New-York tribune., 1911-09-25
REPUBLICAN CLUB OPENS
ITS GUNS ON TAMMANY.
Urues Voters to Send Men to
Albany Who Will End
Murphy'S Control.
TELLS OF NEFARI0US LAWS
Levy Bill Steals Elections by
Statute" and SAKE Measure
Brings Back Good Old
DAYS of the Floater."

4 strong appeal for honest and intelli-
gent effort on tho part of the electorate TO
return q Republican Legislature TO Albany
al the polls this fall and put stop 20
the nefarious type Of legislation which has
been enacted this last year" is made in
the report of Jamcs A. Hawes on behalf
of the subcommittee on literature OF the
Republican club which has just been com
pleted.
The report represents much careful work
which has been done during the summer
by Mr. Halves and the cog1mittee. It at
tacks unsparingly much of tho 'Iammany'
legislation which has been placed on the
statute books during the last few months
and earnestly calls on the voters to break
up the control Of the State Legislature by
the leader Of Tammany Hall.
Undcr the caption of Failure Of the
Democratic State Administration the com
mittee says:
II Is submitted to the electorate that
such a record of unsouDd. extravagan and
unjust measures, beneficial only 10 spc.
cial interests. political or corporate ana
against the interests Of the people. should
not he allowed longer % continue. we
believe that tho people Of the state or
New York have great opportunity pE
their vote this year TO accomplish uo's"-
ally good results.
some OF the specific Legislation which IS
condemned I'm the report ar the Lew
election bill. designed 20 prevent tho CO.
operation or political parties IN the election
OF non partisan judges or municipal ON
GERS and the SAKE Double cross BaIio.
law" which "orens the door 10 the cor
ruption Of the electorate and makes the
r,,rcbaso and sale Of votes convenient and
a..
forms Of legislation referred 20 are the In
crease I'm the legislative budget Increased
taxation. tho salary sinecure and spona
bills and LEGISLATION intended to weaken tie
civil service laws.
"stesIino Elections by Statute
Under the caption. Stealing Elections oy
Statute" tie Levy biu IS discussed IN oe-
tau and IT'S bad features are pointed oN''
Incidentally. the committee calls attention.
.o the fact that the section Of this Dill
which prohibited fusion, such as electeu
ell tho city officials save the Mayor in the
last municipal election, has been oeciare'
unconstitutional But II is pointed out' the
riu otherwise makes independent n''nina-
tions 30 difficult as TO be prsctcailN I'M
pcesible Of accomplishment, and breaks
down the safeguards cast by the present
law around the right Of enfrancmseo Gu
zens to vote and have their votes honestly
counted The report goes on 10 say
The hill is designed 20 make the city for
aver q Taf1nsnv appendage. II places Suoh
restrictions around lndepenovh' liolu,N''
tous that II becomes ulseie 40 ,tration
nominating petitions before ie-lsll t5,'oi'. q.
and Illegal TO circulate them aftei"aLu' lS |
legislates the Boaro OF elections out of
oftico and provides for the appolntmeIl ol
nd f.rr 81
Roard OF Aldermen instead OF ine NAY vi
Tammany Hall evidently calculates 10 COl.-
tr0l the Board OF Aldermen ana leuts upYl
that body 20 appoint Whatever oil~l,Is'Ia ~ g, g.,
willing TO permit the fOaters ana repeaieIs
10 vote. through whom Tammany Han mas
'T Tbe KIN further shortens tho time be-
tween registration and election DAYS, SO
there is less time TO investigate the lrauuu-
lent vote before it is cast. ana by nuIheI.
ous other provisions impcdes the efforts TO
secure purity of elections. ,,.
Pure election laws passed by fephDhCan
legislatures supporting citizens movements
and the fusion OF arti-TammanE orEanlZd-
uOus were fast destroying IammahN
gangs Of reQeaters The Nagner-LeNN
election law IS a desperate attempt by pre-
indirectiou the ballot safeguards, 10 steal
the New York elections by statute
Referring 20 the SAKE ballot law. which
provides that IN marking the ballots all
that is necessary is ANY straight line
crossing any other line and that no bal
lot shall be declared void because cross
mark thereon IS irregular in character the
report declares:
The standard is no longer the single
cross mark lH). which cannot be so al
tered as TO identify an individual 5 vote; A
double cross lis mere Surplusage and is
legal. The mark may be irregular IN
character that IS, presumably curved OF
hooked or looped The variations are end
less If a ward hooleT wishes TO buy votes
here all ne has 10 do unoer the SAKE law
is TO hand his hoattr'' slip Of paper tell
iug him 20 make a certain kind Of cross.
The "hOg ter" goes i'm and makes the marx.
When the ballots are counted and mat
goods have been delivered The hoater
gets the price OF his shame. The ballot,
under the new law perfectly legally
marked one. goes into the court TO OFFSET
the honest vote OF some citizen.
Tanmany "FIoaters" Back Again.
The good old days Of the Tammany
"noaters" are back again with the SAKE
ballot law and the labor ana sacr.hce OF
years OF struggle against this sort OF polt-
ical corruption are IN one moment "lPeu
Not only is the purity Of the ballot at
tackled by this law, but its secrecy as well.
Wherever there is strong and unscrupu-
lOus political machine dominant in com
muniiv many Of the voters fear TO have II
known that they have voted against lle
organization" Many small shopkeepers,
tradesmen-p perhaps with stands along the
eidewalk-and pcdlers are regularly terror
Ted by party captains, who claim to know
whether they vote right" or not Given
ballot law where a mark easily idenuned
IS legal literally in thousands of cases the
hint will be judiciOusly given that business
NAV be hurt If the vote is not right ana
that a certain kind Of cross VIII be the best
way 10 show friendship to the party
The committee says it believes its state
ment will cause the voters to realize that
this election is OF considerable importance
10 the future welbeing Of the state and
city and that there is an urgent necessity
Of taking an active and intelligent interest
20 thwart the effort now being made 10
Tammanyize the state and nullify all the
successful efforts made for years 10 i'm