New-York tribune., 1912-03-14
DEMOCRATS SPLIT ON
B|SSELL'S REJECTION
Nine Upstate Senators Vote for
Dix'S Appointee to Public
Service Commission.
WAR ON MURPHY TOO LATE
Republicans Denounce Governor
and Opposing Party for Record
in State and Earlier Deals
with Tammany Boss.
LRY Telegraph TO The Trihmne. |

fBy Telegraph to The Tribune
Albany, March 13.-Heedess OF the
warnings of upstate Democrats that the
| action they were taking would split the
Democratic party and bring it to defea.
in the coming campaign, the Tammany
Senators, according to schedule, to-day
voted against the confirmation Of Her
| bert r. Bissell as upstate Public Service
Commissioner.
With them voted the Republicans, on
the ground that to confirm Mr.. Bisseli
would be to displace a Republican of
acknowledged worth and ability, John
b. Olmsted, of Buffalo. The nomination
was defeated, 81 to g. Senators Bayne,
Black, Burd, Ferris, Gittins, Loomis,
Murtaugh Roosevelt and White all up
state Democrats, voted for Mr.. Bissell.
This is the second rebuke administered
! by Murphy of Tammany to Governor
Dix recently. Senators LOomis, Burd
and Roosevelt attacked Murphy bitterly.
They asserted that his control OF the
Democratic organization and his use of
patronage presented one great vital is
sue, Houdll Dlg tiN SN"SS'
They almost wept as they portrayed
Democracy struggling in the clutch OF
the Tiger. Their tears did not excite
the sympathy Of Senator NeWcomb IN
the least He told them they deserve1
all they were getting and more as theY
had made it possible, they and Governor
Dix, by subservience to Murphy.
Senator Burd, he went on, had de-
clared he believed the infamous Levy
elections law was passed in the interest
of Independent voters. Yet now he was
appealing for aid in a battle against
Tammany. The Governor, Senator New
comb held, was alone in his fight with
Tammany because in the beginning he
chose to be practical and dicker with
the political bosses.
He made deal over an appointment
to the Supreme Court" said Mr.. New
comb; he dickered over the Levy law;
| he signed their miserable ripper bills,
and. abandoning all his principles, ac-
cepted their farccal direct primary bill.
Hs prostituted his power Of appointment
| ana threw away lIt il5llNS VI liiC iiuS
pendent voters to gain the favor of po-
ltical bosses Now he has found that
was not the way to win public approval
The people have said, Where he made
his bed let him lie. 1t is now too late
| TO take any raps at Tammany; the peo-
pie have made up their minds
| "The rejection of Mr. Bissell is an
oren. warranted and deliberate insult
to us Senators who represent the up
| state district" argued Senator Burd
"It is unparalleled in the history of the
state The issue is Who is running the
state?' | will not answer that question:
| hut the people will. Governor Dix Is
not; the elected Legislators are not; the
sincere Democrats who elected this adj
ministration are not all combined are
not, save by favor"
! This affair was hard luck for Mr.. Bis
| sell Senator Roosevelt thought Other
wise it was a good thing, for it was the
/ last straw on the camers back, and it
always was encouraging when that last
straw was placed on. for it meant a
| change.
| who's running things" he queried
| zone man in New York who's out for
power and pelf, who gave his word to
another man in Buffalo out for power
and pelf. Until we get rid of these po-
litical Manchus who control our party
We rnigh. just as we'll not go to the polls
again This is declaration Of war
Senator Sullivan was very weary Of all
this oratory.
"Mr. Bissell undoubtedly is good
! Democrat and a very fine man." he said.
But he got good job, and he ought to
hang on to II and give other Democrats
! Il chance"
Senator Wagner said Mr.. Bissell
/ hadn't the ability to be a Public Service
Commissioner. A short time ago, he
said, he was very grateful for appoint
ment as Lunacy Commissioner at SL2OO
a year. All this talk about Tammany
Hall grabbing the spoils was mere hy-
pocrisy. he said. He told Senator Roose-
welt he hoped he'd become a real DEM
ocrat some time, but if he didn't De-
mocracy could get along nicely without
him.