New-York tribune., 1910-09-06
REVIEWS WORK At ALBANY
Citizens Union DepIoreS Defeat
of Election Reform Bills.
HITS GRADY AND BRACKET
Sets Forth in Detail Provisions
of Massachusetts Law, Which
the Union Favors.

"a taSScSS AcS''t
the Union FavOrS.
Proposed primary and election reform
egislation receives much discussion In the
'eport of the Citizens Union on the Work
If the last Legislature. Direct primary re
orm was defeated in the Senate at the reg
liar session by the ''hi-partisan comhina-
ion acting under the leadership of Thomas
: Grady. Democrat, 14th District, New
York. the report says. At the extra ses-
ion, the bipartisan combination again
defeated direct primaries in the upper
house. following the floor leadership of Ed
gar T. Bracket. Republican. Saratoga"
Defeat OF the Governors chief reform in
he Assembly is laid by the Citizens Union
It the door of Speaker Wadsworth and his
Assembly machine Says the report:
In the Assembly the house machine. con-
rolled by Speaker James W. Wadsworth,
r Republican, LivingstOn). and the pow
,rful Committee on Rules. succeeded
through log-TOlling and exercise of pressure
n defaaring direct primaries. Efforts made
" exPreSident Theodore Roosevelt. upon
lis return from broad. to secure the pas
age of a compromise bill embodylng the
iirect primary principle, were nulllhed ny
he influence Of the bipartisan comblna-
ion in the Senate and the house OrSanIZa-
ion in the Assembly
Two bills TO strengthen the corrupt prac-
ices act providing for publicity of cam
7aign expenses and extending its proVi-
5ions to apply to primaries. were enacted
nto law. These were sponsored by Sen
,tor Wainwright. of Westchester, and As
;emblyman Jesse Phillips, of Allegany- An
,ther bill put forward by the New York
-fy-7 in
nize election frauds here. was passed. OF
his measure the report says:
The most important feature Of this
is a requirement that the signature
IF each voter. written when presenting hlrn-
self a the polling place on Election Day TO
vote. shall be compared by one of the cleo
ton officials with the signature written by
the same elector when he registered. and
that the official making the comparison
shall indicate in the enrolment book that
the comparison has been made and the
handwriting found to be the same IN both
instances. Thus the identity of the voter
with the man who registered under his
name will be more clearly established be
fore the vote is received.
Mourns Massachusetts Bill.
The Citizens Union mourns the fact that
its Massachusetts, ballot bill, introduced by
Assembyman Warren I. Lee. of Kings, was
not even brought TO a vote in either house.
The report sets forth in detail the pro
visions of this measure. which stipulated
that the candidates names should be ar
ranged alpha beticaly in groups under the
names of the offices for which they were
running
Each candidate would have at the left
of the voting space opposite his name the
name and emblem of the party nominating
him. A cross mark in the voting space
would be necessary for each candidate.
There would be no straight ticket voting
by making a cross mark. This form of
ballot. the report says, would be simple
and understandable. in striking contrast tc
the present ballot. The report says:
The complexity and consequent unfair
ness Of the ballot law has been pointed out
by the Court of Appeals. 1t was strikingly
illustrated in the last New York City cleo
ton. when thousands of voters were de-
ceived into casting ballots for no nonina-
ton thus losing their votes
Assemblyman Ward. of New York, intro
duced so-called Massachusetts, ballot bill,
with additional features to make straight
voting possible. This feature. though,
merely complicated the complexities and
the party column ballot. this report says.
The bill was supposed to afford a ballot
which could be split" easily and safely,
but the report says "the rules We're so
as to constitute merely pitfalls
for the voter" Supporters of the measure
failed 10 mark their ballots correctly when
ested. while Mr. Wards own marking of
his ballot was questioned ny the commit
zee which considered his bill.
Sums Up Objections.
The report sums un the objections to this
Measure in this fashion:
\ number of states have had experience
With a form of ballot similar to this Of
cred bv ASSemblyman Ward. It has
proved unsatisfactory wherever used: has
oeen abandoned by nearly every state that
las tried il, has been attacked in the
.ourts on the ground of its discrimination
.gainst independent voting, and on this
cround has been held unconstitutional in
ill was vigorously opposed by Your com
nittee and by other advocates of genuine
,allot reform. and was defeated IN the AS
emily by a vote Of 49 for and H8 against.
Assenblyman Dana of New York. pre-
ented a constitutional amendment de
igned TO put into the fundamental law of
his state the doctrine of the short bal
OF" 1t provided for the appointment by
he Governor Of the Secretary Of State, the
attorney General. the State Treasurer and
he State Engineer. It was defeated by
ote Of 25 for. Sc against. The report says
he Citizens Union didn't favor it entirely,
ut thought It step in the right direction,
This report criticises severely the special
ssessment and claim bills which were
Introduced. OF these there We're twenty
,. hon civ
~ both The Mayor vetoed five OF them
:hen they we're submitted TO him and Gov
rnor Hughes vetoed the one spared by the
Iayor.
: present the report SAYS, tends TO pro
note corrupt political bargains, and opens
he way for graft and the plundeT OF pub
C treasures.
CHINESE FEEL FOR COREA