New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-08
MIR. Barnes Stoops to Conquer.


oatoripc NJ Mr. harness authority In the Kepup-
liam r.r,x Tho machine threw It's strength to Mi.
Sveet and the presumption IL that 1t has some
understanding with him. the report being that the
earnes candidate for Speaker. Mr.. Human, VIII oe
mazda aoor leader I'm that case through his hnesse
tho state chairman will control the organization Oh
The Assembly But he gains his end only nj the cos'
of diminished prestige. He wins Only through 'ne
d,visjop of his onponents and he is not able to- eect
the man whom he really wished to make speaker
rho on,ostjpn will certainly feel encouraged TO
keep up their fight for majority of the hepuo-
,i,,n ,uo,bers of the Assembly really progress
sive If Il could have been united upon single can
didae.
Aside from holding out encouragement for the
future the result does not greatly benefit the Re-
publican party. The power of the state chairman
though shaken is not broken in the Republican AS
Sembly And Mr.. Sweet, though on the list OF eau
didaes approvcd ny the progressive leaders. has yet
L, prove his progressive words by his deeds Inc
Tribune strongly preferred Mr.. Sullivan and Mr.
Horton TO Mr.. Sweet for exactly the opposite rea-
sons TO those which led Mr.. Barnes to prefer MI
Sweet 10 Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Horton. record or
Mr. sweets votes upon important progressive legs
lation tells the story. He voted against the hfty
in factories he was not recorded on the work
mems conversation law which passed at the
regular session: he voted against direct primaries
last year every time the bill had chance of becoin
ing law though he voted for his party's bill, which
had no change of passage. or Mr.. Hammond
elected as Clerk. ii is necessary only to recall that
When he was last elected to TINT place Ray B. Smith
was known his sponsor
Nor is the general scheme OF amendment of the
rules agreed upon farreaehing enough to cure all
Nhe evils i'm Assembly procedure that might and
should be cured. Limitation of the time for intro
duction of local and private legislation was excel
lent The provisions for publicity Of committee ac-
tioD aud requirements for quorum votes reporting
Of bills are goos too But the supposed limitation of
The power Of the Rules Committee is not likely to
prove a sufficient step forward That body will not
have supreme control Of legislation at the end Of
session. and will not he In position to sand
bag bride Legislators by action on their pet meas
ures II also will not have the ability to untangle
the inevitable snarI Of legislation at the sessions
end and the individual committees will have hold
UP power bills which the Rules Committee for
merly possessed And the Speaker will continue TO
appoint committees, power which the more pro-
sressive House Of Representatives In Washington
has taken away from It's presiding officer in order to
prevent the creation of a legislative machine
Even Il Mr.. Barnes has stolen a march on them
in organizing the Legislature the progressves are
numerous enough TO make their influence felt upon
the course of legislation. Let them see to 1t that the
Republican party makes record in the Assembly
upon which it can safely 90 before the voters next
fan
Here Is Mr. Sweets test and opportunity. The
progressives of the party look TO him to demon
strate his freedom from machine influence and his
sympathy with progressive measures BY living up
TO the hopes Of the progressive majority he can win
an assured place in the party. In this work The
Tribune wishes the new Speaker all success May
he disappont his machine supporters and confound
his critics.