New-York tribune., 1913-07-20
NEW STATE COMMITTEE
BILL FAVORS LEADERS
Change in the Basis of Member
ship Would Strengthen Both
Barnes and Murphy.
PASSED BY THE SENATE
Sulzer May Use Veto in Order to
Prevent Increase of Tam
many Power Provided
by Measure.

Those who have studied the bill now be-
fore the Legislature at Albany providing
for the organization of new state COM
mIttees Of the various parties under def
mite rules laid down therein say II IS easy
to see why ii has the support OF Wliiiam
Barnes. jr, and Charles F. Murphy the
leader OF Tammany Hall. Committees so
constituted would be unquestionably un-
der the domination of those leaders. WIN
Governor Sulzer making plans to throw
Murphy out Of the state Democratic leao-
ership and a growing movement 10 force
Mr. Barnes out OF the craftsmanship or
the Republican State Committee such an
increase I'm their power as would be gwen
to the leaders under such a law would De
most welcome 10 them
The bill has already passed the Senate
and those back Of il say II will be passed
by the Assembly this week. What the
Governor Will do with 1t is problematicai'
but political wiseacres say he VIII make
the mistake Of his life II he allows II
to become law.
The present law says In regard 10 sIale
committees that they shall consist OF
such numbers and be elected from sucn
units Of representation in even numbered
wears as the respective parties shall pro-
vide by rules and regulations adopted
AZ A state convention at which state OIL
hcers are nominated"
The Republicans elect their state com
mitteemen according to Congress districts
one for each district, or forty-three IN
81. Cf 4
are in New York City, giving the leaders
here a majority OF the members Of the
committee. All the memters from this
city are not against Barnes, but with
Erie and possibly some other districts
those who are would hold the balance
against the present state chairman.
The Democrats elect their state commit
tee according to Senate districts. Their
committee has a total Of fifty-one mem
bers. or this number only twenty-five
come from New York City. leaving Tam
many I'm the minority. In the case OF each
committee now each member has only
one vote.
Bill Means Increase.
With such a law as is proposed all
would be changed 20 the advantage or
both Murphy and Barnes The bill pro-
yldes that the state committees shall he
composed Of one member from each AS
sembly district, a total OF 10. 1t further
provides that each member shall have
one vote for his district and one addi-
t!onal vote for each 1000 votes and major
fraction thereof cast for the last candi-
date OF the party for Governor. That
means that Murphy will gain tremendous
ly in this city where the Democratic
vote lies and that Barnes will profit
through the bulk Of the Republican vote
coming from upstate.
The basis OF representation is the same
as has been used In making up Repub-
ucan state conventions for years, and
the number OF votes IN the state commit
tee would he the same as I'm state con-
vention The basis or representation I'm
Democratic state conventions is three
delegates from each Assembly district.
or a total OF 40 delegates ir all.
Taking the basis OF the vote cast for
Sulzer and for Hedges last fall, as is pro-
vdcd FOR by the law, there would be olo
votes In the Republican state Committee
and between go and 1000 IN the Demo-
cratic State Committee or more than
twice as many in n Democratic state con-
ventiou.
Take the case Of the Republican staIe