New-York tribune., 1895-07-23
GAG RULE IN THE WIGWAM.
THE LEADERS RUN THINGS TO SUIT
THEMSELVES
An ArTrMrr TO GET LoNGER HOURS FOR HOLD
ING PRIMARIES ~ DISTRICTS WHERE THERE
ARE CONTESTS srMMARiLY "a


lNG PRIMARIES ~ DISTRICTS WHERE THERE
ARE CONTESTS srMMARirY SAT rpoN.
The most lls,icss observer could hardly have failed
10 notice that an ugly feeling permcatcd the swell
tcring congregation OF Tammany nan warriors.
caiicl the Tammnny Committc" on organiSa-
ton which met at the Wiswam las, evening
The meeting was In session less than half an hour
hu' IN iha, time tho present leaders committed
themselves 20 the cowar,iy policy OF refusing the
opposition ia q number ~ districts fair show of
: hands at the primaries. They were asAci 10 allow
the time ot holding ne polls open on August ! TO
be extended from onc and one-haf hours 20 seven
hours In tho districts whore there were contests
They refused this extension. and thereby admitted
,ha, they were afraid submit their prctensons as
big chiefs In Tammany Hall to the Wigwam con-
sutucncy OF their districts
Let these klckcrs have seven hours tor the
prlmaries7' exclaimed the leader ~ downtown
district las, night. Not much Why. II they had
I'VE hours IN my district they would organize an
opposition 10 tomorrow morning"
A dozen other district leaders tacty admitted a
similar condition IN their districts.
County clerk Henry u. Purro- presided as chair
man OF tho committee. anl r.: hngs 70 suit IN"
old regime Secretary John u. McGodrck read the
call prepared for the primary elections to he held
August l. AS prepared and approved by the EN
ecutlve Committee on Friday evening, With the
names OF the inspectors OF ce 'on selected by the
leaders and the places where the various Assembly
district organizations should hold their primaries
The time FOR receiving ballots was fixed at the
short time os one and one-haf hours from ''So
TO D. m Murmurs of isapproval ran through the
crowd. Tho opposition Of the With. Xlth. NlNth
and XXXfrId Assembly districts. where contests
have been on foot knew that they could not oust
tho present management In that brief time mo
district bosses would block tho polls with their
heclers and easily prevent anything In the shape
o. fair election.
John J. Delaney OF the XIth District. who has
been for weeks a, the head OF the movement 10
supcrseIe x-Excise Commissioner W Dalton In that
district and had got promise OF reasonable time
for polling h,s vote. offered an amendment 10 'he
call. lie asked tha, the time for keeping the po'is
open In all Assembly districts where contests
should be certified should he changed from IN, ,ne
hour. OF - 20 10 g. TO from "2 TO p m ms
snSh hourh, IL hapdiy necessary to argue it,
hut he found the cards stacked against him IL
tricts named tho leaders knew that the desire to
put them tc test OF their individual strength
ansn, ,sa sers
tees OF contests might De MED IRON or
speeches were made. not single reason was given
why the Croker rulers should not grant the re-
thea the amendment he was @stonished at the storm OF
wshs hcn weaker in than o tn"
tive vote. but Mr.. Purroy promptly decided the
division! Division shouted Delaney and his
friends IL was no use. Instead OF ordering a
division or a rol-cal Mr. Purroy put the motion
on the adoption OF the main question and declared
II carried II was palpable an exhibition OF gag
rule as was ever In the Wigwam.
BEFORE adiourning Chairman Purroy explained
that the Primary Election law Of the State pro-
vided the for securing contests at primaries
All the contestants had TO do. he said was for
Ave OF them file n notice OF contest with the
secretary OF the General Committee or the secre-
tary OF the District Organization and the law would
have to be compiled with In every Assemb.y DIS
hut Mr. Purroy did not say that the Primary Eec-
tion law provides las does) for only one hour for
voting at the primaries unless the regulations OF
the organization prescribe that the polls shall be
open longer Tammany's regulations are made by
are standing together" They know that fair
primary I'm all the Assembly districts would mean
the overthrow OF half OF them.
The 'kickers'' promised to bring up the question
again tonight at the meeting OF the General Com
Delaney and his friends.