IN that campaign. This year,
at the request OF Chairman Woodrums local
committee / divided with his organization practi-
cally one-tenth of my salary az clerk and my
reward is the opposition OF Woodruff and Fas-
sett
Nov, the chairman says that there was an
understanding that would not be candidate
this year With whom? Assuming that Mt
Woodruff said to Mr.. Smith, L will make you
clerk next year. what authority had he to make
such a promise? How could he thus mortgage
the Assembly of 1905? OF course, he might
speak for the Kings County delegation. but who
empowered him to speak for the entire state?
Have the upstate members and leaders, who in
fact gave US the Republican Assembly, no voice
whatever in this matter? Is the Republican
party Of the State Of New York so boss-ridden
that Timothy L. Woodruff can decree a year in
advance, and before he even knows who will be
elected members, whom he himself will elect
clerk of the Assembly? If that is true, what
the OF electing an Assembly? Why
not have had it understood that Mr. Woodruff
was himself the whole Assembly, and that each
individual member was a mere servant to record
his WIFI"
Mr. Baxter for the last ten years has an
pointed Mr.. Smith assistant clerk. giving him
rank next TO himself. Colon. Baxter's friends
say that this Is all that Mr.. Smiths compara-
lively inconspicuous services warrant
Senator Tully, who is working energeticalIv
for Colonel Baxters success. insists that Gov
ernor Hughes is entitled TO a fair share Of the
credit for the victories the Republicans have
won this yeaE
Senator TUly said that the fusion OF the Re-
publicans with Hearst in this county undues-
tionably hurt the Republicans up the state, as
many lifelong Republicans neither registered
nor voted.
Assemblyman Merritt, Of the prominent
leaders of the lower house. when asked yester-
day about Colonel Baxter's canvass for re-elec-
tion. said:
II am for Baxter. like Smith. but Baxter is
about the last of the oldtimers. and the least
the party can do for him is to re-elect him."
The Baxter men said last night that they had
assurances from forty members outside OF New
who and for