New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-06
TAMMANY LOADING DICE
IN 4PPORTTONlIENT COUP
Plans alliance Nth Mr. Wad8zcorth
to Control Ncrt Senate.

The Democratic party will make desperate
efforts TO utilize the oDDortonment deadlock
between the Senate and the Assembly for its
own welfare. At the special session OF the Lesls-
latuIe that Governor Hughes has called for
Monday night tie minority viii try to form an
alliance with Speaker Wadsworth to pass a So
called purely mathematical" apportionment.
mis- epportonment plan, which the Democratic
party intends submitting, while going under
the cloak Of AN apportionmant without regard
20 party lines" IS in reality plan designed
and prepared with the sole purpose Of giving
the minority party majority in the next Sem
ate.
The general framework of tho proposed an
portionment was carefully worked out by Tam
many hall leaders. who, quick to realize the
FEASIBILITY OF the scheme and the number Of
Democratic Senate districts it would mean i'm
lnediately got in touch with upstate leaders
and now have the minority party as a unit
behind the bill and the leaders versed in the
parts they are 10 play.
First, an alliance with Speaker Wadsworth IS
10 be attempted. In exchange for his support
Democratic leaders will agree to give him what
he wants upstate-that is district that WadS-
worth senior, could control that would he
anti-Stevens. This alliance with Wadsworth
Will insure. Tammany think, the passage
Of their apportionment But they go further.
After the Introduction of the bill a committee
consisting Of Senators Cohalan and Grady and
one or two Assembymen not yet decided on
VIII call on Governor hughes, aCQOalnt him with
their apportionment plan and ask him to send
message TO the Legislature advocating its pas
sage.
Here is an apportionment made without re-
gard to party" this committee will tell the
Governor. You have advocated such a plan: we
have given il to you. Now want you to send
a special message 10 the Legislature and tell il
10 pass this apportlOnment plan the committee
will sas-.
Democrats everywhere are jubilant over the
plan. If Governor Hughes refuses to DO de-
! ceived by this grandstand play and will not
agree &c send message to the Legislature urG-
ing the passage of the Tamm>ny apportonment,
Democrats argue that they still have the Speak
10 fall back on If they can get his support
they believe that they pass their apportic--
ment anyhow. counting on getting enough dis
affected Republican Senators TO give them the
necessary tWenty-siX votes in the upper house.
But should both Of these plans fail, the mi
norty leaders will. they think, still have gaine5
ground. They. in that event, expect to make pc
litical capital out of the Governors refusal to
advocate the plan. Then as was previously told
in The Tribune, they will go before tho public
with the specious argument Of having given the
Governor IAN equitable apportionment" such a.
he has advocated, and having had It rejected by
him.
Tammany tried TO introduce a purely mathe-
NAUTICAL appoTtionment" before the adjournment
OF the last session. but IT was found impossible
TO prepare plausible plan before the Legisat-
ure adjourned. Since adjournment the law
mittee Of Tammany Hall has been working over
time the same scheme. II has not been COM
peted yet. but Senator Cohalan said last night
he felt confident ii would be ready by Monday
night
If it is completed by that time It will be intro
duced in the Senate on Monday night either by
Senator Cohaan Senator Grady. The
mttee Will then call on the Governor next morn
ing with a copy of the bill and ask for an emer
GerCy message it
While Republican leaders admit that such a
! plan If carried out would be plausible one they
ridIcule the idea that ii would be either fair
, successful That Speaker Wadsworth will agree
TO cooperate with the minority, they do not be-
Iieve. The Speaker said Assemblyman Prem
tice, who is a close friend Of Mr.. Wadsworth
will never enter into any such plan. He will not
further his own interest at the sacrifice of his
| party"
| Republican leaders say that Tammany cannot
| produce any purely mathematical" plan that
/ would work 10 its advantage and at the same
| time be constitutional. Assemhlvman Merritt
! tried with the Assembly Apportionment Com
| rnittee to develop so-called purely mathemati
cal" plan and was forced to give it up after days
OF hard work. Senator Tully chairman of the
! Senate Apportionment Committee made care
full study OF this plan and gave it as his opinion
that the plan was both "impracticable and i'm
| possible
| Thus Republicans dispose Of the possibility
( of the passage of the Tammany plan. As for
{ making political capital out Of the scheme Re-
] publican leaders laugh at the idea OF the public
! being fooled by what they term such palpably
! specioUs talk"
| Under the apportionment plan on which the
| Tamn1any law compittee is now laboring there
would be one additional Senator from New
| York Courty and from Brooklyn. That
| would give New York thirteen Senators and
| Brooklyn nine "Of the twenty-five Senator'S
/ from New York and Brooklyn" said Senator
| Cohaian, THE Democrats would be sure Of
! twenty. and would probably get all twenty-five.
! That Of course added Senator Cohalaa,
! "U,ould mean that the minority would be in con-
| .rol Of the next Senate. Westcheste- Will con-
| tinue to have its one Senat-c, ana - upstate
| districts will be made to conform as nearly as
| nossible with the original Wadswort5 plan.
| Either or Senator Grady viii introduce the bill
| on Monday night or Tuesday morning If the
| law committee can have it ready by that time.
| 7 ca,, Gee no other result that its introduction
| ill have but Democratic majority in the
| Senate next year 49,
| II &c nrobable that the minority party viii OPP
| ,osa n direct nomination bill and other legisla-
| ton except apportionment II II is attempted
| in the special session.