The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-15
Four Generations of His
Family, One of Oldest
in Country, Have
Figured in Unbroken
Succession in Public
Service of This State

Service of This State
what fertilizer they used, the condition
of the soil, what money was spent for
repairs and when, and so they can tell
pretty nearly the possibilities of their
land and the crops raised on it.
Young j. w. Wadsorth says that If
you have IA fair grade Of soil proper
knowledge of how to work it, do the
necessary hard work and eNpenh the
same pains and business care that you
would in any other occupation farming
ought to pay you > per cent. on your
capital year in and year out. And h"
believes that is a decent return because
he says, you have had your home rent
free, and your living for the most
part, have been free from shop rent
grocer bills and the endless little pocket
drains, so that most Of the actual cash
in hand has been clear gain.
There is something fascinating about
Mr.. Wadsworth--no one seems able to
say just what it Is; it is apparently
a blend of qualities. II was potent
enough to win the eXuberdnt support
of President Roosevelt when Gov Hig-
gins decided in 1895 that he wanted
Mr.. Wadswurth as Speaker of the New
York Assembly. Wadswurth was then
serving his first year in the Assembly.
He became Speaker at the age of rs.
Clean cut. straightforward honest,
we'll educated, with a mighty pleasant
voice and charming manners young
WadswOrth WAS and is well calculated
to inspire genuine affection among thos"
close to him and popular liking and en-
thusiasm among the voters of a whole
State.
How did he come TO get the Speaker
ship with a rush? 1t was really an eN-
ceptional situation that hruught HIM
into 1t. Gov. Higgins found a legisla-
tive houscCleaning necessary and
quired a man entirely unconncCtcd with
political tangles at Albany to do it. H.
finally hit upon Wdd"wurth, who wa
young. clean. freshly come to the capt
tai and of a vigorous and pleasing per
sonality, with family, an excellent per
sonal record outside politics and tn
approval of President Roosevelt TO back
him.
For years a small clique had con-
troled, mainly through the Committe"
on Rules, all the important legislation
that came bcfor, he Assembly Toward
the close of the legislative session every
bill was committed To the care of this
committee and its will practically de-
cided the fate of any measure, regard
less of its merits.
Now this committee like all others.
was appointed by the Speaker: there
fore to clean out this Legislative pig, on
hole Gov. Higgins had to get a Speaker
untrammeled with political alliances.
He got his man In Wadsworth, who had
Al. ID, ,....
and leave out of It such warhors,s as
James T. Rogers of Broomc and Louis
Bedell Odel's Assemhlyman. As a re-
suit the end Of that winters legislative
session was Compasscd without any %
the usual scandal ccntring around tn"
Rules Committee f the Assembly.
The best thing was that Speaker
Wadsworth's housekeeping didn't stop
with the Rules Committee hut eX ended
to most of the committees of the Assem-
bly,. He lifted the LEGISLATURE out of q
rutland a pretty bad rut at that-and
did much to end graft at Albany
He kept the Spcakcrshlp until 1910
and then quit politics for the time being.
He had found himself I'm a position Of
tacit opposition to Gov. Hughes, and il
had hurt him He did not come out and
barnes, George Aldrld9c Of Rochester
and some Of the bosses hut after letting
some Insurance reform bills THROUGH
the Assembly 1t became evident that
Speaker WadSworth'S views on new leo
islation didn't go far enough To suit thu
Hughes programme. Gov. Hughes was
mighty popular then and Mr. Wads-
worth was reelected with a reduced ma
iority. The next time, reasonably sur"
that he could not retain the Spcak"'-
ship If reelected, he got out of pollt'"
altogether; but, as has been said, only
for the time being
Mr. WadSworth Is not a reformcr--
Just a regular Republican who believes
i'm organization methods, but believes
also in honesty above and beyond every
thing else. He opposed direct primaries
because, he said experience showed that
the rich man had an absolutely unfair
advantage in his candidacy under the
system of direct nominations.
He has long favored a short ballot,
biennial sessions of the Legislature, four
year term for Governor and two year
terms for Assemblymen, and he has an
"instinctive horror of rcformers" an
believes that political machines can't be
permanently scrapped, and that bose
may be made, whipped and deposed hu'
can't be eliminated. In other words he
is a good Republican who does not be-
leve that there exist any magic reme-
dies that will solve at stroke all POI
lticai puzzles and end all political Ills
He is young, good looking, we'll
trained, honest courageous and has win
ming ways, He has "A clean record as a
college man, sportsman farmer, legis-
ator, soldier and Speaker Of Assembly
He has wealth, a fine family tradition
social position and great popularity and
the affcctonatc liking of those who work
for him and those who vote for him. lie
is to sit in Elihu Roots chair. Was
ever man more fortunately PLACED