New-York tribune., 1910-12-29
GRADY STRANDED WHEN
MURPHY TURNS AWAY
Will Not Be President Pro Tenn.
of Senate, Flat Declaration of
Tammany Hail Boss.
HAS REGARD FOR HEALTH
But Pressure of Dix and Upstate
Democrats Is Credited with
Elimination of Senator
from Leadership.

| Senator Thomas F. Grady will not be
| elected President pro tenn OF the Sen
ate.
| Charles F. Murphy has finally yielded
| to the pressure brought to bear by Gov
ernor-elect Dix and other upstate Demo
| Gratis and reluctantly consented not to
| insist upon the elevation of Senator
| Grady. although up to yesterday he had
declared enlphatically that he would not
| desert the Senator.
| That Senator Grady has himself to
blame in a measure for the sudden re-
versal Of the attitude of the Tammany
leader is stated by those who are aware
OF certain happenings since election.
Last session Senator Grady's physical
disability was such that he was fire.
quently absent from his seat. Recently
he has shown, it is said, that his condi-
tion is not such as would enable him
safely to assume the heavy burden Of
! the Senate leadership.
| It is believed that Tammany will in
sist upon having the leadership of the
| Senate, however. and Senator Robert F.
| likely to get the place. Senator Cullen,
Of Brooklyn. will probably be pushed By
his friends, however.
| Murphy Turns Thumb Down.
MIR. Murphy refused to make any COM
ment when it was first learned that he
turned his thumb down upon Senator
Grady, but after the meeting of the
| TanImany executive committee last
night he said Senator Grady had de-
clined the Senate leadership because OF
his health and his work as national
president Of the Order of Eagles.
Two years ago. when the term Of
| Senator Grady was about to expire,
said Mr.. Murphy, 'he made statement
! to the Senate that under no circum-
stances would he consent to return to
| that body, as he was anxious to retire
to private life. After much persuasion
| by party leaders, and much against his
will, Senator Grady accepted a renom-
| mat and was elected for another term.
After that term was about 10 expire he
repeated the declaration of his inten-
| ton to leave public life, as he had, in
| the mean time, accepted the position Of
national president of the Order of Eagles,
one Of the largest fraternal organiza
| tions in the country, the duties of which
would take up a good deal of his time
He also stated that he had given the
| order a pledge TO devote himself 10 it's
| interests
Has Regard for Health.
Without his consent and against his
protest he was again nominated at a
| convention which he did not attend, and
| was elected in a campaign in which he
took no part; during the greater part OF
the campaign he was outside the state
attending to his duties as president of
| the Order of Eagles.
In spite of his protests many OF his
| friends hoped that he would consent to
| take a place in the SeHate this year, to
which his great ability and experience
entitled him.
| only yesterday he called upon me
ard said that he would not consent to
accept any position in the Senate which
would take up all of his time or make
any serious inroads on his health. The
| Senator stated that the obligations
| which he had assumed would not, in
! honor, permit any such action on his
part Under the circumstances all the
PARTY can expect from the Senator is to
| have him act as one Of the members of
the upper house of the Legislature"
| Opposition Attributed to Dix.
| Just what Mr. Dix may have written
| to Mr. Murphy regarding Senator Grady
may be imagined, but it is understood
that he plainly indicated that he would
make no decisions on important matters
of patronage that Mr.. Murphy was inter
ested in until he had assurances that
| Senator Grady would not be made presi-
dent pro tenn.
| Tt will be recalled that after Senator
| Grady's first term in the Senate. begin
ming in 1882 Governor Cleveland wrote
to John Kelly, the leader Of Tammany
Hall:
NV personal comfort demands that
Thomas F. Grady be not returned to the
| Senate"
Senator Grady was not sent back. Two
wears later he refused to support Mr.
| cleveland for President. and stumped the
| country for an Independent candidate In
1896. however, Senator Grady returned
IN The Senate and has been a prominent
6erra there since as leader of the minor