New-York tribune., 1909-03-19
TO FIGHT HUGHES BILL
IN CONFERENCE.
Woodruf against Plan AboL'sh'ng
Conventions.
rRr Telegraph 70 The Tribune.l

rF,- Tel The Tribune
AIhanv March 1s-Conferences attended by State
Chairman Woodruff Lieutenant Governor White
Senator John Raines. William Barnes Jr ana one
OF two Republican politicians VII" hapPeheu 10
drop into the Capitol were held to-day 10 oeNi'e
v-avs and means of defeating Governor Hughes
atreo+ urinary hill Despite evident bitterness
against the Governor which characterized theSe
meetings IT would seem that little OF moment
was ACCOMPLISHED. Mr.. Woodruff went to syracuse
and the Brookynites who accompanied him mere
u.e,+ homo without having sotdifed the Opposi-
ion 10 the Governors plan or put forth one OF
their own.
For The first time the state chairman, dropping
all rratencA If adherence 10 the principle Of direct
nominations. came out openly and enphatiCiIlS
against the Governors primary reform plan or any
other plan which would abolish conventions. he
called the Governor an "agitator. eNplahlhg taI
he meant bv that nothing especially d-rogatory ~
the executive and said his suggested system :"
far as have been informed about it. resembles
the populistic scciallstic and unAmerican product
enacted in Of the Western states ana "o''u
intrench the bosses in trple-plated power
Chairman Woodruff, accompanied by Judge breh-
ner ana F ] H. Kracke. reached the Capitol
this morning soon after the Senate session had be
gun. While his companions sought Brooklyn reg
isIators the chairman went into Lieutenant
Governor Whites private Office. There the Leu
tenant Governor and Mr.. Barnes were awaitihs
him senator Raines strolled in after a time ana
ioined in the discussion Of the expected Hughes
bill.
WOODRUFF MEETS REPORTERS
Presently the state chairman met the newspaper
men. and in the course Of his talk intlmated Iiia'
he didn't expect the Hughes bill to pass lie IN
dicated also that soon after it introduced
special meeting Of the Republican State committee
would be called to adopt resolutions against II
Il think every man who has the welfare OF the
Republican party at heart should exert his efforts
to defeat this popustic measure said ne. ANY
body who understands present convention Sys-
tenn must see that this proposition OF giving ''e
nominating power 10 small committee theh re-
lieving that body by submitting its decision 10 'le
voters Of the state ratification, when there VIII
be small chance of putting up any other ueKe' 10
vote for will result in establishing the worst ie1'-
ures of bossism. am heartily In favor OF an!
legislation which would tend TO safeguard the pIl-
maries or any plan which Will make thein rep,e
sent more truly the desires Of the voters FOR 'ilS
reason I don't say there may not be parts Of the
Governors bill which I and other party men CON
sistentIy could approve In that case We Snal
work tust as hard 10 enact those features l'o 10"
as we shall to defeat the plan to abolish the con-
vention system"
When his attention called 10 the fact that
the state committee had taken no attitude on the
bill although it's machinery seemingly was oeHis
used against IT, the state chairman said:
We can hardly take official action before the OH
is introduced. we?'
He said his observations here were that the dratt-
ers Of that measure were having all kinds Of dfi-
Guilty, and that some OF them probably Ola not
believe in what they doing.
4 don't believe Harvey Hinnan believes IN al al
this scheme" said he There are local conditions
in his district which make It advisable for him TO
take il up
ABE" GRUBER GLEEFUL.
The strange. peculiar and perilous position Of the
anti Hughes politicians was pointed out with CON
siderable glee to-day by Abe Gruber
There's a lot Of music. flags and oratory to all
this opposition, and mighty little brains said he
They get off into a corner and tell each other
what fine fellows they are an how sad II Is that
the Governor they elected-theyiI admit lt-s-oulu
be striving to discredt them with the public and
drive them out Of existence And then they'll talN
That seems about all they're capable ot DONG
They've no organization in their opposition; no
leader-unless you want call Woodruff a leader
II would have been different If Platt OF Odeil were
IN the game. Plat would have had every one Of
the boys before him weeks ago and the Governor
would have been sewed up so tight by this time
that he could appeal till doomsday and never get
any relief As It is there's nothing this opposi-
tion. ard It may fall TO pieces over night when the
bill introduced
The Governors bill is practically completed, and
should be introduced tomorrow. though II may be
held until next week. I; is a very much different
document from what it was at the beginning Of the
week. The midnight conferences at the Executive
Mansion and the bill drafting ability Of Ex-senator
Page. in whom the Governor has great confidence
because the Public Service Commissions law has
stood tests up 10 date. have produced docu-
rnent which its friends say IS tight and compact"
II viii provide general primary plan, applicable 10
state the basis OF representation In the
committees has been worked out a member Of
! a committee VIII count in that body for exactly
of his party vote in that district in the
last election for Governor there will be no self
perpetuatng committees and concessions 10 poll
tics in local situations"
It's friends well satisfied with il. and say
there VIII be for anybody who in the past
has favored direct nominations 10 withhold from
this measure his fullest and freest support Its
adversaries waiting eagerly 70 see H. a trihe
apprehensive and at the present moment badly dis
organized. II remains for the public TO get the de
/ tails OF the measure and understand II. and Gov
error Hughes and his legislative supporters will
have abundant opportunity, they have the desire.
attend that.