New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-25
VIRTUAL AGREEMENT HERE.
CONFERRING COMMITTEES AT ONE AS
TO GENERAL RESULTS

A STATEMENT FROM THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB
CONFERENCE OF THE FIFTY-THREEs
r-B-coMMIrTEE.
Some Republicans prominent in the committee OF
Fifty-three yesterday expressed dissatisfaction win
some OF the provisions OF the Primary Election Din
which Elihu Root carried 10 Ar any. one obnoxious
feature OF the bill declared TO he tnat which
defines political party one which poled al leas'
per OF the total for Governor at the ias'
State election-a provision which would pracuca''y
wipe out the organization Of the National Demo
Gratis the Prohibtionists and the Socialists, which
would have no pace on the official ballot. but would
have 10 make their nominations by petition. The
bill also leaves II 10 the County Committee or
party to decide whether representation In conven-
lions shall be based a specified number OK dele
gates election district on the last vote for
Governor or President This would enable the two
machines through tudicious gerrymanderng. 10
control their respective party conventions with ease
and certainty A third obnoxious feature or the bh
Is the holding OF primary election by political
party at day other than the general primary
day. provided it pays the expenses Of holding such
primary Still another provision Of the Union
League Club bill which is held to be faulty. is that
directing the election in June OF county committees
and delegates 10 the State conventions OF the va
rious parties.
THE FIFTY THREE COMMITTEES CONFER
ENCE.
conference Of the subcommittee Of the Com
mlttee Of Fifty-three at work on a draft OF
primary reform bill. held yesterday afternoon.
at the Office OF General Wager Swayne Those
present included Seth Low. Henry w Taft. Chase
Mellen. James S Lehmaier and William Houston
Kenyon General Swayne was called away before
the conference was by prior engagement.
Mr. Taft said last evening:
You may assert with postiveness that we have
agreed upon a measure which We believe VIII
satisfy all true friends OF primary reform II Is
a conservative measure and embodies the views OF
all classes of independent Republicans. We have
not forgotten either that there is a Democratic
party II has not been easy task 10 bring INTO
agreement men who held honest but diverse opin-
Ions In regard what Is needed 10 be emoodieu III
the law But We believe that We have drafted
measure which will meet the approval OF the Legs
lature and the Governor and become law OF the
State This will be a great improvement over the
present state of things. for we have no primary
law ~ anv account now The measure may
not suit Mr. Quigg or Mr. Gruber. but II VIII
satisfy those who want the present system
reformed"
can YOU give an outline of the provisions OF the
measure?'
"T would not like 10 DO so without giving com
nrsbensve one and that do not feel authorized to
furnish The draft is not fully completed. but VIII
probably be finished by Saturday or Monday ana
will be sent to Albany early next "eeh IN "N
main Il IL tho as Mr.. Root took 10 A'pans oi'
Tuesday but there are some modihcatohs' iiie
reports that the Independent Republicans couin
not agree as they did not know what they want
ed can now be positively denied We nave sue
ceeded in harmonzing differing opinions
Elihu Root was seen by a reporte 81 The Tribune
at his home in East Sixty-ninth-tst, last evening
When his attention directed 10 the opJectohs
made 10 the proposed primary law ne saln that
they were wholly groundless. He mad taken 70
Albany the draft Of the proposed enactment which
had been agreed upon by the Committee OF the
Union League Club the Committee OF Fifty-three'
and the Committee Of the XVIII District Re-
publ,cans and had laid II before Governor BLACK
II was merely tentative and by no means nnal
draft, Suggestions for amendment would he wei
coined from all parts OF the State. II was not pro-
nosed 10 shut out any political parties or 10 permit
any Injustice voters 70 be done by the meas
ure proposed. Mr. Root said:
The assertions that the bill drafter Will In
ture the cause 81 primary reform are wholly I'M
founded"
THE UNION LEAGUE STATEMENT.
A statement was prepared last evening by the
Union League Club Committee Primary Re-
form and made public by Paul D. Cravath. II
sets forth the substantial agreement OF the Com
nitee OF Fffty-three with the bill drafted by the
Union League Committee. and sets at rest the re-
ports Of serious dsagreeTents between 'he lrieius
OF primary reform
The statement Is as follows
so many inaccurate statements have appeared
with reference 10 he efforts now being made in
favor q, the enactment OF a satisfactory Primary
Election law tina, a brief statement OF what has
thus far been done seems necessary. The special
committee OF the Union League Club. consisting o,
Paul n Cravath chairman; Charles e. Beaman.
william Brookheld. Henry W. Cannon. John Proc
tor Clarke and Elhu Root. president or the club.
ex-offcio and a committee appointed meet
ing OF the leaders OF the Committee of Flftythres
movement. consisting OF General Wager Swayne.
chairman: Seth Low. Chase Mellen James Ieh-
maier Henry W Taft and william Houston Ken
yon chairman OF the Committee OF Fifty-three ex-
officio and william H. Hotchkiss of Buffalo repre-
sen,ing the Republican League OF that city have
for the last days been actively engaged in the
consideration Of the subject and in conference with
various prominent Republicans from New-York.
Brooklyn and Buffalo. including committees from
several ORGANIZATIONS
DRAFTING THE MEASURE
After the three committees had agreed upon the
main propositions. the work Of drafting the pro-
posed measure was entrusted TO a subcommittee
OF Messrs. Cravath and Root represent
Ing the Union League Club Committee: Mr. Hotch-
kiss OF the Buffalo Republican League. and Messrs
Taft and Mellen. acting behalf OF the committee
the Committee Of Fifty-three move
ment This subcommittee after carefully con-
sdering dozen more bills pending In the
Legislature, and utilizing many OF the provisions
OF these bills unanimously agreed upon the out
line OF measure The preliminary proof Of this
draft Is the paper which handed by Mr. Root
10 Governor Black on Tuesday last, and the con-
tents OF that paper have received the approval
or all the parties the conference. including the
full committee of the Union League Club the com
mttee OF the Republican League OF Buffalo and
the above-named committee consisting OF Messrs
swayne. Low Mellen Lehma!er. Taft and Kenyon
who. at meeting held this afternoon. approved
action OF their subcommittee in the framing Of
the which has been submitted Governor
Black. This preliminary draft understood 10
be subject TO correction In detail and phraseoogy
and the direct members Of the various committees
are now engaged in perfecting IL In these respects
They have invited suggestions and criticisms from
numerous Republicans. aid them In this work
AS soon as the has been thus perfected IL
will be given for publication Until then It's pub
cation In full would be manifesty premature
IT'S CHIEF FEATURES