New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-08
TANINANl JOINS
BRACKET PLAN
TO KILL PRIMARY
WagnerACcepts Challenge
to Deliver Votes for
ReappOrtiOnment.
tFrom a san Correspondent os The r-lbr-o

tfrom stan Correspondent n The Triburcl
Albany, July 7.-Upstate Eepubli-
cans, with ex-senator Edgar Truman
Bracket, Of Saratoga, as their leader.
and the Tammany delegates to the Con-
stitutional Convention, have formed an
alliance to reapportion the Legislature
and to restore the party convention.
This became known to-day after SEN
ator Bracket and Senator Robert F.
Wagner, the minority leader of the Sen
ate, and the chief spokesman of Tam
many Hall in that body, had confer
encc at the close of the session.
IF you can persuade the Democratic
delegates who wear silk sox that this
convention ought to take up reappor-
tiorment. and II you deliver their votes,
| promise to - the rest, and you will
have fairer rcapportionment than YOU
could get from a hostile Legislature"
was the invitation of the Saratoga in
surgent TO Senator Wagner.
hat sounds good TO me, person.
ally replied Senator WAGNER. Pm
strong for that very thing, and [ think
can persuade the few Who want to
leave this matter to- the Legislature
that they are wrong"
Root Against Proposals.
Senator Root, George W. Wickors-
ham, Frederick c. Tanner and other
leaders Of the convention have from
'lme 10 time succeeded in temporarily
Siding the efforts Of Senator b. ckett
and his tlrst lieutenant, Ray B. smith.
OF Syracuse, toward a redistribution
OF the state. Now that most Of the
Democratic delegate have lined up
behind the Saratoga Syracuse machine.
II seems likely that Messrs. Bracket
and Smith will have their way
The Tribune corrCsp pendent was also
informed that Brac6ctt. Smith and
wagner have also agreed on corstitu-
tlonal provision for party conventions
II this plan should &C through. and
IS ratified at the poIg, direct pri
mar!es would be ended and election
reforms enacted into law would be
abolished
That Bracket has quiet but
powerful following behind him ia an
open secret. There are prominent
men in the convention who. because
OF the fear that their political futures
may be blasted, dare rot come out
openly in favor Of restoring the marty
convention system or of reaupoition-
ment.
Senator Bracket has promised the
Democrats for their support he will see
that New York City gets control of tho
Assembly. He has won over a big slice
Of the upstate delegates by promising
them domination of the Senate through
a scheme Of having one Senator from
each county. This would give New
York City but five Senators, against
the iifty-seven from upstate.
City Democrats Praise Plan.
While this territorial apportionment
Of Senate districts does not find too
much favor with the Tammany con-
tingent, New York City Democrats are
loud IN their prai Sc of Senator Bracket
FOR his apportIonment Of Assembly dis
tricts, based on population. This would
insure the city's controlling the lower
house by a safe majority, which they
argue is better than nothing.
Senator Brackets committee on leg
islatiye organization will present both
propositions 10 the convention probably
this week. And there are Republicans
whose words carry weight, who declare
that Bracket will win. There will be
some opposition, but few believe it
will be serious.
Before Senator Brackets committee
to-day Harold J. Human, majority
leader of the Assembly. urged the ia
vorable consideration Of his proposed
amendment providing for monthly ses-
sionS of tha legislature