New-York tribune., 1910-01-18
OPINION AT ALBANY
TALK OF SUCCESSOR.
Williams and HotckkiSs Mem
toned for GoUernorship.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune.

nouncement that Governor Hughes WOULD
not be candidate for reelection in any
circumstances. Politicians and legislators
accepted it as setting at rest any doubts
which they might have entertained on the
subject. and most of them took il as equiva-
lent to statement from the Governor him.
self.
There has been a rather general belief
among organization Republicans that the
Governor would not run a third time al
though some of them have been going on
the theory that If the conduct of the party's
political and legislative affairs made
necessary a third term TO assure Republic
success the Governor could be draft
ed. On the other hand, some strong or
ganization mon have asserted that at best
Republican success this fall is a problem
and that Governor Hughes might not be
able 10 be reelected If he ran.
The Tribunes announcement is bound TO
affect the course of the Legislature to
certain extent whether the leaders realize
it or not To be sure, the organization has
determined to ''be good this year, and so
far any programme has been mapped
out. 1t appears that most of the Govern
or's recommendations will be treated in
respectful. even friendly, fashion,
NO ATTACKS ON GOVERNOR.
The direct primary proposal will be
fought, but there will be no violent person
al attacks on Governor Hughes over it.
such as marked the situation last year. The
Governors personal following and prestige
are too great TO render such a course poll
tic at this time: however, some of the ma
chine Republicans may chafe the ne
cessity for restraining their feelings. 1t
is the belief of Hughes men that The
Mi, o. Of ha
position will cause the organization leaders
to take even greater pains to preserve the
appearance of being in harmony with the
Governor, that they may use his popular
ity and personal prestige as campaign
assets next fall.
OF course there is much speculation about
the candidates for the Republican nom
ination. Nobody at this time is willing TO
talk for publication on that point It is
significant, though, that even some of the
most important anu-Hughes leaders believe
a man as nearly as possible Of the Hughes
type should be put at the head of the ticket
"a c:ean, progr essiVe man, independent
enough TO command the support of the
Hughes following, yet not such man as
TO alienato the Organization men, APP
pearances at this time Indicate that the
ganization leaders will go far in their de-
sire to conciliate the progressive Republi-
cans in this respect.
CLARK WILLIAMS MENTIONED.
OF course, Speaker Wadsworth will have
his supporters for the nomination, and
probably other Organization candidates"
will appear long before nomination time.
Just at present. however, most of the gos-
sip centres around the name of Clark Will
Jams. pronounced ''reformer'' and man
after the Governors own heart.
Since he took office in the latter part OF
1907 as Superintendent of Banks Mr.. Will
iams's official activities have brought him
prominently into the public eye. Almost
Immediately he was plunged into the diff
culties attendant on the panic, with banks
failing and the most vigorous efforts nee
essary to prevent others from falling and
pluEging still other institutions into fresh
difficulties. The general opinion was that
Mr.. Williams handled that trying situation
in splendid fashion. He recommended and
had passed much banking reform. legisla-
tion, one prominent feature of it being the
measure to permit the Superintendent OF
Ranks 10 administer insolvent banking in
stitutions, instead of making necessary the
great expense of outside receiverships This
law served as the model for statute grant
ing similar powers over insurance compa-
! insurance.
Mr.. Williams having handled one diff
cult situation to his satisfaction, Governor
Hughes chose him for another hard task
when he named him Controller, TO sue
ceed the late Controller Gaus. 1t was
matter OF common gossip that the Control
lers office under Mr.. Gaus had been more
the football of politics than usual. The
appointment of Otto Kelsey as Gauss first
official act and the removal of Earl H Gal
lup for political reasons, according to the
finding of the State Civil Service Commits
sion ard the subsequent decision OF an
Albany County jury, were prominent exam
pies of this. Such conditions the Governor
wanted remedied. Also he wanted the
office put on a good. up-to-date business
basis. Both things Mr.. Williams is doing,
without any fuss and feathers.
WON'T PLAY POLITICS.
1t may explain why organization men are
willing 10 consider Mr.. Williams for the
nomination to say that while he has done
many things distasteful to the organization
he has done them in such a way as not 10
offend anybody needlessly. He refused alb
solutely 10 play politics" in the Banking
Department, declaring once to prominent
Republican organization man that he knew
the political affiliations of only two or three
iiitu lh HIS tliiCe he KNOW, lnOuRn,
that each man was doing his work proper
ly that individual would not have kept
his place.
Mr.. Williams is a grandson OF Myron II.
Clark, Governor of this state in 1855 and
1855 BY profession a banker, he stands
high in the favor of his fellows and was
considered one of the rising young men of
the financial district when he took Office
under Governor Hughes.
Another Hughes appointee, william H.
Hotchkiss. Superintendent OF Insurance is
much talked of by Western New York men
as candidate for Governor. He lives in
Buffalo, is a lawyer of comfortable wealth
and excellent professional standing and
since he succeeded Otto Kelsey in the In
surance Department has made splendid
record He has many friends in the Greiner
organization in Erie County, and had the
is not at all a hard and fast organization
man. He announced in a public speech
recently that he considered public life a
war against the degrading and improper in
huences of business and political interests
J1c seems to be fighting a good battle lust
now, and one which is attracting wide at
tention in the insurance world, since his in
vestigators are rafting the bones of stele-
tons long hidden in the insurance closets
and bringing about strict obedience To the
laws.
VIEWS or MEN AT ALBANY.