The sun., 1908-01-01
EADSEORTH FOR GOVERNOR
,ASSBMBLYMAN HAMN STARTS
BOOM IN PARTY CAUCUS.


thnsiaam-CoI. DaSeor Fails - snow
9tPength ana nay u. smlth wHna
spirited CIerEshlp FOSht. ~ to N.
ALBANY. Dec ai.-Fhs caucus Of the
Republican Assemblymen tonight was
Of far more Importance than the mere
selection Of officers OF the lower h ouss for
the coming session The candidacy Of
Speaker James W. WadswOrth. Jr.. in oou-
nectiOn with the Republican nomlnation
for Governor next fall was informally
declared Asssmblymah Hamn OF Wayne
county launched the boom in an indireot
way. He was called upon to nominate the
youthful member from Livingston county
for third term an Speaker and In making
his nominating speech sa d:
This Is but a small honor that we are con.
ferring upon him. The people Of the State
Of New York viii within short time chooss
him for the highest honor within their
gift" i
This announcement was greeted with
hearty applause, for all understood what
was meant by It.
The only contest In the caucus was over
the cIerkshlp. and there was no bitterness
manifested. Ray b. Smith Of Syracuse
was nominated and viii be elected clerk
tomorrow. Col. Archie Y. Baxter. tho
retiring clerk. did not develop the strength
that was expected.
Ninety Republicans were in attendAnos
at the caucus and the Colonel received only
- votes. Mr.. Smith getting 81. The action
Of the Kings county Republicans in solidly
voting for Mr.. Smith is taken to mean
that Assemblyman Charles 2. Murphy
OF Brooklyn will be. the chairman OF tho
Cities COMMITTEES Of the Assembly. Mr..
Murphy seconded the nomination Of Mr.
| Smith.
The G. A. R. made a fight to overoons
the influence Of Speaker Wadsworth and
State Chairman Woodruff, but the only
State leaders with the Colonel in his fight
were George W. Aldridge, his Assembly
men voting for Col. Baxter. and National
Committeeman William L. Ward Of West
Chester. This is the first Hsht that State
Chairman Woodruff has won. Last year
he had TO retire after declaring that Mr.
smith wouIdIbeselected clerk
Assemblyman Edwin A. Merritt Of st.
| Lawrence county, who 10 Do be the next
Republican leader Of the lower house,
| placed Col Baxter in nomination and in
timated that he believed a political mis-
! take was being made in retiring Col. Bax-
ter He pointed to the fact that the Colo
mel was backed by the Grand Army and
said that this was an Organization Of 10000
voters which did not take part In the con-
test as a Factional fight, but because It
4 Il
Merritt said that Cot. BAXTER had earned
all that the party had bestowed upon him
He urged the members 30 give due weight
TO the request Of the Grand Army.
In seoonding tho nomination Of Col
Baxter Assemblyman wainwrght OF West
chester told Of the CoIonels Grand Army
record and urged that he had made great
sacrifices for the RepublicA party "Let
me tell you he said. 1T was not tbs
Republican party that made the Grand
Army Of the Republic. Tt was the Grand
Army Of the Republic that made the Repub-
ican party Give heed to the request Of
the survivors Of the civil var"
AssemblymAn Hammond OF Syracus,
placed the name of Mr.. Smith before tbs
caucus and spoke Of him as having been tbs
recognized administrative head of tn,
clerical force Of the Assembly for the last
few ysars. He said that Col Baxter hl
received honors from the Republican party
in excess Of any other ordinary citizen ami
he should no longer try 70 block the promo.
ton ~ Mr.. smith. AIR Murphy. in secono.
ing the Domi1ation Of Mr. Smith poilteL
to the fact that Col Baxter's pulisica
orrsriZatiou did not ask for his reelection
speak er wadsworth's election TO thp
place for another term was conceded With.
oIt opposition Assemblyman Franci -
New York seconded the nomination. ami
sold: Through having such men at tn,
head Cf our party in this state as Spe ker
" adsw orth we intend to get control of tn,
city Of New York Il don't intend to tel
how sSan do IT, but We are going to do L.
Henry LAnmert Of Brooklyn will hs
elected stenoErapher OF tbs Asse n5,S
and Frank johnson Of Buhalc' sergeIn;
at arms New York county gets the place
of principal dOorkeeper, Ward Cite being
nominated for it Andrew Kahn Of Albany
will be first assistant principal doorkoeper
While only something entirely unea-
reoted will prevent the selection of As
semblyman Merritt as majority leader
Assemblyman Phillips, the rival candidate.
still retains hopes that the Speaker will
appoiut him TO the place. Speaker Wads-
WOrJn mas Batu. InOuRn. JnhA ne VIII not
make the announcement until the Legis-
lature returns from the recess. Assembly
man Phillips's friends say the Speaker has
said that he has not definitely settled tho
question
George NJ. Palmer Of Schoharie will be
the minority leader. the Democratic
AssemblyInen choosing him a. their candi-
date for Speaker In their caucus tonight
HO had no opposition. Despite the protOBt
Of Paradise Park Jimmy Oliver that it
was undsmocratio and subtsrransan, q
committee Of FIVE was appointed to name
tho other candidates to be voted for Ia the
House tomorrow and the caucus adj
jouned until tomorrow morning
Mr.. Palmer in addressing the caucus
characterized a. Gov. Hughess 'sxtrSmS
and most offensive partisanship' the
action Of Gov. Hughes "in appointing Re-
publicanS to the Surrogateship in New YorA
and to the Supreme Court Juaticeship In
the Second DISTRICT in place Of Demoorats
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