New-York tribune., 1909-11-07
AFTER RAY SMITH
BENNETT rs CUNNING.
Assemblymdn Starts Cam Daign
against Clerk.

Assemblymsn William II Bennett. reare-
senting Governor Hughess district in the
legislature. Is hunting the political scalp
OF KAY 3. Smith. clerk OF the Assembly
ana he Indicated yesterday that he would
not quit TIL he had IL
t1e sent letters 20 all the Assemblymen-
elect asking them not 20 pledge themselves
TO the re-election OF Mr. smith as clerk
Ar Bennett is not going 10 let the matter
rest there. He has data which on paper
look very uncOmplimentary TO Mr. Smith,
and he Is going to give the clerk OF the
Assembly lot OF free advertising between
now and January l. Mr. Bennett has no
candidate for the clerkship. bur he wants
smith out His letter TO the newly elected
Assemblymen follows:
As a fellow member OF the Assembly
Mrlle 10 ask you not 10 pledge yours II 70
me reelection Of Raw y. smith as clerk
lel are doubtless aware Of the OF lection
ltlat was made al the last session 10 Mr..
sInltn as clerk, on the ground that lac was
int ttrfering in legislation.
lhe question EefOre you is whether YOU
Msni '.s.t 70 hire for CLERK man VINO viii
mino his own business as clerk. ana con-
me his efforts 10 keeping the Journal prop-
eriy and seeing that the cal ndar and bills
are correctly printed. or whether vou want
20 hfe Tor clerk man who will meddle
Tor or against bills Introduced by YOU. and
VINO mas the reputation OF being a lobbyist
state Senate permitting ills clerk actively
70 interfere for or against bills pending
be-ore H. Why should the Assembly per-
l expect 10 communicate with vou fur
ther IN regard 10 this matter. Before The
I.eElsIature eonVenes 1 shall make Ray B.
voters OF Syracuse and Onondaga County
and when that happfns YOU will not in
ny opinion, wish 10 vote cor him for clerk
% the Assembly.
i am against Smith because. in nv
judgment II VIII be difficult 10 get good
legislation through the lower house whii.
he Is clerk" said Mr.. Bennett last night
10 Tribune reporter If We can 80
ahead and clean him UP. I see nothing n
The way OF doing a fine winters work al
Albany and getting away early. The
charges made last year and the year before
against Smith In connection with the bill
TO place the telegraph and telephone COM
panles under the control OF the Public ser
vice Commission are enough. in my opin-
ion, 10 prevent his reelection
II Is not the business Of the Clerk OF
the Assembly 10 interfere with the intro
duction or passage Of bills. Any clerk that
arrogates 10 himself such prerogatives
should go. and that is what is going 10
happen IN Smiths case. At the election IN
Syracuse this fall Smith was the issue. lie
as charged by Republican and Demo
cratic papers with all the things we charge
Tammany Hall with down here, and he
lost his Assemblyman-
The matters charged against Smith
make interesting reading. and when these
matters and NJ. Smiths activities ia legis-
lation at Albany are brought to the a5ten-
ton OF the members OF tie Assembly the
Assembly VIII not, in my opinion. re-elect
him %
Next 10 Speaker Wadsw0rth Clerk Smith
is regarded as the most powerful man in
the Assembly. His salary is $3.50 a year
Last winter M Bennett attacked the
clerk tIom the floor, charging that Smith
pulled the strings and the most of the
members jumped. His remarks We're ex-
Lunged from the record.