New-York tribune., 1910-01-10
LEADERS HESITATE.
on HUGHES POLICY.
Continuation of Fight Imdicat-
ed. but Concessions Probable.
icy telegraph TO The Tribune. /,

iBy- Telegraph 20 The Tribune
Albany. Jan. s.-wili the legislature
ADOPT the Hughes policies for its own this
year, or will the Republican organiza-
tion chiefs who dictate legislative action
eight the Governor as they did last year
and defeat his recommendations?
This question has been heard here on all
sides for a week, and the formal organiza-
ton OF the Legislature on Wednesday will
by no means settle 1t Indeed. the leaders
of the Republican organization In this state
are undecided yet about the course they,
viii pursue, according 10 all the informa-
tion which is available here. Those lead
ers who were responsible FOR the defeat OF
the Hinman-fsreen direct primary bill. the
Massachusetts, ballot plan and the state
supervision OF telephone and telegraph
companies last year have not become rec
onciled 70 those projects since then. But
other factors are IN the equation now
which may lead 70 different result from
last years.
Surface :ndics tons point 30 a continua-
ton Of the war on Governor Hughes and
his reforms. The election OF Senator Aids
az majority leader Of the upper house was
not taken by progressive Republicans as
indicating great friendliness on the part
Of the organization TO the Governor. All
Wadsworth Will make up. his committees
snd there are many important places to
I'll this year--on distinct anti-Hughes
basis. Messrs wadswcrth. Woodruff,
Barnes, Hendricks. o'Brien and Maiby are
IS much opposed 10 the direct primary
FAD" snd viii fight ii Is hard as ever they
did.
CONCESSIONS MAY BE MADE.
rrs-- ~--&r Aa <os- .fa a~.sa -nx.
autumn, Including the election OF State
Senators and Congressman. end two years
following there will be Presidential cleo
sion and. the stste election. Ard the
most influential leaders in the Repub-
3ican part. IA this state and in WASH
fnston. are making secret of the
fact that. IL necess sary. the petty resent
rnent OF some OF the state politicians
against the Governor must be swallowed
and their opposition 10 his reforms thrown
aside. lest this state go Democratic next
autumn eHd remain Democratic in the
Presidential year. SO II is quite possible
that ss q concession 10 the greater good"
. substantial part of the Governors re-
forms may De put on the statute books this
year.
SO potent already has been the quiet work
Of Senator Root, Representatives Parsons
sod Bennett, and, Ia a lesser degree. of
Fred csreiner, OF Buffalo. and other Repub-
ifcans who come into the Washington at
nosphere, that Republican legislative lead
eTs are edHsitttng among themselves that
they must make concessions TO the Gov
ernor. No programme has been mapped
out yet, and the immediate point OF interest
Sc how much concession they figure will be
necessary TO stsve off a political over
shrcr.
TELEPHONE SUPERVISION LIKELY.
II seems to be taken for granted that
stats supervision of telephone and tele-
graph companies must come, though there
IS much difference of opinion about the de-
gree os authority the Public Service COM
missions should have over the companies.
Some charter revision for New York City,
fairly comprehensive employers liability
measure, automobile tax legislation. the
creation Of the Highlands Park and the
adoption Of a reasonable budget system for
The state seem highly probable.
To Judge from the present attitude Of
politicians and legislators alike, the direct
primary. the Massachusetts ballot and the
reduction Of the number OF elective state
officers and the creation of q Governors
Cabinet will have little show. The OBJ
liberation Of "oral betting" also will bring
about hard fight, but this time there may
which followed the Governors battle 10
abolish professional bookmaking
orgapizstion men have talked at various
times, and still are talking, about enacting
primary reform legislation; perhaps even a
halfway direct primary bill, though only
II very hard pressed Progressive Repub-
iice1as are asking whether any such grudg-
\ ing. halfway compliance with the Gov
ernor's reform recommendations will serve
TO avert political defeat next autumn. They
say that the recent Assembly district fights
made Il evident how keenly voters of both
parties wanted direct primary law. They
point 10 the fact that ia two OF three
counties Republican candidates avowed a
warm friendiiness 20 that system of max
tns nominations. but their political aIli-
ances were such that Republican voters
chose fhe Democrats instead.
VOTERS WANT DIRECT PRIMARY
1T may be good policy for the big chiefs
to yield on a few Of the lesser Hughes
reforms ard defeat him or the big ones,
hut fail 20 see II thar way" commented
3 Hughes Republican tonight u don't
believe TIE voters can be hoodwinked by
such transparent dodge In this year of
! grace Vow, since any concession will be
made only 90 enable the Republican party
70 stay N THE good graces of the intelli-
gent progressive voters, it seems 20 me- that
, II would be very SAD mistake for our
/ friends. ',hs organize ton leaders, TO give
merely shadow and not substance. In
ether words, voters want the direct pri-
mary. and state supervision of Telephone
Z companies and an automobile tax won't
sppease them in the least II I'm any Judge
Of the state OF affairs"
So TIE first two or three weeks of the
legislative session. while the wheels are be-
ginning 10 grind slowly, will form period
ct great interest and no little importance
"a tbs political morld In that time some
sey1 OF 3 definite programme probably Will
be worked out, though IL may take the lead
ere longer 70 dec.de what 20 do. The Gov
synor .E known TO desire intensely that his
successor be Republican and that his
party remain u pcger But he stands as
firmly for the enactment OF direct pri-
mary law and HE other reforms as ever he
did So. While he plays the mountain, Re
ppb!tcans az large are wondering sow long
II VII take tLs organization leaders to play
ths part of yahopaet and journey 10 meet