New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-22
WOODRUFF IN LINE
BACKS THE GOVERNOR
State Chairman FGOors Limit
ed Direct Primary Plan.

Timothy J. woodrnI. chairman Of the
Republican state Committee. came out
strong YESTERDAY for primary reform. ana
yredictsd radical changes In the election
avs BY the Legislature this winter. Re IS
not opposed 20 direct Nominations. appsr-
ertly. for al district osioes. such es Cen
eyessrnen, Senators. Assemhlyrasn ans si-
cermen. but 6oubts -he feasibility OF dire,t
nominations for state. county ana city
Offices
The stare chairm2ns definition % his e.
titude followed closely upon the discovery
thar various members o. the Senate and
Assembly are 90 insisten- shout direct
nominations lEot they stand ready 10 ioin
with the Democrats IN order 20 Tut through
hin IN accord with TIE views advanced
by Governor Hughes.
The state Chairman is SIN fer the reten-
tion % the large convention system. and
ssys that the Kcters Up the state are IN
mood 20 retain the big conventions. lnes-
much IS Nr. Woodruff las had an oppor-
tunlty 20 canvass the sentiment among the
cfsan zation leaders. hrs statement yester-
GAY car be accepted as being pretty near
what the organization VIII stand for this
winter 81 Albany.
y have YET 70 find r man" said Mr
fNNolE AlA NccAct &c v nc rear. fg--a1 t-al
big conventions abolished. Even many Of
taoss who have heen eNtrenas advocates %
direct nominations. when pinned down on
this point. aeknoviedEe that they would
not so 50 far as thar. AS have always
held. IL would be impossible 20 name O
ble ticket. like E state ticket. n satis-
factory way. with AL the elements that
have 10 be taken into account, so that a.
may be represented. without the oppcr-
fcnity for delibsra-ion and considerable
Which . convention affords.
what chance. for instance. woul1 the
upstate Democrats have OF being repre-
serted on TIE Democratic state ticket Un-
eer direct nominations, seeing that New
York City has mere than half the Demo
cratic votsse The Importance and necss-
ATTY OF celebration and consideration re
FsTding such Nominations ss Caa be had
orly IN conventions are apparent.
1T Is rather different with the smaller
political entities, and / do not see that
there would De any special objection 10 the
direct nomination O. sloermen and Assem-
h,ymen and even senators and Congress
men. WhstheT this VII be provided for /
am not prepared 70 say, bur the question
fs under consideration.
AS 20 reform thsf VIII lessen The oppcr-
surites FOR manipulation of primaries or
deriving any element o. its right. party
managers can have no objection. Tor the
more strictly The primaries are safe
guarded TIRE less open party mans gers WIN
De % criticism The election g Delegates
20 Ire sca-e convention BY direct vote az
rhe primaries will carry into Tie STATE az
large what Is practically the method now
u choosing the delegates 70 the city con-
venu0R. AS fo- saying. however. that any
one can control the thousand or more dele
safes &c a Republican state couve-tion. any
one Who IS fsm..isr wiki The facts knows
that is absurd
II is objectsd thar &c place any greater
burden on tie voters in the country dis
rricts than rs done ar preset would result
in cutting down TIE vote. As the RepubH-
cans are IN TIE majority IN The country. dis
trl-ts. they would, % course suner most
u SFss been suggested that enrolment might
tzi.e pace IN the country districts OF cleo
zion CAV, but there are ob3ecuons 20 his,
among them ne time that would elapse be-
fore he next primary"
Tho state chairman said that the people
up me state were rot bothered rfth such a
nonsuosity o. & ballot as was handled by
The voters IN fhis city AT the ,aSt election.
ana that they were not AZ present n Favor
%; g. change IN the shape OF ;oEm OF the
ballot
! dcut know whether there would Re
any legal objection 70 New York city hav-
'ng a diherent form OF ballot from Tie rest
~ the state. but the question is worth
looking into" said he
DIDN'T Governor Hughes say rhs- there
was no delberstion on the part Of m.
delegates lp general al a convention unde~
The present system and that The couven-
Ven merely ratified TIE SLATE made I'd by
tie bossss?" Ny Woodruff wa asked
No one knows better than Governor
-ughes himself" SAID tie state Chairman.
THAT there was great deal % delIbcrstion
ueiore We nominated him the first time.
Nna even more cslberstion bef0Ie we noml-
mated him thu second time"
NJ WOODRUFF SAFE that no Senator had a
pilnounceo lead Tor tho Leadership In place
~ ne lac senator Ra.nes. lie said thar
ne friends Of Senators Aids. of Norwich.
H-rman. q Eiughamton. Cobb. 81 Water
town, sne DAVIS. OF Buffalo. were urging
fHsfn Tor ne leadership but that il was
mslter TIA The senators would have 20
WORK ort among themselves.