New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
Mullan Likely
To Quit Race
To Lead Senate
Rochester Man Expected to
Withdraw, Leaving Lusk
and Walton to Contest
for Republican Honor
Clynn Works for Former
Miller's Wish Probably Will
Guide Choice; Personal
ity Pleascs legislators
From, a Stag Correspondent

ALBANY. Dec. 11.-Senator John B.
Mullan, Of Rochester. who has been an
actiye candidate for the post of ma
jority leader of the Senate. will an
nounce his withdrawal from the race
within the next few days, according to
wel( Informed Republican leaders.
George W. Aldridse. the veteran
leader of Monroe County. who with
William L. Ward, of Westchester, will
ministration. is behind the move to
have Senator Mullan withdraw from
the contest.
In making announcement of his in
tenfion not to be a candidate to sue
ceed Senator J. Henry Walter as ma
jority leader it is said that Senator
Mupan may declare in favor of Sen
atot Clayton r. Lusk Of Cortland.
This will leave the field to Senator
Lusk, who is just finishing his first
term in the Senate, and to Senator
is rpunding out his sixth year Of serv-
ice As member of the upper house.
Walton is one of the most popular
men in either branch of the Legisla-
ture, and if the Republican members
Of the Senate are left to exercise their
own judgment he will be chosen by an
almost unanimous vote as president
pro- tenn of the Senate.
Powerful interests Back Lusk
But there is little likelihood that the
Influence of powerful men in the party
Will not be exercised in behalf of Sem
atot Lusk. who is credited with having
beeh Speaker Sweets partner in GUST
ing,the five Socialists and the father
of The so-called Lusk bills.
Senator Lusk, according to his apollo
gists now, was not in favor of these
bills. AS one of them expressed it:
Eusk is not reactionary, as people
think. He was against the so-called
Lusk bills His committee ran away
from him, and when the measures were
reported out he had to fight or them" 4"
George A. Glynn, chairman of the
Republican State Committee, is quietly
woIking for Senator Lusk's election as
ajority leader. Those who have been
approached have been reminded that
Lusk hail from the same home county
as Governor-elect Miller, and the i'm
possession is left that Lusk's election
would be pleasing to the next Gov
ernor
That Glynn wants Lusk will not help
thes Cortland man. But if Governor
elect Miller wants Lusk, Lusk will be
elected without a dissenting voice.
phe Governor ELECT has made most
fav0rable impression on all who have
TALKED with him, and men who were op-
posed to him before his nomination
aret now counted among his stanchest
supporters. Said one of these to the
Tribune correspondent:
Judge Miller is one of the frank
estsmen with whom | have talked. He
keeps nothing under cover, he conceals
nothing. And, if, in his determination
to rcut out needless jobs and slash
millions from an extravagant budget.
he bel ewes that this can be done
by shaving Senator Lusk as head of
the9 Republican majority in the Sem
atet | will do what l can to help him,
even though my personal choice is Sem
ator Walton. Judge Miller will give
tho people business administration,
which, of course. will be unsatisfac-
tory to the small politicians"
The stating Of Lusk for the majority
leadership with but one term to his
credit has only one parallel in modern
legislative history-the election of
james ". Wadsworth jr as Speaker of
the, Assembly after his first year n the
LEGISLATURE.
Both Men Possess Ability
Che present situation has a novel
element, in that the friends Of both
Lusk and Walton, in urging the candi-
day of the two men, harp solely on
their ability. Both men are successful
lawyers. Yet Walton's supporters are
of the two extremes in the party, the
old guard and the progressives. It is
sala here that Walton would be among
tho first TO urge his followers to votC
for Lusk il the void went forth that
GoVernor-elect Miller wanted mis- neigh
bof from Cortland chosen
b that event there VIII be demanc