New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
SHORT BALLOT
VICTORY In SIGHT;
OLD GUARD QUITS
Tanner Delays Surgeons
Knife to Continue Work
for Reform.
CONVENTION WORK
NEARING AN END
Friction Expected on Amend
ment Barring City from Having
Majority in the Senate.

a Majority in the Senate.
From a star Correspondent Of The Trbuns.l
Albany, Aug. 29.-The Constitutional
Convention will begin its last week
of preparing amendments tomorrow
morning with resumption Of the de-
bate on the Tanner short ballot pro-
posal. The vote on this measure, which
has stirred up more hard feeling than
any bill yet discussed, will not be taken
until late Monday night or Tuesday.
Frederick Tanner. who is leading the
fight for the bill, although ordered to
New York on Saturday TO be operated
on for appendicitis, will remain here
until the vote is taken: Then he will
be hurried to the operating table.
William +. McCombs, chairman Of
the Democratic National Committee,
who came here tonight, is a strong ad-
vocate of the Tanner proposal. lie will
remain until tomorrow night.
81 have noted with satisfaction that
the Democrats in the convention who
have spoken on the short ballot article
are in favor Of it," said Mr.. McCombs.
The Tanner proposal can be voted for
by any Democrat, for it was one of the
platform pledges of the Democratic
party last year was one of the
members of the committee. which
drafted il"
The old guard has given up hope Of
defeating the bill, which leaves only
four state officials on the ballot-the
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Con-
troller and Attorney General and sim
plfes the state government by consoh-
dating the 152 bureaus and depart
ments under fifteen heads, to be ap-
pointed by the Governor.
OF he forty proposed amendments to
the constitution. the one likely to cause
the greatest friction is the bill of the
committee on legislative organizS ton,
which prohibits any city from ever hav-
ing a majority in the Senate, regardless
of its population. II New York Gay had
equal representation now it would con-
troll both houses of the Legislature. as
its population is far greater than that
of the rest OF the state combined.
To Act on Direct Primaries.
Other measures not yet advanced, but
which will come up this week, are
those proposed by John G.. Sake, of
New York, and Patrick j. Tierney, of
Plattsburg, for restoring party con-
ventions and killing direct primaries
These two bills. one introduced by a
Democrat and the other by a Republi-
can, have the support of the majority
of the 168 delegates. Fear of popular
disfavor may keep sufficient number
Of the delegates from acting as they
would like, and thus prevent any jeop-
ardizing Of direct primaries.
The ill of rights amendment also
will be acted on this week. The chief
features of this are: Allowing juries
in first degree murder cases to impose
the death penalty or a life sentence;
allowing an accused person to waive
Jury trial when the offence charged car
ries a punishment not exceeding five
years; granting limited eminent do
main to private water power COM
panies.
Some of the more important bills to
be acted on are:
Extending the terms Of Governor and
Lieutenant Governor to four years and
increasing the Governors salary from
$4,000 to $4,000.
Herbert Parsons's proposal giving the
Legislature power to prohibit sweat
shop work.
Provision for Private Bills.
George W. Wickersham's amendment
providing that the English system of
introducing private or local bills shall
obtain here Under its provisions these
bills would have TO be filed with the
Secretary of State fifteen days before
the opening Of the legislative session,
and the petitions for the bill would
have to state in writing the reasons
for the need Of the legislative grant.
The petitioners must publish a copy of
their bill in the localities affected be-
fore introducing IT, and the Attorney
General shall epresent the state at the
hearings on the bill before the proper
legislative committee.
Ray b. Smiths bill providing for a
simpler method of impeachment.
Frederick c. Tanners bill extend
ing the period in which the Governor
shall act after the adjournment of the
Legislature from thirty TO sixty days.
Herbert Parsons's proposal that
nothing in this constitution shall limit
the power of the Legislature 10 enact
laws necessary for the protection of
the lives. health, safety, morals or well
fare Of employees"
Only seven amendments nave been
disposed of by the convention TO date
OF these three were killed. OF the four
passed, three we're preyented by Alnet
r. Latson, of Brooklyn, and affected
the militia. The main one gave the
Legislature power TO determine the
qualifications of commissioned and
non commissioned officers The fourth
was H. Leroy Austin's amendment
abolishing the emergency message of
the Governor. The three killed were:
William Barnes's proposal prohibiting
the Legislature from lssing "privi-
lege" bills, which would have the ef-
feet of preventing any more so-called
social welfare legislation; H. Leroy
Austin's proposal to wipe out section
l3 of the bill of rights, thus making
TEN; Charles II. oung's literacy test
for voters.
Bills Ready for Passage.
Among the eighteen bills advanced
TO the order Of final passage and which
will be passed this week the more i'm
portant are:
Judiciary article making the Court
Of General Sessions and the City Court
Of Manhattan city wide and abolish
ing the county courts This also gives
the Legislature power to provide that
magistrates in New York City shan
be elected, instead OF appointed by the
Mayor.
Public Utilities Committee bill max