New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-06
or THE sAxToN BILL

Irrow TIVE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRiBrSEA
Albany March 5.-TVO Republican Assembly men,
for some iucNplicsble reason. today chose 70 play
Into the hand ~ The enemies Of pure elections when
the saNon Ballot Reform bill came mp for hnal con
sidcrai.on OBJ Inc judiciary Committee. These
men were Rufus r. Peck, u Co,iland County, ana
George H. Tovuc. Of the ia District of Chauiauqda
County The only ox.us which their friends can
1--WE for their action Is that they did not comprehend
~ effect
The bill as stated was taken up by the judiciary
Committee for final action. \ good many amendments
had been made 10 IT al the suggestion oi senator
saxton and Of cN Corporation Counsel Bceknan' 81
New York and IL was believed that the measure was
In a shape IN which IL would receive
not only the support of every Rcpubh'M' o"'
Of several Democrats IN the Assembly. ana Dc "s""
passed by the senate amended just ho"c'V''
a. the committee was about formally To VOC 10 m'"o
a favorable report ON the measure. Assenbiv"ah
George W. Greene. % Orange County. offered an
amendment providing that. if a candidate for once
shall be ineligible shall become ineligible or SINH
have withdrawn. unofficial ballots may be u>o"
That Is. Tammauy Hall could nominate nan l'r
MAYOR Of Ncw-YorS. knowing him 10 be in'h-Ol''
then discover the fact close 20 election day, withdraw
him. and thu, secure the right 20 usc nhos'ih
ballots or II could nominate candidates under an
understanding with them that they should withdraw
their names. decline the nominations which had be'n
rendered them. obtaining by this dodge the pr'vi
icgc Of using unofficial ballots.
To every ones astonishmcnt. when the judiciary
Committee voted on this dangerous amendment. As
sembymen Peck and Towre RETAINED from voting and
IL was sdopted hv vote q { 10 3. Mr.. Tovnc said
he did not care to vote. Three Republicans Acker Of
steubcn Deyo, Of Broomc. and Johnson. Of Wyoming
were oyal 20 the cause Of Ballot Reform and loyal
10 the Republican party, and therefore voted against
Mr.. Grccnes amendment. The Demoo rats-''rccne and
Uuson Of Livingston. Henderson Of llerkimcr. and
III ID up
carried H. Mr. Peck and Mr. Townc. by aOsaining
from voting virtually voted with the Democratic As
scmhlymen. and for the Tammany Hall amendment.
Why Mr. PEEK or Mr. Townc should wish u support
Tnmmany Halls amendment. and sustain David i.
hills policy Of defeating Ballot Reform. IS one of those
many mysteries OF Albany which no one can explain.
Before sr. Grcenes amendment vas adopted the
section Of senator saxon's lill amended read As fol
lows:
Whenever candidate for any Office. whose name IS
printed the ballot. sl,h have died before election
oay voters nay use ballots voting MI the
ONCE ior which deceased candidate nominated
ana tho candidate hs be considered
having been erased from the Official ballot but such
unofficial ballot shall contain only the name 4 the person
for deceased candidate, and under the
designation % the Office fos which such person Is candi
date.
THIS section. as amended by Mr.. Greene now reads
as follows
Whenever a candidate FOR any oaicc whose name Is
ineligible shall have withdrawn before election
day may unofficial ballots In voting to I'LL the
Office which such deceased ineligible or WITHDRAWN
candidate was nominated and the Of the deceased
Ineligible Withdrawn candidate shall De considered a.
having been from the official ballot but such UNI
Official ballot shall contain only the name Of The person
for IN lieu Of the deceased candidate and under the
designation Of the Office for which such person Is candi
date.
senator SaXtOn. of course, Is indignant that the bill
should have thus been cma>Culat'd.
I'VE Republicans he said. cannot afford to have
the bin pass in such shape. We must amend IL
IN the Assembly otherwise don't OF what
value the bill will be in aiding TO secure pure
elections. The amendment made would lead to con
stant evasions Of the law, and practically nullify
it,
Ii should be stated that ASscmblvmen strarahan
and Whpple. who are member, of the judiciary
Committee, absent when this killing amend
ment the bill made by the Democrats with the
connivance of Assemllymcn TOwne and Peck.
The bill wretchedly amended was submitted
TO the Assembly by Mr. Ackcr later in the day When
the comes up for second reading. Mr..
Achcr will to strike out the objectionable amend
ulcnt.