New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-27
Roosevelt Attacks Patronage Machine.

hOOSSNelt NbbdCNS TdbOHdVS
Senator Roosevelt the young leader
OF the Insurgents who have prevented
the election OF Sheehan. early in the day
made fight on the patronage machine
run by Murphy in such fashion that all
Tammany in the Senate shrieked IN
anguish. Senator Roosevelt did not at
been deprived of a committee clerk with
the fact that he was anti-boss and anti
Sheehan. Senator Bracket did. though,
and demanded an investigation Of what
he declared TO be contempt Of the Sen
ate by sinister influences outside" which
should not be tolerated. whether they
come from Tammany Hall or any other
hall. Democratic or Republican" He
said Il was obvious that the patronage
club was being used TO influence HE
votes of Senators in the senatorship con-
test. and termed this intolerable.
Rising TO a question of personal priv
ilege when the Senate convened. Senator
Roosevelt said he had been unable 20 or
ganize his committee because he had no
clerk. on the understanding that he as
chairman of the Forest. Fish and Game
Committee. was TO have a clerk as usual.
he had appointed. he said. Morgan Hoyt.
brother Of Assemblyman Hoyt, Of
Duchess County. He had introduced
Mr.. Hoyt to Clerk McCabe of the SEN
ate. and the books and folders of the
committee had been turned over TO him.
Later in the day. Senator Roosevelt
added. Clerk McCabe had come to him
and said he would be unable TO appoint
Hoyt.
THE clerk told me-" said Senator
Roosevelt, that the responsibility for
this action was not his. l believe this is
a question which affects the rights and
privileges of every member of this Sen
ate"
Grady Steps Into Breach.
ThereupOn he offered a resolution di-
recting the clerk TO appoint Mr.. Hoyt
as clerk Of the Forest, Fish and Game
Commission, and asked for a vote on *.
Senator Wagner, majority leader. asked
l4AtAS II bC l'l'AAN W " ltlI JuulNidl NOll-
mittee. Senator Roosevelt protested,
urging immediate action. Senator Grady.
thorough master of the parliamentary
procedure, took the situation out of
Wagner's hands by raising the point OF
order that the resolution was improper
III that the clerk under the legislative
law had power to appoint committee
clerks and the resolution sought TO in
terfere with the law
Senator Grady interposod that the or
derby procedure would be to introduce
derby procedure would be to introduce
tee on Privileges and Elections to make
an inquiry into the matter. Senator
Bracket, plunging into the fray, main
tanned that Roosevelt's resolution was
competent for discussion and took up a
very important matter. The clerk Of the
Senate. he said, was merely the employee
of the Senate, and as such constantly
under the Senates direction. If he vio-
lated the directions of the Senate he
was subject to removal by the Senate.
over this point Bracket and Grady had
a long legal wrangle, but Bracket stuck
to it that the clerk could be removed by
a majority vote at any time.
But this is a question whether con-
tempt has not been committed against
this body" he continued. The question
touches not alone the privileges of Sen
ator Roosevelt, but of this entire body.
On his statement there has been a most
serious breach Of the privileges of the
Senate and one we can't afford TO slIr
over"
Bracket Tells of Imprisonment Penalty
Mr.. Bracket read the definitions of
contempt Of the Senate under the law,
with the imprisonment penalty.
con Senator Roosevelts statement" he
said, st is manifest that an attempt has
been made TO influence the giving Of his
votes. This House should take testi-
mony to see whether any influence out
side is seeking to prevent its organiza-
ton"
"a bitter struggle" was going on,
Bracket continued, among the Demo-
Gratis over the United States senator