New-York tribune., 1909-03-27
NEW PRIMARY MEASURE
1NTI-HUGHES MOTEMENT.
Uadszcorth and Phillips -4uthors-
In accord zCith Platform.
GRr Telegraph to The TrIbune.l


Albany March 26-Following the showdown OF
the hands of the anti Hughes men in the Assernpy
Yesterday. Assemblyman Jesse S Philips OF AHe-
gany County. introduced to-day primary REFORM
bill which will be supported by the orsaIli%d' 'D.l (
Republicans in both houses who are oPposeu " '0-
passage of Governor HuEhes's direct primary meas
ure. This bill is supposed to carry out the man
dates of the Republican state platform It's lhlro-
duction was the second step toward choking all
Hughes legislation TO death preparatory 10 an
adjournment by April 20 or May L
This new measure is notable chiefly for the num-
Der of words it to conceal the fact uhd' lie
changes It makes in existing primary !e"S are neg
igfble Speaker Wadsworth and Mr.. Philips adiil'
oint authorship of the bill It is only fair to them
to say that there would have been few real re-
forms included in It's provisions if Republican pom
ticians and Senators to whom il was submitted hau
not dubbed It too radical in its original FORM,
The bill provides for official primary pdlI'''
for no officially safeguarded primaries at state eN
pense for extension of enrolment OF Pei'o"
registration 1t establishes a principle that prl-
mary day shall in case be prior 10 august =
thus doing away with "snowstorm caucuses' ana
that the primary day in each county shal De TIE
same IN all towns or villages. In any county con-
tanning a city village Of more thah IiVe uot'-
sand inhabitants where the primary daIe ho" 10
fixed by law that date must be chosen Tor IHe
primaries in the rest Of the county. one seCtloh-
and that probably the only important feature OF
the bill-provides that at all primaries me Poils
shall be open from until p m, "here at
rres committees in towns not uiluSI tiiS
primary law may close the caucuses after an hour
n they cboose-in effect legaIized "snap caucuses
Briefly the bin applies TO rural communities not
now under the primary law, and provides that no.
tice of the official primary shall be ceruhed 10 the
custodian Of primary records by the chairman OF
the general committee at least twenty days oelo'e
urinary day and published not more than Ten not
less than five days before primary day IN one f'e-
publican and Democratic paper in the CITY or
town where the primaries are to be held- 1"ls
notice must specify the of the primary cleo
tion. the hours during which it will be held the
names of the parties whose primaries VIII De heId
then and the conventions. committees OF ouiStS
for which delegates. membeys or Candidates VIII De
baIIoted for These regulations, thouGH are h"t "
anDlz- TO A primary held only TO nominate CITY
Town or village officers In that the prima-
ries in a county need not fail on the same day as
must be the case for other primaries "heh tIe
voters meet In caucus they may by resolution de-
eide TO choose delegates by ballot and the dele
tos ~ an, case are to be chosen by ballot II
Tho rules Of the party so prescribe All official
primary elections must be held open from noon
snaaker Wadsworth did not like the notion that
fbis measure could be considered concession to
great public demand for primary reTorm-eVeh
somewhat reluctant concession.
1T was forced by the Republican state platform
eaid he If it was In any sense CONCESSION
There are many reforms. commendaole, and may
be necessary. which have not been enacted INTO
Ia vcg though there may have been some demand Tor
,be,n for a long time But it was not until last
fall that the Republican party officially called l''
changes in the primary law
r,ho rlap of the anti-Hughes men in the Assem-
br,. is IN substitute this for the Hinman-
Greep direct primary nominations bill That -legis-
Iatiou is likely have hard time OF II MI fIi'-
I.,s 20 chairman OF the Judiciary Committee, and
naturally will favor his own measure In fact'
,bers are only four members OF the Judiciary COM
rlttee-Messrs Hamn. OF Wayne; "elmert oil
Erie. Green. Of Kings. and Sullivan. Of Chautauqua
ho can be relied on 10 stand by the Hughes
proposition. -.
.Rut I suspect there are other members OF that
committee who would not Ike 10 stand the respon-
tnu,,,, for having throttled that bill In commit
toe said one OF the quartet. For that reason l
expect TO see IL out the floor. either through
majority and minority report or by report WIN
oIt recommendation. These people who are under
taking 10 choke of discussion OF direct primaries
or rush the Legislature of its feet before Gov
ernor Hughes explain his bill to the people VIII
6nd they are monkeylng with mighty able-bodIed