New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-28
WOODRUFF MAY co DOWN
Possible End of His Political In
fIuence in Kings County.
LOSES THE GUARDIANSHIP
Cromwell Likely to Retire
O'Brien and Odell Also Forced
Out of Committee.
IBy telegraph to The Tribune.

Saratoga Springs, N. Y, Sept. Elf state
Chairman Woodruff is reelected d member
of the Republican State Committee. it will
have TO be from some district other than
the one in which his legal residence is. BY
vote of 10 to 7. delegates within the
Congress district represented by him re-
tired him to-day, and elected A. e. VaSs,
leader of the 18th Assembly District, to
succeed him. This is interpreted by many
TO mark the end of Mr.. Woodruff's politi-
cal influence in Kings County, although
that view seems extreme at present Mr..
Woodruff can still serve as a member of
the new state committee If elected by any
other Kings County Congress district This
will undoubtedly be done, as two districts
are ready to elect him.
As the new state committee will be con-
troIled by the Progressives, Mr.. Woodruff
will be retired from the Craftsmanship of
the committee, although he may still be
leader in Kings.
1t IS understood that Mr. Woodruff was
named as one of the members of the reso-
iutions committee, but his name was
scratched off by Mr.. Roosevelt and the
name of Controller Prendergast, of New
York, was substituted
In the Congress district are three As
q
F. Murphy is leader; the 18th. Mr.. Vass
leader, and the 18th, Representative Cal
der's district The 18th District has been
anti-Woodruff since the state chairman
tried to prevent the denomination of Sem
ator Travis. and took sides against him in a
primary fight. The Travis-Vass district
and Mr.. Calder's district united against
Woodruff
This was the first step taken by some Of
the Progressives TO make it plain and I'M
mistakable that the old order of things in
the state committee Is over. The Griscom
faction has little doubt about control Of
the new state committee, though IT will be
by a small margin. Reorganization of the
state committee has been begun on the old
basis of d member for each Congress dis
trict. The scheme of electing one hundred
and fifty members, one from each Assem-
bly, district, and adopting a resolution for
the election of these members in other
years directly at the primaries, has been
abandoned. 1t was believed that it would
not be wise to embody such scheme I'm
resolution by the state convention. but, If
il was desired, to incorporate 1T in the d.
rect nominations bill to be put forward in
the next Legislature.
Joseph H. De Bragga, of Queens. one of
the Woodruff lieutenants there. was one of
the first of the "old guard state commit
teemen TO go. His district, the 14th, includ-
ed the list, I'd and Sd Assembly districts of
Queens. and part OF Manhattan. Henry S.
tombstone, living in the I'd District of
Queens. who lined UP with the Progress
sives, is De Brasga's successor. The Pro-
gressives carried the I'd District in the
Assembly district convention. They had
nine delegates I'm the Congress district from
within New York County. which gave them
fourteen. One of these escaped. but they
were able 10 elect Johnston by vote OF
Il to r.
The vote for temporary chairman to-day
indicated also the retirement of George
Cromwell, Borough President of Richmond
as state committeeman from the Sth Dis
trict That district includes Richmond and