New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-06-13
TRAVIS BILL PASSED.
SENATE ACTION CHANGED
Measure FaUored by the Governor
Helped by Emergency Message.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune.l


gency message from Governor Hughes the
Travis bill, providing for optional direct non'-
nations at primaries, was passed by the Senate
to-day after the Gilchrist bill, which had been
substituted as an amendment, was killed and
Senator Travis had offered amendments perfect
ing his own bill Sensational debate, in which
the conduct and official actions OF Governo"
Hughes were attacked again and again. attended
the changes Friends and political followers Of
State Chairman Woodruff, who was behind the
/ Gilchrist bill, opposed the Travis bill with every
! resource at their command while Mr., Woodruff
himself held many animated conversations with
various Senators during the votes.
Not only did Senator Gilchrist assert time
| after time that Governor Hughes in his course
Of advocacy for the Travis bill had departed
from his announced policy Of not interfering
with legislative affairs. but he openly challenged
the validity Of the emergency message sent to
| hasten the passage of the amended Travis bill
He asserted that the Governor was out of the
state, and so, while the message bore to-days
date. it was invalid: or. if the Governor had
signed it before he left the state it was both
invalid and constituted violation of the Gov
ernors constitutional duties. This phase Of the
affair assumed considerable Importance. as SEN
ators White and Grady took it up and questioned
the validity of the message. Senator Page how
ever +44l!OulCSu pOSluNely mat the Governor
was not out Of the state, that he had signed the
emergency message to-day, and that he had
signed it at Albany.
After the difficulty was all over and the bill
safely passed the discovery was made that Sen
ator Travis had amended the wrong bill. q YER
sion of the direct nominations bill reported early
in the year by the Judiciary Committee in form
unsatisfactory 10 him. Therefore. all the work
VIII have TO be done over again Tomorrow but
the general opinion Is that no difficulty will be
experienced this time in passing the Travis bill
Senator Travis's motion to reconsider the vote
by which the Gilchrist amendments were added
TO his bill was called up to-day toward the end
of session already distinctly exciting Senator
White who is known as one Of State Chairman
Woodrufs closest friends, objected declaring
that nothing in order but the calendar Of
bills Senator's Armstrong, Grady, Page. White
and McCarren got into long and complicated
wrangle over this point, which Senator Hin
man, who was presiding, cut short by ruling
that the motion 10 reconsider the vote could be
called up with absolute propriety. Senator
White withdrew his objection that he might not
seem to be ruled down. though he protested
much
TheTeupon Senator Travis pressed a roll call
and carried his motion to take the bill from the
table By vote OF % 10 IS. He then moved a
reconsideration Of the vote which adopted the
Gnchrst bin and described amendments which
he said, were perfectly acceptable u Governor
Hughes. They permitted circle at the top OF
the party columns On the official primary ballots
thus allowing the voting OF straight tickets" at
one operation. as the present general ballot does
Senator Guchrist At once began long argu-
ment against the Travis bill and In favor Of his
own mandatory measure. which comes from
Chairman Woodru0s Kings County Republican
committee. He suggested that the Travis
amendments lie made 10 his own bill instead #
TO the original Travis bill lie went deliberately
into the history OF the two bills, telling with
great feeling Of conference at the executive
chamber the Travis ban, To which he was not
invited. This was q fine sample he declared.
Of the Governors non-nJcrfcrence with egisIa-
ton, especially as later he could not get an
emergency message for his own blu lie hurled
the charge thar Republicans We're turning
tails at tip from certain headquarters" But
his denunciations did not do much good "a the
vote which adopted his ill reconsdered
by a vote Of 81 To 5 Those who voted against
reconsideration were Cobb, Emerson. Fanchcr.
Franchot. Gates Gilchrist Heacock and White.
This done. Senator Travis offered his
amendmeuts. but stopped by Mr.. CiiIchrist.
who put forward as point OF order the conten-
ton that the last vote had not disposed Of his
amendments. Another long technical wrangle
thus precipitated, which kept growing mora
and more bitter until Senator Hinmau ruled
against Mr. Gilchrist The J Wis amendments
We're adopted at once and sir. Gllchrist was
shut out slpmarllv when he tried to force CON
sideration Of his own amendments again. Then
tho emergency message on the amended Travis
bin was read senator White once more after
a long conversation with Chairman Woodruff.
VINO had been active In the Senate chamber.
denounced the Travis bill dangerous inno-
Walton in the political practices Of the state,
Senator cobb spoke against IL also, and Senator
McCarrcn for the bill.
Just then Senator Gilchrist sprang his sensa-
ton.
The Governor has not been in the state to-
day l informed" said he. This message
bears tO-days date. | ask the advice of the
chair this situation"
THE chairs advice" retorted Senator Hin
man. dryy is that the message relates to the
bill now the order Of passage and that the
roll i5 about to he called" Gllchrist subsidized.
Those who voted against the bill were Boyce.
Cobb. Cullen, Emerson. Franchot Gates Gil
christ. Grady. Grattan, Heacock Human, Null
laney, Thompson and White.