New-York tribune., 1909-03-22
PRIMARY BILL LINEUP
SURPRISE At 4TT4CKS.
FEATURES of Measure, 5cith One Er-
Cepfion, III PARTY Platform.
gBv Telegraph 20 The Tribune

-. measure by State Chairman Woodruff Senator
Rsines Speaker Wadsworth and William Barnes.
- and their followers With the details OF the
C;overnor's measure before them, these Republicans
hare attacked II radical piece Of legislation
vhich is bound to restrict" the popular voice
candidates or 10 concentrate all power in the
rands Of small committees
This seems the more strange to ntn who have
studied the Hughes plan OF primary reform.
that plan goes beyond the somewhat general sug
sestions for primary reform in accordance with the
provisions Of the Republican platform, which
-hsEe critics Of the Governor have agreed, in
thing only-the submission TO the enrolled party
voters FOR their approval Of the identity Of the
,o7s chosen TO be candidates for nomination at the
--isries on all other essential things the bill
Official primary ballot. properly safeguarded pri
-,s-ies Al state expense general enrolment or per-
sonsl registration and a universal primary day
~. Governors adversaries have agreed at time
~ another. II seems peculiar disinterested OBJ
servers and the Hughes supporters, who ap-
r-eciat= thoroughly the nature Of the proposed
form te hear these men attacking the Hughes
zrstea as plan 10 concentrate power in the hands
70 few and to peTpetuate bossisn, when the thing
-bev actually are against is the really new
phase the situaton-the proposal 70 let the vot-
e-s -atify the party machinery's choice Of candi-
dates
What makes ne certain that this plan going
- Be enacted into legislation. is going 10 prove
success and become = model for other states. de-
,ls-sd one Hughes Of broad partisan and
-o1f-icsl experience. the fact that the people
s-e interested and easily grasp its essentials
II ract. you put your finger on the one big
rhsuEe this makes-the referendum 10 the party
voters Why should anybody oppose that save
through fea- his opinions would not be Upheld?
Uhv should any objection he raised TO that. eX-
rent for selfish rnotives2 Why all this talk about
.holshinE the convention? Merely TO befog the
ISSUE The committee takes its place, true but
-. committees work is not final until the entire
,a-+v constituency has ratified IL We're not aim
,-g---- .w-1of- TfG n
,--,l,- perform their sacred duties. and only two
classes Of persons. in my opinion-those utterly
r1516A5 70 reason Or those fearful OF destruction
=. r,is-epres@nta1ive controI-can oppose this when
they understand II
ATTACKS AMCsE HUGHES MEN.
The attacks on Governor Hughes and his plan as
destructive Of party government or un- American
= ..so75z1isc'' are causing much quiet amusement
20 his friends Anybody who heard Governor
Hughes deliver his remarkable series OF speeches
when Re vas stumpng the Mississippi Valley TOT
Taft last fall knows how thorough going and loyal
. Republican he IS And he is Just thorough
believsr in organization-of the proper kind-as he
Z. n ra-+jsanshir. knowing that, his supporters
z-e wondering L Senator Elihu Root, IN his speech
before re Barnes organization here recently, spoke
with the tongue Of prophecy or actually knew the
C-overro--s plan when he commended Governor
Hughes for needing the demand for primary re-
forms declared that he was e good organization
nan and that any new plan which grew out OF
q demand
ent must be bulk along organization lines and on
organization principles For that, they maintain, is
exactly what the Hughes system IS and was IN
tsnded 10 be No organization or party nlachlne OF
leader or even boss with whom the enrolled voters
were satisfied need object 10 that test Anybody
who feared il Hughes men maintain, would by that
ve-v fact be self-accused-
Along this line the introduction OF the bill by
Senator Harvey F.inTnan is likely TO prove a thorn
IN the sides OF the anti-9ughes politicians Hin
r+e keel ka "
IN New York State IS the most practical sort OF
politician. He is a boss in the ordinary use or
that term n that ne himself is the un3isputed
head Of the Broome County organiza ton, but he Is
- the srzture leader in that he does not ohend
his voters by that control. He stepped into control
or Broore's AFFAIRS when the scandal over misuse
of he county's funds retired the Back-Rogers fo-
lowing and he has made his organization mooel
n clearness and efficiency He knows Repuollcah
politics from the ground up So for a man OF that
type who admits that he holds his leadership on
the sunerance Of the enrolled voters, TO stand
sponsor for this legislation IS bitter 10 the poll
tcians who DO not Ike il.
FATE OF CHARTER INVOLVED.
From now on the direct primary nominations
legislation will dominate the course Of the session
Il is believed By some that the fate OF the Ne"
York City charter actually involved in its destiny
e-s-s-n.pts hare been made that anti-Hughes Re
rublcans will work against the charter IN return
for Democratic assistance in fighting the Hushes
bill. II IS 8 party AFFAIR." matter which concerns
-hs members especially Of the Republican party as
that Is the dominant political faith-and IT us
r-srtfrsl effect since the bill contemplates a re-
organization Of the nominating machinery OF 'he
scst. may easily mean general oTerturnlns cl
the existing corrrol Of that party
That there R1u he = tremendously hard fousnI
,o-+es+ al are agreed Governor Hughes will not
,voi5 snv such aEht But viii go about II in
.rv srir1t Of bitterness personality Discussion
Of the methods Of the opposition Just now can he
hsrd! mere than Epecula don Discussion OF where
ths various members Of the Legislature stand now
is almost proftless- Anything Ike a falr canvass
--clls show reasonably even division Of the Re
hI;-.r. n either house About as many i'm
-o--z,+ members Of the Republican machine have
declared for II against IL
THE VOTERS TO DECIDE.
Tn. -ub Of the whole situation IS that this is a
--orosition for the common everyday party mem
h.rx the enrolled voters, TO decide They, IN the
rn5nion Of the Governor and his friends. are the
men whose interests stake; they the ones
=, 6.,;5e this question And TO them the Governor
and his friends will take the proposition Once be-
fore Governor Hughes went 10 the people-not the
state constituency. but the people OF compare
tivelv small Iocslity-when the fate OF his anti
gambling bills stake The question then had
become broader than the mere question OF the
passage Of those bills; Il broad as the con-
sttution state. and the right OF the people
10 have their desires properly fulfilled by the men
they elected 70 office. Opposition 10 the Governor
then vas the kind OF opposition which Al
reany Is showing its head IN this crisis The
speeches Governor Hughes made then had for their
nass exactly the situation which of his ad-
Ne'Ssfaes are forcing en- him now. Everybody knows
tAs result Governor Hughes swept through the
%f'h senate District Ike vertable Peter the Her
nit and following him there arose wave Of public
sentiment which elected Senator Wallace. and thus
passed tie anu-gambIing bills in spite of a COM