New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
ROOTAS INTERMEDIARY
WON'T NIX IN FACTIONAL
FIGHT At ALBANY.
But Night Act for Welfare Of Party
If Struggle Reached Crisis
Editorials Sent Upstate.
GBy Telegraph to The rribune,l

He will start tomorrow for Hot Springs. Ark.
where he will remain until February 25 At
that time he will return here TO make the chief
speech at the dinner of the Barnes organization
workers
1t seems certain from Mr.. Root'sfo town words
and the attitude of some of the anti Hughes
politicians that the Senator elect does not intend
to let himself be used in the factional fight
within the party which many predict is certain
to result from Governor Hughess advocacy of
direct primary nominations. There will be no
dragging in of the Senator's prestige and polit-
! ical power for against the Governor. On
the other hand it is quite possible that if the
struggle should reach the crisis indicated by the
present degree of bitterness against Governor
Hughes he would feel called to act inter
mediary, and for the future welfare of the Re
publican party bring about some settlement of
affairs.
Mr.. Root to-day had talks with Senator
Rafnes Speaker Wadsworth. William Barnes jr,
Fred Greiner, of Buffalo, Senator Aids and 9TH
ers with all of whom he discussed affairs in this
state not in any factional sense. but in an en-
deavor, apparently, to put himself into touch
with existing conditions The question Of direct
primaries was touched on in every case. and in
some instances gone into in considerable
detail Mr.. Root would say nothing to news
paper men about his cony ersations with visitors
you'll have to depend on them for that" he
said He stated he would go to Washington
after he returned here next month.
There has been read into your speech by
many a declaration against direct primary nom
nations" was observed.
Nobody has a right to read anything into it
save what there" he replied. Correct
| copies were printed in your veracious journals"
will you express any opinion the subject
| Of direct primary nominations?" was asked
DUTIES ARE IN CONGRESS-
''No; that subject is not for me to discuss My
duties are in Congress- and have no concern in
| that subject"
What will you say about your course as SEN
ator regarding state affairs outside the func-
tions which fall to your lot a Senator in Con-
| gress?"
MY duties are those of a Senator In Con-
gress." replied Mr.. Root. with marked pause
before the words "in Congress" 'I shall en-
deavor to perform them to the best of my ability.
| Other duties must be dealt with as they arise"
| Mr.. Roots declaration for the direct nomina-
tor Of iegislstive oaadsdAies ae at the Sara
| toga convention and recalled In to-days Tribune
| has been the subject of general discussion to-
| day. Some of those who have talked with him
| are endeavoring to give the impression that
since then he has altered his views somewhat
| Only the future course of the anti-Hughes men
will show whether they are depending on his
| moral and political support
| Mr.. Root was a guest at dinner at the Fort
Orange Club tonight, with the judges of the
| Court Of Appeals. Lieutenant Governor White.
| Speaker Wadsworth and Senator Raines also
were there. Mr.. Root took luncheon with these
| legislative leaders and Assembyman Merritt
| A remarkable state of affairs to light
| here to-day when advocates of direct primaries
fTat
| system was being distributed all the smaller
| upstate newspapers, written paper bearing
| the heading Of the office of the Secretary of
State Investigation disclosed that James J.
| Neville secretary to John S. Whalen, the last
| Secretary of State and retained in office by
| Secretary Koenig, had been sending out this
| material. He issued statement defending his
| course tonight, saying he did the work out
| side of office hours his own responsibility
| and wholly without having spoken to Secre-
| tary Koenig about It He admitted doing sim
| liar work regarding other legislative matters
DEPARTMENTS PAPER USED.
The significant feature OF the episode was that
| the departments paper used; and this has
| sinister phase. Many. If not most, OF the
papers to which the material was sent depend
| for the largest part of their income on money
| received from the state for printing the session
laws In this way the state spends aoout S1oO'-
| 600 each year; and the papers must be desig-
mated by the Secretary of State. Hughes men
who unearthed this affair declared that, ire
spectve of any other consideration, the fact that
this material came paper bearing that mag
natic heading was certain to assure its being
printed
"poiler plate" editorials OF this description
attaching the Governors direct primary plan
also have been circulated 1t was learned. written
on paper bearing the heading of the Republican
state Committee Mr.. Koenig is a member or
the Republican State Committee.
This incident. illustrative Of the extent to
which the opponents OF Governor Hughes are
willing to GO recalled the somewhat similar in
cident in his anti gambling fight last year Hun
dreds of letters dumped on the desks of
Senators purporting to come from constituents
demanding that their representatives vote
against the Governor. Investigation showed
that these letters were clumsy forgeries. This
attenpt to create public sentiment" against the
direct primary plan seems TO the Governors
friends hardly more clever. But in this hsht,
as in that one the Governors Opponents-among
them some of the very men who whipped into
line the legislators who owed their pontlcal
ovtstsnce To tbem-seem to hesitate at nothing
which they think might help TO defeat Governor
Hughes They have planned and are endeator-
ing TO carry out an elaborate plan of publicity
setting forth their arguments against direct
nrinsries. including speeches and newspaper
comment of every variety. This Neville episode,
saw Hughes men, indicates the value of some OF
the editorials being quoted as expressive Of
tho antipathy of the rural districts to any change
in the primary system.
CANARD ABOUT WALLIS
Another effort to harass the Governor was
made tonight through a story. purporting to