New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-26
DISCUSSING THE BILL.
ADDRESSES AT A GOOD GOVERNMENT
CLUB DINNER.
VIEWS OF SENATOR rAvEY. GEORGE HAVEN PUT

VIEWS OF SENATOR PAvEY. GEORGE HAVEN ful-
NAM AND OTHERS on PRIMARY REFORM
The Good Government Club Of the XlHth as
.embly District had dinner last evening az wv
Sherman Square Hotel. Seventy-hrs'-sr anu '''e
boulevard AT which several State Senators were 10
have been present TO discuss IN" PRIMARY he'o'
bill that has Just passed both branches OF INC Les''
lature and needs only the signature OF the 'o'
ernor 10 become law Senator Frank j. fHNeS
was nresent and delivered an instructive huu'e''
uDon Tho n,oosure that was listened 70 win tne
closest attention. and frequently applaudeu' o'"
otors Brush Cantor and Guy were deta'neu III
Albany.
About ffty members OF the club were preSen. az
tho Dime, over which Arthur II. Ely. president
OF the club presided. George Haven PUTNAM
former nresldent OF the club. vas first introouceu
70 the members although he needed no introduc
tion Mr. Putnam spoke briefly. ana tracen nv
history Of primaries as they exist ana ope,"'
day pointing out the fact that they "c'c w. ~
men;s OF the old town meeting. He said that ""a'
wa bonod for of the present Primary bill was
that II wo lid result In securing. as result OF
primaries the honest and full expression oil INC
will OF the voters Of the various parties MT, W
nam further declared that. however much ''""e0
was needed It should be made certain .'at d
practical. common-sense system mad Deen "'''''
before the present system was given up.
Senator Pavey. who had come 10 he preseh' a.
tho dinner a considerable personal inconvenience
said I'm prefaclng his address that he ret so'Ne
what shamcfaced 10 address the cub upon meas
ure which. If It became a law, as was hopeu' "ou,u
result in limiting the field Of activity OF the ciuo'
since II was thought that The law would operate 10
influence party men to return largely 10 the'r
parties and conhne their activity 70 their ranks
III II does not" said the Senator, then rear tha'
no measure can be devised that Will prevent party
leaders from taking such measures as those tn"'
resulted In the disastrous defeat or the hepuOcd"
party in this city last fall
Senator Pavey went on TO trace the history OF
the attempts that have been made at primary re-
form In this State in the course OF the last ten
years. from the introduction OF the Australian
ballot system to the present day. Mr.. Pavey sa'd
that one Of the difficulties about the primary sys
TEN in the past had been the manner In which the
courts rule that regularity Of nominations could
he decided by the county and State committees
This means" he said that thirty-two men under
the control Of the Senator from New-York can
make the nominations OF all offices other tnah
State Offices II two hundred and ninety-nne men
nominated one man and ten others got together
and nominated another. the Endorsement Of the
State Committee would make the candidate or the
ten regular senator fAVcy Cl'su AZ an rliier
Of the importance or a position on the ieeuIaI
ticket the proneness Of the average voted 10 vote
It's head and without looking at it in detail
The Senator. in reviewing the efforts OF the last
two years for the formation OF better Primary
law. mentioned the names OF William H Hotcnkss.
Of Buffalo Elhu Root ana faqi - CraVa "a. las as
larry valuable and persistent. The election or last
fall" he said. was revolt against the methods
that had been practised by Republican leaders.
Senator Pavey said that Governor Black had taken
great pains with those who were pushing the Dill.
and had often attended conferences with men Of OPP
poste shades OF political opinion in order that a
bill might be framed that would secure strong
enough support TO enable It's passage
The Senator described in detail the provisions OF
the bill TO enable man to establish MS connection
with any particular party. He said that this
provision was in substance the one found In the
kentucky aw It provided that when man went
10 register : n voter he should be allowed 10
register in separate place his desire. II he had
one 10 affiliate himself with a particular party
and that this registration should be enough 10
establish his right 10 participation In the primaries
OF that party This provision the speaker said, he
was responsible for. far as It's appearance IN
the bill was concerned Mr. Pavey closed his ad-
dress by saying that those familiar with the bill
hoped for great things for II In the direction Of
pure primaries. and by declaring that II was his
belief that n man who wanted 10 serve his coun-
try's politics could do It best witan the lines of
party. -, 1900
John De Witt Warner denounced the bill more
heartily than Senator Payey had approved IT.. He
declared that instead of reducing the power ot the
machine II Increased e. and said that one or the
worst things about It was that the very men It
was designed TO suppress the tools OF the bosses.
had been unable to ind in 1t anything inimical to
their interests.
william H. Kenyon also spoke.