New-York tribune., 1910-04-23
WOULD AMEND THE
HINMAN-GREEN BILL
independent Republicans Send
Petition 10 Legislature
Stating Views.
REMAND VOTE ON MEASURE
uree That System Be Confined
at First 10 Elections Of Sen
stors and Assemblymep, to
Make Test Possible.

seth Low. president Of the Republican
,l,b Joseph n. Choste Otto T. Ban
.s-5 Henry ". Taft. Charles 4.
s.bieren. General Horace Porter, Alfred
r White. Marcus ". Marks. Henry l..
s,.r,.s,n. The Rcv. Thomas R. Slicer.
,.hersrdi Davis. Louis Stern. Thomas n.
,i,fba-d. y Tecumseh sherman. Dr.
nicholas Murray Butler and President
e.rurnau NJ Cornell have sent a memo
-isi -aurbed in the form OF a petition. TO
.ss legislature on direct primary bills.
Tho petitioners SAY that. in view Of
Clio rsc, that the Hinman-Green bin has
.be spnroyal of Governor Hughes. and
cha, s number Of Assemblymen were
,ro ted o ma pledge to support the bill.
,o.h,rg less than vote upon the bill as
g stands VIII meet legislative obligations
&. Che measure They feel. however.
fhst rhc amendments they suggest
should be adopted.
s- q word tho siCuers of tho memorial
f.,.or the passage of the Hinman-Green
bH hsr they want IL limited. for the
present ar least. 10 the election Of Sen
sta-s and Assemhlymen. holding that
,,a law would thus receive a fairer trial
b such amendments say the petit
,isrs-s 'rhe state viii be feeling its way
through experience instead IF making p
radical plunge into conditions FOR which
there is absolutely no -.recedent'
is set forth i'm. Tho petition that the
H-nman-'3reeu bill. while not forbidding
frsons .n this city. makes them very
ffeuH of accomplishment. because.
rrder tho terms Of the bin. su>h fusions
must D. completed in August, eleven
maeks before election, and long before
ihe political excitement that produces
fusion reaches it's height.
Another point i'm which amendment is
considered desirable In the Hinman-
Green measure by the petitioners is the
provision for tho election of committee
mon resr before they arc TO vote upon
the candidates 10 be designated as off
rial ca a-didates In this connection il is
said that the principle Of the short bal
Dot is one 10 be relied upon for improve
ment in tle quality Of state officials
with provision for their appointment 10y
1le Governor.
Fear Lack OF Spontansity.
q sing practically tire same argument
applied 20 fusi0ns here. the petitioners
say that spontaneity would be taken out
~ Ire action of parties by the provision
ior esignations eleven weeks before
aeruon. thus anording no opportunity
fo- growing public sentiment 10 influence
rommations. Then the feeling Of the
petitioners d. summed up in these words
"Iu eubstancc. the only change that
~ propose should be made in the bil
E Imitation of its scope So far as its
direct primary features are concerned 81
The petition is as follows:
70 Che legislature OF the State OF New
loH petitioners respectfully ask the con
s-d'rati1U 0L the Legislature as TO thi
lo'ioHuE aspects Of direct primary leEiS
laitrU. here are now three bills upon TIM
subject pending before your honorable body
T. The HIUWan-tireen bin. which embOdie
ihf lIsaf Dt Governor Hughes. and which
.h"'l1e- for the adoption OF a system q
Nlfe.i primaries Tor The nomination OF ever,
.rried Official within the state and Of ever
comm t-eeU-ar having 20 do with the man
aFeu0ur cf the party.
The Meade Phillips bin. representa-:
tIi-fanta'r the views Of The ReputlicaI
r.-anzafion. which provides FOR many re
N f." conduct Of primaries. bu
a''rH retains. all along the line. the system
Nll. mating by convention which ha
prevailed foI many years.