pronounced that caucuses of machine and anti-machine Republicans became
impracticable. Senator Wright, toward the end of the session, made
frantic efforts to get the caucus together; but he failed. The caucus on
organization was about all that the anti-machine Republicans could
stand.

As they had left the election of the officers of the Senate to the
machine, the anti-machine element left the appointing of the Senate
committees to the machine Lieutenant-Governor.[9]

How well the machine, given the appointment of the committees, fortified
itself is shown by consideration of practically any one of the
committees. A few examples will suffice.

There were, for example, three great issues before the Legislature;
namely, the Anti-Racetrack Gambling bill, a moral issue; the Direct
Primary bill, a political issue; and the Railroad Regulation bills, a
commercial issue.

The Anti-Gambling bill was to come before the Public Morals Committee,
and the machine took good care that not an anti-machine Senator should
be given a place on that committee. The committee consisted of Weed,
Wolfe, Leavitt, Savage (labeled Republicans), Kennedy (labeled
Democrat), all machine men. The committee reported back the
Anti-Gambling bill under pressure, with the recommendation that it "do
not pass." Public opinion was such at the time that Savage and Kennedy
did not vote for the unfavorable recommendation. But Weed, Wolfe and
Leavitt, a majority of the committee, stood out against the bill until
the last.