New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-25
Governor Tells Senate That the
"DireCt Primary" Measure
Is a Breach of Faith
with the Voters.
CALLS IT A "SUBTERFUGE"
Governor Declines to Become a
Political Hypocrite" by Sign
ing the Act, and Says Many
Good Words for His
Own Plan.
BY Telegraph To The Tribune.


and "a stone when the people want
bread" Governor Sulzer sent a message
TO the Senate tonight vetoing the
Blauvelt direct primary" bill, the ma
chimes measure To improve" the Tam
manyized direct primary act Of 1911.
The MESA % was not read to the Sen
ate, so it's members did not have q
chance to register their views regarding
the Governors declarations that the
passage of tn; b" was a breach Of
faith with the voters and that he would
become a political hypocrite if he signed
IL. mo political party can make me a
political hypocrite," Mr.. Sulzer declared
in his message.
The message contained many good
words for the Governors own bill. As
a matter Of fact, the Governor is earn
estly "press-agenting" that bill and the
hearing on ii which he arranged for
Saturday. kilograms are going out
from the executive chamber by the
score addressed to persons in all parts
of the state urging them To bring dele
cations 10 the hearin Letters on the
executive chambers stationery also are
being sent out for the same purpose.
"Press. aeentine" Governors Bill.
Chester G. Plat, the Governors sec
retary. has been sending out over his
signature as secretary TO the Governor
II Of inc telling
the recipients how 10 stir up enthusi-
asm for the Governors bill. Among
the instructions are for the Sulzer en-
thusiasts 10 ret the oranges. labor
mems associations to pass resolutions
faVoring the bill: To labor with the
newspapers TO get favorable mention
TO call on local clcrgymcn and enlist
their support, and TO food legislators
with letters and kilograms in the Sui
zer cause.
The Governor is not conhning his
Ia bors for the hill To press agent work.
He has been putting the screws" on
upstate legislators so hard that most Of
them have tho idea that II they don't
vote as the Governor wants them TO
their legislation will have no favor from
him. Others express the fear that II
they stapd out against him they will
lose patronage Of certain state depart
mcnts which s important I'm their dis
tricts. Such considerations in spite Of
t,.,t br I'a nv ma 81 btpo ne
against the bill. have caused about
twenty Of the upstate Democratic AS
scmblymen To say they will vote for the
bill
NO political party can make mo a
political hypocrite." Governor Sulzer
declares i'm his message 10 the Senate.
and he asserts that his state wide"
direct primary bill will carry out the
pledges of the Democratic, Republican
and Progressive parties. adding that
the LEGISLATURE should not adjourn
until his bill is enacted
Only "a Miserable Makeshift."
The Blauvelt bill. according TO the
Governor. "cla inns 10 he the fulhlment
OF the pledges Of the last Democratic,
Republican and Progressive state plat
forms. and purports 10 change and per
feet existing primary and election laws
in establishing genuine statewide di-
rect primaries for all candidates TO be
elected by the people.
"As a matter Of fact. the bill is a
fraud and does nothing OF the kind AT
best il is a miserable makeshift.'
The Governor says he is convinced
that the slight amendments made to
the existing laws are mere patchwork.
changing only a few minor details that
clearly demonstrate a design to tinker
with a grave subject by way OF subter-
fuge. in order to deceive the voters.
These amendments" he continues.
will accomplish no honest reform, and
would read lik, an amusing farce II II
were moi for the fact that the members
Of the present Legislature who sane
tiorod its enactment are irrevocably
pledged and bound by the highest moral
and politicaI obligations to pass an
honest and genuine statewide direct
primary law.
.Hence. in the light OF all we know
corcorn,po this measure IL must be
branded as enacted In bad raith'
wholly fraudulent and glaring breach
Of the pledged faith OF every member OF
the Legislature. There is no escape
from this conclusion
Governor Sulzer points out what he
considers the many shortcomings Of
the hill" and declares 1T does not ex-
tard tho system of direct nomina tions
in any wav." While he admits the bill
contains good features, he says these
arc all contained in his primary bill.
Necessity Of Legislation.
"Whep We consider the waste. the ex-
,r,vagancc. the inefficiency and the
corruption." continues the Governor.
(Which have recently been brought to
ught IN connection with the admin
;stration OF public affairs In our state.
ard which are the cause OF painful hu-
initiation TO every thoughtful and patri-
otic citizen. all due, In no small degree,
70 the fact that in recent years political
power has been gradually slipping
| Continued on second page. seventh column