New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-10
TO PASS A PRIMARY LAW.
DECISION OF THE PLATT SUNDAY
SCHOOL CLASS.
THE ABANDONMENT OF ANY ATTEMPT TO GIVE
LOCAL OPTION TO CITIEs-oTHER
THINGS AGREED TO.

LOCAL OPTION TO CIT1Es-oTHER
THINGS AGREED TO.
Senator Thomas C. Piatt didn't hold any
regular Sunday-school class yesterday AFTER
noon. as is customary during the session OF the
Legislature: but ne had. nevertheless. long
string OF callers during the afternoon. and the
class convened at s in the evening, remaining
in session until nearly IL o'clock. The callers
on the Senator in the course OF the day incluoeo
Speaker O'Grady. Lieutenant-Governor Wood
run Senators Ellsworth. Raines. Krum. Lexow,
Page Ford Grant and Parsons; ex-senator
Francis Hendricks OF Syracuse; John W.
Dwight. F. s. Gibbs. Police Commissioner HAM
ilton. and Assemblymen Aids. Adler and san
ders. Only subject was considered at the
conference In the evening, that or a general
primary election law. The men who met Sena-
tor Platt to consider this measure were Presi-
dent Qugg Of the County Committee; senators
Ford. Lexow and Ellsworth: State Chairman
Hackett. State Committeeman William Barnes
1r, Of Albany; John Sabine Smith, Edward
Lauterbach and ex-senator Hendricks. The dis
cussion. already said. lasted nearly two hours
and a half and IT resulted in decision to sup
port bill which will he introduced in the
Senate. when the Legislature reconvenes this
week. by Senator Ford. and will probably be
referred to the Committee on Judiciary, or
which Senator Lexow is chairman. The outlines
Of this measure were printed in The Tribune Of
January t. Primarily 1t is alleged to
safeguard every member OF political party.
as the term is defined In the Election law.
the privilege OF voting at the primaries OF his
party. The highest political organization OF
party in each county Is to determine whether
delegates in such county TO conventions shall
be chosen according to the open primary system
ND hot har no
ltical unit shall be the Assembly district or the
election district. In this body shall decide
In favor Of the enrolment system. the act pro-
vides that the enrolment shall be held annually
on some day in December from to 10 p. m.
the date TO be selected by the highest body rep
resenting the party in a county.
The inspectors In each voting district are 10
be for each party the two inspectors OF election
and the poll clerk who represented that party
at the next preceding general election. and they
are to act at primaries during the political
year They Will be State officers. and violation
Of their oath will be a penal offence The act
provides for three enrolment books In each dis
trct one to be sent TO the County Clerk. one to
the secretary OF the County Committee and the
third to be retained In the district II an
applicant for enrolment says that he voted
at the next preceding election for the
candidates generally OF some party other than
that TO whose rolls he seeks admission. he snail
not he enrolled. An entirely rev enrolment is to
be made each year in December. The inspectors
Of enrolment, who also preside at the primaries.
must after each primary certify to the County
Clerk the names Of the persons elected as dele
gates to a convention and the County Clerk is
TO certify the names to the secretary OF the
County Committee.
night though. aS
important in It's results as was the one held in
Senator Platts apartments on Saturday after
noon when several proposed measures were
passed upon Chief of these was the proposition
10 amend the Ranes law by giving cities OF the
first and second class in the State the oppor
tunity TO vote for or against local option as to
Sunday liquor selling at certain hours, and also
selling on weekdays
Those present were Chairman Hackett. Super
intendent Louis f. Payn. Bank Superintendent
Kilburn, Senators Krum, Lexow and Ranes;
President Quigg. Lieutenant-Governor Wood
ruff. Speaker O'Grady. Edward Lauterbach ex-
Senator Hendricks Assemblymaa Aids and
Frank II. Plat.
Senators Raines and Krum and Superintend-
ent Payn opposed the measure. and Messrs.
Quigg and OGrady championed it, and an I'M
Outstanding was finally reached that such
There was submitted also at the conference a
draft OF a general bill giving any citizen the
right to enter a complaint before any commit
ting magistrate against a yellow newspaper
which the citizen believes is degrading the
morals OF the people For first conviction the
penalty is comparatively light For second
conviction the penalty is heavy. providing for a
fine and Imprisonment. or both, and the for
feiture OF the charter of the offending news
paper
The question Of the canal appropriation was
ais brought up, and the consensus OF opinion
was in favor Of continuing the improvement OF
the canals until the present appropriation OF
$4,000 900 is exhausted. and submitting 10 the
people the question OF making a further appro-
priation for completing the work No bills are
to be introduced giving the MAJOR power 10 re-
move the city magistrates. the judges OF Special
Sessions or the Board Of Education.
Senator Plat and Mr. Quigg will return 10
Washington to-day. Speaker O'Grady left town
yesterday. His selections Tor the important
chairmanships have not yet been divulged. al.
though II is s'ill probable that Assemblyman
Marshall will head the Cities Committee