New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-21
Three Bosses, Says SuIzer.

Governor Sulzer. after declaring that
the statewide direct primary meant
the rule Of the people while the state
convention meant tho rule Of tfrce
bosses-one in New York, one In Buff
falo and one in Albany asserted that
anybody who was against the direct
primary was against the rule Of the
people and for the rule OF the bosses.
"Anybody who voted against direct
primaries" he said. "did 50 because he
didn't trust the people, or vas afraid,
or had something TO lose
Then the Governor turned 10 Sona-
tor Murtaugh. who was sitting at his
eft hand, and said.
u am especially glad To sec my old
Democratic friend. Senator Murtaugh,
here. | have very high opinion OF
him. asked him TO introduce my bill.
He was a very busy man. and said he
wanted time to read it over and study
IT, / told him | wanted il introduced
that night, so the people cf the state
could read II over and study il. so |
had Senator Mcknight, Of Troy, intro
duce II.
81 have no fault TO find with your
Senator. Nothing would 50 crafty
me as Governor as 10 have Senator
Murtaugh say, I'm with You and the
people. and well give them direct
primaries so they can nominate their
representatives..
Dear old DR. Bush is with me-
continued the Governor waving his
hand TO Assemblyman Bush. "All the
other representatives. of this section
Of the state are with me, and | don't
want to see Murtaugh left out in the
cold. And I say advisedly that when
he declares he's with me the back
bone of the opposition will be broken.
He'll be therew yelled a man from
the audience.
Murtaugh Answers Call.
With that tho shouting for MUIR
taugh began. FINALLY he came for
ward and said he was perfectly Will
ing TO tell the Governor at this meet
ing what he had told him many times
before. and TO tell his constituents
what he had told them many times
personally and through the newspa'
pers.
"Au the sentiments the Governor has
voiced regarding direct primaries are
mine" said Murtaugh. Il stand with
him for that principle. and have ever
since | entered public life. But
must differ from him on the form of
his bill question It's wisdom.
There's an honest difference Of opinion
about tho wisdom Of abolishing the
state convention. There's an honest
difference Of opinion about the mean
ing of the term statewide in the
Democratic platform"
Senator Murtaugh explained that this
term came into the direct primary 'lis-
cussion when. under Governor Hughes.
an attempt was made 10 exempt New
York CITY from the operation OF d.
rect primary law. and later Edward
NJ. Shepard and other anti -Tammany
Democrats argued before the resolu-
tions committee Of the Democratic
state Convention Of 1910 that TO IN
clude New York would prevent fusion
against Tammany there. Since il was
the sense of that committee that any
direct primary law should apply in tha
same way TO every section Of the state.
he said. the platform of 1910 contained
that expression state -wide." and last
years platform repeated IL. There
was no thought, he insisted, OF using
II TO mean the adjustment of all con-
ventions, which Sulzer interpreted Il to
mean.
Abolishing the state convention, Muir
taugh insisted. would put rural counties
entirely at the mercy Of the big cities.
while in state convention each AS
sembly District had the same repre-.