New-York tribune., 1910-01-31
ALBANY PROGRAMME.
Progressive Republicans En-
pect .4dOption of Reforms.

Albany. Jan. 30.-SOne legislative leaders
and politicians profess TO believe that the
investigation Of the charges against Sena-
tor Aids about TO begin In the Senate
will have no direct bearing on the
course of legislation this year. Certain OF
the more progressive Republicans. who
have supported the Hughes policies since
the Governor assumed Office. laugh at such
statements. They maintain tnat the un-
pleasant position occupied now by PROM
nent anti-Hughes Republicans will certain
ly result In the adoption of "a programme OF
reforms along the Hughes lines for party
safety. This programme they outline. as
follows:
Passage of the telephone and telegraph
company regulation bill substantially as
advocated by the Governor.
Passage of the legislation to prevent
''oral betting at racetracks without par
ticular opposition.
Passage of some ballot reform measures.
though not the pure Australian ballot sys-
tem urged by the Governor.
Passage Of substantial primary reform
legislation. maybe the Governors direct
primary plan save for nominations to state
Offices.
And outside of the Legislature:
Reorganization of the state committee.
dropping out State Chairman Woodruff and
some of the more prominent t'old guard"
leaders.
Nomination of a Republican candidate
for Governor of the Hughes type, for whom
the Governors personal prestige and great
powers on the stump may be asked and
obtained.
Naturally, this is a sweeping scheme Of
housekeeping and political reformation, and
even enthusiastic Hughes men do not ex-
pect it to come to pass without a hard
struggle inside the Legislature and outside.
But they maintain that too much hangs in
the balance for the fate of any individual
or set of individuals to stop 1t.
'"The decent men in the party have got to
save the party in this state this year, and
take such steps as will keep New York
State Republican two years from now
said one Hughes Republican. We've tried
soothing lotions and antiseptic dressings
on this cancer of ours for considerable
time knowing all along that it was a
cancer. Now we're down to the place where
we've got to have the knife used. And
though the operation may be mighty pain
ful and even somewhat dangerous it would
be far more dangerous not to operate
Republicans in Washington from Presi-
dent Taft and Senator Root down through
the Congress delegation are concerned over
the situation, The progressive Republicans
in the State are rallying around Governor
Hughes. declaring that the public conf
dence in him is such that defeat of his re-
form measures this year and affront to
Kim personally by organization leaders
would so ALLEVIATE the general public that
nothing could save the Republican party.
The anti Hughes leaders and their legis-
lative representatives, that faction which
last year was the Raines- W Wadsworth group
actually have the fate Of the Republican
party in the state In their hands now. A
renewal of the bipartisan Senate coalition,
with some successor to Raines at the
head OF the Republican members, bidding
defiance to the Hughes element in the
party, or a refusal to go to the bottom
of the Allds-CoEger matter and then to
take up the necessary housecleaning, al
most certainly would spell political suicide.
The organization leaders can wreck the
party If they are blind enough or selfish
enough to do it, say the Hughes Republi-
cans. They are awaiting developments with
interest. meantime trying TO do our duty
day by day as We see it, as one Of them
puts it.