New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-12
SENATOR MILLERS PLAN.
HOW TO CHOOSE CONVENTION DELEGATES.
rLEcTING THEM BY DIRECT POPULAR VOTE
MI RTRIFIGHlS VEINS.


Mr.. BURLrIGHs VIEWS.
Senator Warner Miller, who recently passed
through the city, made TO TRIBUNE reporter the fo-
lowing statement regarding the plan OF representation
in the State Convention which has urged on the at
ienton OF the Republicans OF the state. and which Is
under consideration by subcommittee OF the state
Committees:
"The Republican party has got into rut II Is
nothing new for parties 10 get I'm this condition. Inc
tendency OF affairs in political system Is toward
lethargy. The people give all their attention to hd-
vdua and grow Indifferent to public mattere
The problem OF stitesmanship Is how they can
he awakened. The Republican party needs something
TO t,Ko it Of the ruts and start it afreSh We
have 100000 in the state Of York. II they
can all be interested In the conduct OF
the government shall have attained
the highest perfection Of republican
form gov 1t for this purpose that have
proposed the plan under consideration. Its radical
difference the old method is that every delegate TO
the state Convention will be elected by direct vote OF
the people in n town warI At the present time they
are elected county Assembly district conventions
The principal and In fact about the only objection hear
urged against the plan, is the size aud difficulty OF
haudng the convention This can be- o,sy met II
would only be necessary in orier to make the convention
entirely manageable adopt few simple rules, similar
to adopted by the National Convention at CHICAGO
The roll would be called by Assembly districts. Inc
delegates OF each Assembly district would organize ana
elect chairman who would announce the district In
case Of any dispute the correctness OF the
vote a. announced the roll Of the entire district wond
he called IN this way it would he possible to call the
convention roll ~ about fourth the time now occu-
pied so the objection that the convention ~onld DO
too large to b. easily handle falls t. the ground
"What is the primary object Of the change you all
vocate ."
The bringing OF politics home to the people. The
caucus and convention present the depository OF
all political power Therefore they should be brought
the people possible. that when the ticket !.
either support II cor 20 with The opp siou.'
Does not the present system effect that end y 49,
Great dissatisfaction Is felt n many parts OF The state
with the present system. II Is for tbs reason lh4t
I think new departure TO he wise u
will interest much larger number OF poo
pie In the coGuiry districts ~ politics. ana inc
ultimate result VIII be- 10 bring . Wlcn II i
election day The convention VIII be- so ARG
and 50 truly representative OF a s,c,ii"h o, ,c
and al divisions ot thc party tht u WI p- lnIo'"'o
90 pull" II or control u corupy ln any Interest
ior any pui'c. or Tor my MN OF SCI OF me-" IA,
object 80 desirable OF htvinInrht thht meet i"t
discuss H. The plan is NOT submitted aS phuicrl Tor
an the evils attendant upon parry m1n1ec-
mcnt, but u H earnest btH'Ecl 10 no A." h',Vc'. ~
the right direction The tendency OF all party manage
fan into the nan IL OF few men into olqur-
Occasional changes ~ Tue mel mods oil party oIEhz' @
are not only necessary bit cs-cnIlh 10 restore lu9
Tile 81 the party, the masses from whom the power
originally comes and To whom II bet ngs ,
what would be- the im mediate elect of tho adoption
,breyed that any ticket nomin tied under Il would
command % wider, stronger aud mOrr hearty support
IN N under the present system. 10 u not very dihru
for any -ure ont the results under such con-
ditiun of the party strength
Have any other states a similar plan =
Substantial. the same plan j. 70 loved by all tho
New England atcs. los New-Jcr~ry aud some others.
Maine her limited number ~ voters, hn. convrn-
ton that number, 800 delegates Ia Massachusetts, the
convention. consist about loo delegates. ln the
other STATES tie conventions prupurionatcy large.
You never hear Of trouble ~ tlu,c states 30 tue
party infer the conventions have done tncr work No
such thing corfuptug Of those conventions ha-
ever been drcnued Of want 1t distinctly Understood
that have no pride 81 opinion Ia tn, plan. II any
can another likely To int rest the masses ~
-Opc viii chrerfu ~ fall Ia with H. Afrr good
% study have concluded thar this change
over the time. and from the expressions
Of the ncwsp pers Judge II to be acceptable 10 tho
party everywhere ~
: con gresham Henry g. Burlcigh Of whitehall. who Il
ais at Firm Avenue. when asked Tor MS opinion OF
Senator Mirr's plan. said:
The great trouble with tne plan that IL II too cumDer-
some In "a great county Ike Washington. Tor instance
would difficult to ind men enough wtus 10 pay thrlr
fares 10 become DELEGATES. We have difficulty even now
Ina getting men attend the Ions II j. only wen
they gether aud 10 thu other III 90 "
ide new p,an delegates would be Isolated from each
other and have no such eucouragemrni A 10 lhe
IN uagcment of tn party, do not tbuk 10 would make
"A particle Of Inference. There Will always hc some per
us who are active than others. AMI these VIII con-
fro affairs II "A man get twelve ont Of twenty men
In a county convention Of 100. he u pretty ht To De Ae
10 hold the same proportion wider distribution. We
are Inclined 10 talk adversely 10 fctiOun contests IN the
party but all the fractional fights arc what interest
the voters and bring them ont IL the caucus senator
Miller plan bee good one. but shall want 10 con-
slider II further before indorslns It.