Milford chronicle., 1959-01-09
Republicans, Democrats
Join To Elect Cook
Senate Chief
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veteran Democratic leader, called
for a caucus. but the Cook forces
refused to go into caucus.
With six of the IL Democrats
lined up In conjunction with the
Republicans, there was nothing for
Reilly and Steen to do but accept
defeat, a defeat many observers
felt was a blow TO the control of
State Chairman Garrett Z. Lyons,
and the organization brass.
On the Steen resolution Demo-
cratic Senators Reilly, Calvin R.
Mccullough, Holloway Terrace,
Steen, Jesse F. Watson, Townsend,
and Lemuel II. Hickman, of Frank
ford, voted for It, They were joined
by Republican Senator Wilmer W.
Williams, OF Roselle, who was ap-
parently fulfilling a commitment.
The other five Republicans were
recorded as not voting.
Democratic Senators Henry T.
Price, Smyrna: Cook, Peter Nee
hay of Willow GROVE, and Harry u.
Mayhem, the Kent County group,
were joined by Hoey and Senator
Earl NJ. Tull in voting against it.
1t wound up with six votes for,
six against, and FIVE not voting,
and the measure was lost for lack
OF a clear majority of nine
Nechay then introduced the res
olution naming Cook to the post
In this case the five Republicans
all but Williams-joined with the
coalition" Democrats to put Cook
over with an 11-to-6 majority. Only
Reilly, Williams, Mccullough, Wat
son, Steen, and Hickman voted
against it.
AS soon as the voting was over,
Reilly arose and addressed 1t. Gov.
David P. Buckson, who as president
OF the Senate was conducting the
opering meeting.
Last Dec. g." Reilly stated,
there was a meeting OF the Sem
ate Democrats at which we decided
on how to organize the General
Assembly. It was assumed then
that the Democratic Party would go
to Dover to carry out the RESPONSE
bilities the voters entrusted to them
and conduct themselves according
ly.
There is no more Democratic
majority. This is a coalition gov
ernment l want it known publicly
that / am going to stick by my
commitments and go along with the
decisions of the party. / was asked
to join in this deal and l refused.
II want 1t known that / am re-
signing as majority leader (Reilly
is a holdover senator). Let these
people who have voted for this form
OF coalition and provide the lead
ership of the Senate themselves"
Cook said after the session that
he would probably not announce
committee appointments until later.
The sudden reversal of form will
mean a lot of switching around of
committee assignments during the
next As hours. It also meant there
was no further organization re-
garding appointment of majority
leader and whip.
The maneuver puts the Kent
County Democrats in the saddle in
the Senate, and will probably have
far-reaching effects on such con-
troversial legislation as right-to-
work, FEPC, and any issues con-
nected with the integratior prob
lem, where there is en- theological
north-south split The choice of a
committee to which a specific bill
is assigned can mean the difference
between life or death for the bill.
II was also considered a victory
for Vernon B. Derrickson, Kent
County chairman, and Samuel Fox,
OF Leipsic, two Democrats who
WELD considerable authority in the
middle county, where the opposi-
tion to Lyons and the current party
leadership is strongest.