The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-27
PRIMARY BALLOT BILL VETOEl
GOV. HUGHES SAYS 1T FAVOR,
THOSE VINO ARE IN CONTROL.

NfEU Wi ~ ~ Wy ttttE- NBIthnfU u .hNt
Measures He Considered vicious d
special Legislation or That whics
should Ne Covered by GeaeraI Laws.
ALBANY. July 2s.-Gov. Hughes made
manifest tonight In vetoing the Prentice
primary oficial ballot bin for New Yors
city that he will make a strong effort u
have the next Legislature pass q Massas
chusetts ballot bill and a direct primary
nominations bill. In his January message
to the Legislature he recommended sucn
legislation. but the Assembly defeated
the direct nominations bill and did not eves
draft a bill providing for a Massachusetts
ballot.
Herbert Parsons. president Of the NeS
York county Republican committee. had
much to do with defeating the Travis dried
primary nominations bill in the Assembly
but he very much wanted the Prentice
I primary official ballot bill. He came u
Albany to-day with A~sscmblyman Prem
tice and urged Gov Hughes to sign the bill.
The Governor said that when there wss4
cry for reform in the election laws soms
years ago through the Massachusetts, bal.
lot system the present ballot was decided
upon. with the understanding that thu
Massachusetts ballot would be provided
for later. Under the circumstances Gov,
Hughes told MIR. Parsons that he would moi
sign the Prentice bill for fear OF a like rs
suit and the attempt next session to prevent
the passage Of a direct nominations bill
He said he would sign a comprehensiv,
primary reform bill which would embrace
both direct nominations and an Official
ballot.
In vetoing the Prentice bill Gov. Hughes
fled this memorandum
On examining this bill I find that it ~contsins
provisions which I cannot approve. Primary
election reform is OF fundamental impor.
lance. We need an, Official ballot. but we
need much more than that. The enrolled
OF a party are entitled 70 the freest
opportunity TO express their preference Ia
the choice OF candidates for ONCE and In the
selection Of party representatives.
Any perversion of represe NATIVE govern
ment through selfish domination OF party
machinery should be made difficult, II not
htpVpeiobts WI toulSt pt
i've party organization. but it must square
with the essentials Of popular government.
This bill in It's preferential provisions for
nominations by district committees and for
the use Of an organization or district CONF
mittee" column on the ballot distinctly
favors those Of any party who are in control.
The enrolled voters are not put upon an even
footing. Instead OF encouraging. care and
self-reliance in voting the proposed form u
ballot makes IL easy to dispense with dis
elimination. which as a feature OF a plan Of
primary reform regard as a serious mis-
take. In making changes we should keep In
view the end to be attained and We should
proceed in a consistent manner.
Mr.. Parsons wanted the Official ballot
for the September primaries in New York
city, believing it would help him much In
districts where the Oddities are strong.
Gov. Hughes tonight completed the
disposition Of the $50 bills left for his
consideration by the regular session of
the Legislature. or these bills $50 failed
to become laws because the Governor
refused to sign them for the reason
either hat they were vicious, special
legislation. subjects that should be COW
cred by general laws or unnecessary legis-
lation. In addition Gov. Hughes vetoed
thirty-seven bills during the session Of the
Legislature and was responsible for men,
bers OF the Legislature during the regular
session recalling 1917 bills from him after
they had passed under penalty of q veto.
so that altogether Gov. Hughes was re-
'sponsble for killing 4s4 bills passed by
the Legislature. This is an unprecedented
Use Of the veto power
The laws this year number 78i Tbs
Governor has signed all of the bills passed.
at the extra session of the Legislature with
the exception Of the New York city alder
manic redistricting bill and the bill per-
uniting the New York city Comptroller to
sell bonds at private sale These
measures are in the hands OF the Mayor.
Tn Governor refused 10 sign any of the
State claim bills and signed only two of the
railroad bills left by the Legislature.
Bills which have become laws in previous
years Gov. Hughes has put his foot down
upon. such as special legislation legalizing
acts Of commissioners Of deeds and notarics
public. police and fire department reinstate-
ment bills. bills le9slizing State tax saks
and amendments 10 various general laws to
meet special cases Few Of the amend
ments to the Code of Civ Procedure or
the Penal or Criminal code or to the forest.
fish and game laws received the Governors
He also refused t. approve any
of the escheat bills, as we'll as two bills
removing restrictions TO the admission Of
candidates to the legal profession.
While the Governor signed the Carter
bills affecting Binghamton. North
Port JervisrRochester. Niagara
Falls and Schenectady. he signed few Of
the many amendments pending before him
to the various city charters of the State. .
Not in the history of any Governor have
many thirty day bill amendments to the
New York city Charter been disapproved as
by Gov. Hughes. The Governor did not
sign the following bills:
The Cobb bill, regulating the review Of
Legislative appointments; the Merritt
food bill; the Lansing bill requiring
the weight Of food packages 10 be stated
the bill increasing the salaries
Of State prison officials; the West optometry
license bill; Senator Foelker's bill CONSOLE
dating educational institutions In Brooklyn
the BrooklynC College the Fowler bill pro-
viding that tho Ulster County Clerk, instead