New-York tribune., 1909-02-03
NEW ANTI-HUGHES MOVE
QUTCK-ACTIoN PRIMARY
CAUCUS PLANNED.
sobsme Nay Fail of Purpose. Be
ccuse No Direct Nominations Bill
Is Before Legislature.
TBv telegraph 70 The Tribune.l J

.p,s,, Feb. PLANS TO force quick-action
,.,s which shall bind the Republicans against
80 urinary nominations have been formed
= ,-srsor,s Assem- blyInen vigorous In their oppo-
-;,,or IN the Governors primary reform schsme
,t,s latest move in the anti-Hughes war
.,oueh viii OF necessity have 10 wait until legis-
,s-,oB on the subject has been presented in the
assembly in respect TO which II is vastly differ
~,t from all the other phases Of opposition to
,be new system up 10 date. And by that time
,he supporters OF the Governors recommenda-
80, viii be so well prepared that this scheme
,,sv ssiI OF success.
Prom Speaker wadsworth down. most of the
assembly committee heads are against the direct
,-iraary system, and information regarding
she affair came to light to-day, it was among
-bem that this plan was Matched. In brief it
n-c.ided that Jesse Phillips the caucus whip
utso is strongly against direct primaries should
cau a caucus as soon as the direct primary bill
Vas introduced Informal polls of the Assembly
have given the leaders In this opposition the be-
sef that by q sudden caucus and quick work
fherein they could carry their point and put any
Republican Assemblyman who wanted to sup
port the direct primary legislation in the position
Of bolting the caucus or refusing to be bound
by its action.
Efforts have been made TO keep this complete
~ secret but Assemhlymen who are working
fc- the direct primary bills have heard OF it.
srs are prepared in case anything OF the sort is
assnpted-
Z think that maybe the people who are talk
ing about this caucus VIII think better about it
when The time comes" said one Hughes Assem-
biyrnan to-day We don't expect to be caught
mapping. and the ammunition they have pre-
pared may bs useless 70 them at that time. II
arn any Judge, they'll find by the time the direct
primary bill is introduced that they'll have
hardly leg left to stand on. about all the
objections they have raised up to date will be
taken care Of in unanswerable fashion
Significant evidence OF the fashion IN which
the demand for direct primaries is spreading
came to-day from the district Of Senator John
Raines. who is outspoken in his antagonism to
the system 1t was learned that at large
meeting last Saturday night at Canandaigua,
Senator Raines's own town, there public
discussion OF the direct primary system, after
which vote was taken on it That vote stood
IN the proportion OF 10 for the direct primary
County Judge Knapp led the opposition to the
new system Aiding lin: N the debate were the
County Clerk and the Treasurer OF Ontario
County. Against them were arrayed in the de-
bate various citizens who had studied the Gov
ernoTs recommendations and obtained what in
formation they could On the working OF this
When question was put TO take the sense OF
the meeting that subject, Senator Raines's
were somewhat mortified TO find
that the victory had gone 10 the other side. In
Geneva. also in Senator Rainess district, there
has been formed s large and vigorous organiza-
ton to conduct campaign for the direct pri
mary II is said here that in this organization
are many OF the most representative citizens OF
that town
Probably &c VIII be two or three weeks yet
before any direct primary bill is introduced. The
Kings County organization men are still at work
Oh the bill which Senator Travis and Assembly
Green will Introduce Darwin r. James
and representatives of the Young Republican
Club are holding consultations with them and
with representatives Of rural communities with
a view TO making one general statewide bill. So
far as can be learned no decision has been
reached vet whether the Young Republican Club
representatives and those other Independents"
who have been at these various conferences Will
finally reach agreement with the Kings
County organization men on the form Of bill
to support or whether they will split on some
details and have measure Of their own
There is much speculation here 10 who will
leaa the fight in the Senate when the bills have
been presented. Senator Hinnan, an ardent
Hughes man. has rather taken the lead this year
in OF two discussions. and many looking
10 him the Hughes leader" though not, OF
course. in the Of having any delegated
authority from the Governor. Senators Agnew
snG NewcoHb. Of New York, both are in favor
Ct the direct primary. and otherwise good
Hughes men. and there has been some talk
sboat Senator Davenport. of Utica, who at
time was said to be likely &c introduce direct
primary bill Up TO date he has taken no stand
OF the proposition.
" &,