New-York tribune., 1910-02-14
GENERAL PROBE
SEEMS LIKELY
WILL BE HELD At AL-
BANT If NEEDED.
Speaker Wadszcorth Says De-
reIopments SO Far Do Not
Udrrant 1t.
Uarrant 1t.
rBy telegraph % The tribune :

Albany. Feb 13.-If from further n
vestigation Of the bribery charges
against Senator Jotham P Aids any
thing tending 20 throw discrsdit on the
Legislature or any particular member o.
legislators is brought out, the Rspubh-
can leaders Of both houses will take
srers 70 bring about general ~boodis
Investigation by A joint COMMITTEES OF
the Senate and Assembly. This stare
rnent can be made definitely.
This attitude is very largely the result
Of the conference Of President Taft. Gov
e-nor Hughes. Speaker wadsTorth. Sen
stor Depew. state Chairman Woodruff.
otto T. Barnard and Lloyd c. Griscon
ar NJ Griscom's home in New Tors
yesterday The full and frank discussion
Of the situation by those men shoVed
that however they might have been ol-
vided over party policies ar various tllnss
thev we're united in determination 20
clear the name Of the Republican parfy
from suspicion Of covering corruption
The senate,s investigation OF the Aids
Congar charges probably will be com
pIeted as a specific case. isolated rom
other matters. But II anything ampli1y-
ing the statements about the 1913 CUT
ruption fund is placed on the record ann
this material shows the debauching OF
legislators, the fullest investigation VIE
result.
LEADERS WATCH DEVELOPMENTS
Sneaker vadsworth tonight expressed
his views frankly on this question % 'ns
Tribune correspondent
THE legislative leaders are vatcnln1
daveIopments in the Aids bribery N
/ vestigatiou with great interest, SAID ne
go see If evidence IS produced 70 necss-
| state 2 general legislative invests lsatlon
I OF the situation No such material seems
+ TO have been produced yet
! Il was reported here tonight that
/ resolutions calling for general lnves5i-
/ cation would be presented to-morro"
/ night in both houses Of the Legislature
rossfbIv by the Democratic leaders
I This. however. could not be verified. ann
/ - is not likely that in the present state
I of affairs the Republican leaders VIII Ier
/ their Democratic adversaries get the
/ starr OF them in that fashion 70 create
/ campaign material
The political effect Of this affair II
Z
| gers story may OF may not have been
/ true. but Republican leaders are ac'lhE
AZ II aver- word of il was gospel Ar
/ the beginning Of the Senate's inquiry
/ there were skeptics who proressed 20
/ discern a large whitewash barrel and a
( .capabIe operator in the immediate fore
4 around. but no longer IS there any
/ thought Of sham Investigation
I Neither is there any notion that the
( legislative leaders will shirk responsl-
/ bifitv for whatever other Investigations
NAV become necessary 70 restore ana
/ retain public confidence
/ OH. POLITICIANS SCARED
/ IN other words. the most case hardened
-,o1i,icisns. hitherto almost iHpervicJs
~ public sentiment. are about scared
ont of their wits. while clean men OF the
younger type. like speaker WadsForra-
ave willing to take the lead in legislative
! action TO rehabi1itate their party some
: ~ these notions were expressed by the
/ Sneaker tonight in commenting on the
c,riscon1 conference Said he
/ Ar rhe informal conference held al
Mr. C;riscom's house on Saturday the
(
I serious effect which It was feared the
| Aids case is having on the party y"
/ r,ar.or present sought 70 minimize the
seriousness Of this situation. NO person
: attempted to lay down any definite pro
/ cranre which the party Is 70 take or
I make any definite proposal whatsoever
No suggestion or comment which gave
( risa IN A difference Of opinion among
/ those present was made. 1t was rhe
earnest hope Of all that the Senate
should so conduct the present lnvestlss-
tion a. 10 free il from any suspicion o.
/ attempting TO apply whItewash or being
| i,4uanred in the slightest degree By any
/ ~,oIi+icaI pressure. The intinatiOn con-
( +afned in some Newspaper accounts OF
,,.ba+ went on al the conference that
.ba-e existed a division in sentiment N
! -he conference is absolutely false
GOVERNOR WON'T TALK
Governor Hughes declined 20 mak-
a,- comment on the conference other
10, IN say, Il had very pleasant
. trip
. Already. however the word has gone
o,,r here that President Taft made plain
his views that in the critical situation
a,,is-inr II would be folly for Repub-
! 49,, leaders 10 continue 70 oppose the
/ Governors general legislative policies
ue showed that he and Governor
Hughes we're in complete accord, ap-
,arentIv. and the hint was TOO broad 70
( be lost.
Therefore It has become evident that
vben the Investigators get through in
vestigating they viii turn 20 and as
/ LEGISLATORS enact direct primary law
/ which is pretty certain 10 be satisfactory
- the Governor. though Il may not be
the Identical bill introduced by Senator
II;,r,an and AsseInbIyman Green Real
state supervision OF telegraph and teIe-
Dhone companies also seems assured. to-
eetber With some amount OF ballot re-
form
The necessary reorganization OF the
nartv machinery thus probably will
come about under the direct primary