New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-27

ancient form. The message was hahoeo
down TO the clerk, who read IL aiilio o
silence almost painful
Governor Hughes in his message states
,b.+ he had been informed by the tenn
,,oro-,- president of the Senate of the
massage NJ The Meade Phillips bill IN
l,af1, houses THE bill, however says
rhe Governor. has not reached tne OK
~r,tive chamber and il may not come
int my hands before your Adjournment
81 .exe examined the PROVISIONS OF
srs. t,;ll," continues the message sno i
se.r, II important that before tne ao-
s-,,-4,,e-t NJ ro7Ir honorable BODY YOU
she,,ld be advised of my views Win re-
sweet thereto, and of the fact lhst '"'
-,,e ressons stated below the bill Riii not
receive my approval
Continuing. the Governor says
-,. hi, - which I have referred is
,,ot a grant but denial Of neeaeo pm
.r<~y reform.
II praridss for statewide eIfclIle t.l,t,
All Il gives TO the enrolled voter VINO
ss~.. rot make politics his vocation scane
--7Jportunity for effective paF1eii'@lf"ii L"
me decisi lone of his party
II provides for an official primary pa
II, b,,r irs provision is OF q sort 10 H.
,-jTitato domination by party meEaeeis
.ro Illus 30 protect the plans ah9 puI-
poses OF those whe seek, tbfoush enS
control OF the nomination OF party can
5ida+es 10 make the administration OF
government serve the interests OF lheih-
selves snc their allies
This measure is in the interest," OF
system which experience condemns ana
-,ethods which have caused widespread
and constantly increasing protest us
good provisions are Offset by those lhat
are bad. Instead OF putting party Mail
ayers under suitable check ana giving
70 the party voters the decisive voice !.
places the party voters IN the virtual
control OF the party managers.
The test is found in the situation OF
the enrolled voters on primary Gay
Under this bill what can the enrolled
voter do with the elaborate machinery
that is provided FOR the primary? can
-. he express his choice as TO q single can
di6ste Of his party for public office? NOT
one Can he say whom ne desires 10 be
the party candidate for state office, or
for election to Congress. to the State
senate or Assembly, or even 70 any OF
the Offices within his own county, Not
At all. He is invited TO participate in
the selection Of host Of delegates about
whom in ordinary case, he will know
nothing and of whose choice of candi-
dates he has no satisfactory assurance
What Official Ballot Contains.
Upon the official ballot he will find:
Delegates 10 state convention. dele
gates TO Congressional convention, dele
gates to judicial district convention, del
egates TO Senatorial district convention
delegates to county convention, dele
gates Ia Assembly district convention,
delegates to city convention, delegates
10 any other convention In such order as
the custodian OF primary records shall
determine ~ addition TO members OF
comm ittees.
The voters rights, with all this COM
pliease6 mechanism ostensibly for his
protection. come To the selection Of those
Intermediates who as experience shows
arc generally the mere counters OF po-
n litical leaders
NJ The matter is made worse by the ar
~ Management of the ballot. The bill pro-
ViGes for a division of the ballot into
columns SO that the delegates 10 the
various conventions, proposed by the or
rsrfsation shall be found in one column
at the extreme left and may be voted
for by a single mark in circle at the
tor ~ the column. Their rivals for Sc
lection as delegates are to be placed in
,ih4r columns, with similar provision Tor
stra lShf voting
This is designed 10 facilitate straight
voting and. coupled with the use of the
-
rsrtv managers OF the nomination OF
candidates for public office. The voters
are not only debarred from directly ex-
pressing their wishes as TO particular
candidates for nomination 10 public Of
Gee, but even as to The choice OF dele
gates the machinery is contrived against
fisem in the interest of the party man
seer.
Premium on FsotionsI Strife.
Contests under this plan are likely 10
be more with respect 30 party leaders,
with all the power which is insured 10
ihem than with respect to candidates
for public Office. This puts premium
g,pon fractional strife and the play OF
.esSeh interest. instead Of giving freer
ccurse 10 intelligent and independent
opinion within the party
IT is further provided that '4the name
Of g person shall not appear more than
,,,lc& on the ia lot as a candidate for the
ssrFe party position" SO that even II
The delegates for one convention pro-
POSED by the organization are satisfac-
.eyy they cannot be included in another
e,ciurnn. and the very fact that they are
desirable makes more difficult the opPo-
ei,ion TO delegates proposed for other
conventions. Whatever may be the pro-
,.y5esv Of such q restriction with respect
10 properly arranged ballot, il is mani
testify ipdefensible in connection with a
ballot OF the sort proposed by this bill.
I shall not attempt 70 enter into con-
siderxtson OF the minor imperfections of
tae bill te which I have referred, in
nay judgment il IS structurally unsound
and should not be treated as a proper
measure Of reform.
1 desire again TO direct the attention
Of your honorable body TO the gravity OF
the questions involved and to express
the hope that before adjournment you