New-York tribune., 1910-05-08
CRISIS NOW AT ALBANY.
This Week Settles Fate OF Direct
Primary Reform.
HUGHES MEN CONFIDENT
Details of Four Measures Now
Before Legislature for
Consideration.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune.l

LBy Telegraph to The Tribune.l
Albany. May 7.-Whiie Governor Hughes
! is making a final forceful appeal for his
direct primary bill at Binghamton Monday
night. leaders in the Assembly will -be max
| ing their final preparations for the biggest
fight of the session. On Tuesday. or pos
| sibly the day after. if the schedule is not
changed overnight. the lower branch OF the
Legislature wiB take up for debate and
passage the Governors bill and the two
other primary reform bills now before the
Legislature
Because of the bitter opposition OF
Speaker Wadsworth and several of ms
close associates in the lower House to the
direct primary system of making nomina-
tions. this fight easily will be the crisis,
the climax, of the legislative year. Inc
battles over tho income tax. bitter as they
have been in the sub-surface manpuvr1nS,
will be child's play compared to this one.
On it depends to large extent the future
political history of New York State It's
outcome involves the method of selecting
the tickets all along the line in the coming
state campaign, and. more than that,
changing of political conditions in every
political division of the state, and conse-
quent shaking of the present political con-
troll.
Naturally the powers that be-termed
variously the machine, the bosses, the or
ganization and the party. according TO the
individual point of view-will fight to the
death TO maintain things as they are. The
present order, with all the habits and Gus
toms grown up under it. suits them well.
Many have waxed fat and honored polit-
icaily, under it. Ard from the leaders and
legislative representa- tives of the present
order not one word is heard save that of
absolute confidence in the defeat of any
thing in the nature of direct primary bill.
Direct Primary People Active.
To be sure, there are those in the Leg
islature who say that the confidence Of
! Speaker Wadsworth and his associates is
only from the teeth outward, Direct pri-
mary advocates have not been sleeping this
! year. Since the temper of the voters OF
both parties was shown in the Assembly
district campaigns last fall. there has been
a quiet but systematic campaign conduct
ed by the direct primary people. In the
state at large the Direct Primaries Asso-
| citation has been working. Since the Legis-
lature convened there has been much work
| by direct primary legislators among their
fellows. In the Assembly q bipartisan
steering committee" has canvassed each
!
be open in the least degree to argument.
| And now these direct primary workers
say that if legislators pledges are to be
regarded the Governors bill will be passed.
| Of course, Governor Hughes'S speech at
Binghamton, on the eve of the fight, will
have considerable effect on the situation.
His supporters are counting on it to coun-
teract the frantic efforts of the machine
| legislators to switch votes to their side;
but. aside from the Governors speech.
members of the steering committee say
they have eighty votes for the Governors
bill. with couple more in reserve That,
while a narrow margin spells victory to
them-always with the contingency that
something strange. unforeseen and wonder
full does not happen in the machines favor
They admit that it is within the realm OF
possibility that they may have been mis-
led in their canvass and that the Speaker
may be able to marshall the votes to kill
the Governors BILL but they feel extremely
confident that he cannot, and say they
have detected signs of doubt and fear
among his followers in the last few days
Governors Bill Up First.
The Governors bill will be considered
first OF the three primary measures on the
order of second and third reading. That
means that it will be debated for advance
ment to the order OF final passage first.
then placed on third reading and voted on
for passage Undoubtedly amendments Of
many sorts will be offered to it. The
strength of the direct primary people may
be gauged by votes on these amendments,
If such are offered. Acceptance Of an
amendment would delay action on the bill.
The scheme of the Governors bill is
simple II abolishes all conventions II
provides for the direct election of various
party committees by party members at the
primaries. These party committees, under
proper restrictions. directed to make
suggestions or designations of candidates
for offiC These suggestions. with others
which may be made by any group of party
voters under proper restrictions. then are
submitted TO the voters primary day,
and from these lists the voters select dt-
rect1y the men whom they wish 70 run for
office on their party ticket. At the same
time they elect directly party committee
men to serve for the ensuing year
Opposed 70 this system will be that out
lined in the amended Meade Phillips bin,
behind which stand most of the Repubf-
can machine leaders That measure
patches up the holes in the present primary
laws 1t retains the convention system,
although it makes one concession to the
direct primary sentiment in the state by
providing that any political subdivision
may have the direct primary on vote Of its
party organization This bill provides for
the direct election at the primaries of dele
gates to all conventions and the direct
election OF the state committeeman and
county committeeman or Assembly district
leaders in New York City. 1t provides for
uniform primary day, an official primary
ballot along the lines Of the present cleo
ton day ballot and statewide enrol