New-York tribune., 1912-02-14
BOSSES CARRY POINT
N NOMINATIONS LAW
pass So-caIIed "Short Bill" Civ
ina Spring Primaries but Curb
ing County Committees.
LEGISLATIVE TRICK PLAYED
nono Bill" Carrying Some
Measure of Reform, May Be
Lost in the Senate in
Consequence.
/, legislative TRICK PLAYED
-By telegraph to The TrIbune.l

Ran 13-By g vote Of rs to II
"O,',,. ss.emblv to-day passed the so-called
inc hnl" amending the direct primary
,.w Of last year according TO the notions
hN penublican State Committee and the
oa'aoc,atic organization so it Will be prac-
III, workable at the spring primaries
W. measure compels the election OF state
lnv ,,,,,teernen in New York City at the
V.,,g nrIruaries and makes many technical
'p.noes regarding the mechanics or the
primaries c.
rrben this bill was introduced in the sen
hero was introduced as a companion
sn ,hs so-called long bill" which con-
80 all the features Of the short Dill
"a o,ber changes in the law which were
s.si,n.d 10 meet objections of direct nomi-
.,.o,s advocates TO shortcomings In the
,,,,o II was understood at that time to
:" ~. scheme of the losses Of both par
- a. mass only the short bill, which
ropld mean no extension OF the direct pri-
nary principle and leave law WorKaoie'
hu, vicious In many features.
senator Wagner, the Democratic leader
:, the Senate. declared that the Senate
.-o,,d act or the long bill' first or on the
IN. day as the short bill" was taken up
"a uonld psss them both, giving 70 the
p.0ubl,can Assembly its choice-a bill 10
correct only technical defects or bill 10
-. a moro perfect direct primary system
no,sible under the law. Senator wagner
.,d tonight that the Senate would take
Nm and pass the "short bill' tomorrow ne
~. asked II II would act on the long bill
also according TO his recent promise
Not Sure of Votes Just Now.
"wsIL I'm not sure Of the votes to-mor-
.or," he said. "and you know l never take
=, snvthine until am sure OF the votes.
pu, the Senate will pass the long BILL
believe"
The '1onE bill" will do no good II u is
nsssed after the short bnl' has been
acted on. for then the machines OF ooth
ns-,ies will unite to let ii die. or XIII IL
by force II necessary, in the Assembly,
The point which was in the minds OF lhoSe
who obtained the promise from the "ss-
ner-Democratic direct primary senators
was that by holding up the short nih
until the long one passed, they Wouid
have a club over the political bosses VINO
oppose direct primaries An EFFORT may De
made in the Senate tomorrow TO 1orce
action on the Tong bill' instead OF the
short one.
Opposition 10 the short bill' in the AS
sembIy to-day centred on a provision under
which candidates for member Of the county
committee need not reside in the election
districts which they we're TO represent, out
all members for an Assembly district might
come from one election district IN IT, This,
1, was contended, would give the Assembly
district boss improper power, and under
rules which the state committee was au-
thorized by the bill TO make, would prsc-
ucslly give the state committee control OF
the machinery Of making local nomlna-
tons.
This provision was fought by Assembly
men Hoff. Of Kings; Sullivan, Of Chautau-
qua: Kopp. of New York, and others. Mr..
Hon said such a scheme had no part in
a direct primary law. Mr.. Sullivan said 1t
would make the law even more vicious
than Tammany's proposition now on the
statute books
Cuts County Committees Power.
"They take from the county committee,
which is closer TO the voters than the
state committee, the power TO make the
party rules" Mr.. Sullivan said. That
isn't direct nominations; it's narrowing
down the rights Of the party voters. This
bill will not correct anything. We know,
OF course the state committee wants TO
get more control over local nominating
machinery, and we understand the trades
and dickers which have been going on.
Why, they've got control so tight that
even d burglar couldn't break In with
jimmy"
The measure was defended as an emerg
ency proposition absolutely necessary 10
make the law workable for the spring
primaries by Assemblyman Hinman, State
Chairman Barness legislative represent
ative and the floor leaders of both parties.
Amendments offered by Messrs. Hoff and
Kopp designed TO remove the obnoxious
feature. were voted down. Then the bill
was rushed through TO passage.