New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-17
TANNER AGAINST
REVIVING PARTY
CONVENTION PLAN
Republican Chairman Says
He Will Seek to Defeat
Proposals.
STATE TO CONTROL
ALL CITY SCHOOLS
But Local Power Over Teach
ers' Salaries Favored by Edu-
cation Committee.

From stan Correspondent O. The Tribune
Albany, July l6.-Frederick c. Tan
ner, chairman of the Republican State
Committee, in an interview tonight
with The Tribune's correspondent, an
nounced he would use all his influence
to defeat the proposed amendments 20
the constitution providing for the res
toration of the party convention sys-
TEN Of nominating candidates. which,
indirectly, would mean the death OF
direct primaries.
The interview followed the action of
the Committee on Governor and Other
State officers, of which he is chairman.
The committee voted unanimously
against the SAKE amendment re-estab-
fishing party conventions. 1t would
have done the same with the Tierney
amendment, which has the same pur-
pose in view, had it been referred to 1t.
"The Constitutional Convention is
not the place to determine how the
people or political parties shall NOM
mate candidates" said Mr.. Tanner.
THAT was the spirit animating the
committee when II GnaHiTn ousiy voted
that the SAKE amendment should not
be adopted by the convention. This is
not the proper subject for constltu-
tional provision"
Action Not a Surprise.
The action of the Tanner committee
did not come as a surprise TO those who
knew of its informal vote of 10 10 2
against the SAKE plan on July 3.
The majority of the delegates favor
the restoration of party conventions,
the mainstays of political machines.
But they fear public wrath, and this,
with Chairman Tanners influence, may
defeat the SAKE and Tierney proposals
when they come up before the conven-
ton.
The Committee on Education, of
which Jacob Gould Schurman, presi-
dent of Cornell, is chairman, decided
not to grant New York City its request
for local autonomy in school affairs.
Not only that, but it reported out a
proposed amendment which if adopted
would prevent the city for the next
twenty years from controlling its
schools. unless the constitution were
amended.
State to Control Schools.
The Schurman committee amendment
would insert before the present com
mon schools section declaring the Leg
islature shall provide for the mainte-
nance and support of the free common
schools system, the following:
THE state shall continue its super
vision and control of the education of
children as a state function and no
powers in derOgation thereof shall be
conferred upon the local authorities of
any civil division thereof"
The amendment was decided upon in
anticipation of the adoption of a cities
home rule amendment,
The Committee on Education has
practically agreed upon a proposal TO
permit localities to determine the
amount to be raised each year for
schools and how il shall be spent.
This would allow New York City TO
reduce the salaries of school teachers,
which is the avowed purpose Of the
present administration. Incidentally, il
would mean the end of appeals to the
Legislature by Manhattan teachers for
increases in salary or other things de
MED them by the city authorities.
The Bill of Rights Committee will
probably report favorably a proposal
making Imprisonment for life manda-
tory where an insanity plea is inter
posed in a murder trial. The Cover
nor's power to pardon in such a case
would also be abrogated. This change
is believed to be necessary to prevent
fake pleas Of insanity on the part Of
defendants in murder trials.