Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-12
The Probe Having Been
Started in New York
Republicans viii Make L Cut
To The Very Bottom.
No DISPOSITION to Shield Aids II
Guilt Is Proven.

Albany, n. Y, March Ex-senator
Newcomb gave notice today that he
was preparing to obtain some action
on his resolution providing for an I'M
limited investigation of legislative
corruption and his declaration is re-
garded as the first significant result
of the Republican organizations VIC
tory in the Senate leadership fight.
The vote on the question of sustaining
Senator Conger's bribery charges
against Senator Aids was expected to
furnish the next clash between two
elements into which disregard OF the
wishes of Senator Root and Governor
Hughes and the election of Senator
Cobb as President Pro Tenn split the
Republican party in the state senate,
but if Newcomb moves next week to
dismiss the Senate finance commission
from further consideration of bis res
olution the alignment may occur be-
fore the Aids investigation is over.
Two measures having for wider
investigation have been in the hands
of the finance committee for the past
three weeks. The other was introduced
py Senator Wainwright, but their
purposes are practically the same. At
first the fear that immediate action on
them might prejudice Aids chances
and later Aids resignation as PreSi-
dent Pro Tenn and the new leadership
fight it precipitated, postponed efforts
to bring about their consideration by
the Senate. Now, however, the situa-
ton is changed.
Regardless of the truth of the situa-
+ ,,,1hlic npininn To have
sociated the opposition to the leader
ship of Root and Hughes with an in
tention to shut off further attempts to
air legislative scandals and with SYM
pathy for Aids. The statements that
came from Senator Root and the gov
ernor during the leadership fight have
been interpreted by some as bearing
directly upon the Aids case. All SEN
ators who have publicly declared for
carrying the present investigation
further or who have resisted efforts
10 hamper the Aids inquiry were align
ed with the Root Hughes forces. Hin
man, the oot-Hughes choice for ma
iority leader, has been the most out
spoken of all the senators against Aids
during the frequent debates over the
admission of certain testimony.
These circumstances lead to con-
cl,;sion that Governor Hughes and the
colder statesmen of the party in
WASHINGTON have agreed upon wider
legislative inquiry and are ready to
issue orders against any disposition to
shelter Aids. Such an investigation as
the Newcomh or the Wainwright reso-
luton propose could not hurt the
Hughes regime. whereas adherents OF
the latter believe the Legislators, whom
such proceedings might bring under
suspicion. would probably be identl-
rcd with the organization and any dis
closures would strengthen the position
of the Root Hughes faction.
The idea that the people are with them
in this proposition can be traced 10 eN-
pressions in the governor recent state
ment and the Root telegram.
The declaration of Senators Bracket
and Davenport and their friends Ill the
Senate that Cobb's victory only post
noned the issue is not denied by the VIC
t,rious organization men. They declare,
however. that the prestige of defeating
the combined forces of the governor ana
the national administration VIII carry
them victorious through the next hght'
whatever it may be about.
While reticent to discuss the question
Of further corruption inquiries, Cobb's
eunnorters assert that their constituents
are behind them in the refusal to let Sen
ator Root or Gov. Hughes dictate their
action on purely organization matters.
The Root-Hughes senators now claim the
members who voted for Senator Davis at
the leadership caucus.
The Senate bribery investigation lasted
only an hour and half today and half
an hour of this time was taken up by
arguments over the admission of testimo-
ny and a discussion of future plans, At
torney Osborne had Senator Aids on the
stand under discrimination during the
whole session and when adjournment was
taken at l o'clock he announced that he
was through with the defendant except
for one matter which he and Attorney
Littleton had agreed to defer mntil Tues
day.