New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-07
REPUBLICAN 0. K.
ON CONSTITUTION
State Committee SmOt'lers
Barnes Opposition and
Carries Resolution.
BELTS CRIED DOWN
IN DISSENTING SPEECH
Organization Plans Address 70
Public in Favor OF Instru
ment's Adoption.

Considerable opposition 60 the Re
publican organizations Endorsement OF
The proposed new state constitution on
the part Of friends OF William Barnes
petered out al the meeting OF the state
committee yesterday.
The Barnes people got just eight
votes on a motion 70 table the resolu-
ton o. indorsement and seventy were
cast against such action. Inc resolu-
tion then went through unanimously on
q viva voce vote. II was a hlg victory
for Frederick C.. Tanner. state CHAIR
man. who called the special meeting Tor
tho purpose of putting the ofEani-a-
ton on record for the CON titut'ou.
The argument against tine proposed
action were chat tac farmers upstate
wore m many eases opposed 10 the
and that many Republicans
had not decided what stand they want
ed TO take. It was urged that the con-
stitution was supposed TO be non
partisan document, and that II the Re
publican party approved and II was
defeated It would be black eye for
the party.
The eight men who voted TO table
the resolution we're Ellis J. Staley. john
H. Rea and Senator Henry NJ. Sage. the
three committeeman from Albany. home
Of Mr.. Barnes; Matthew Heeran. OF
Rensselaer,; Clarence Schuster, proxy
for r. G.. Robinson, OF Tompklns;
Charles II. Belts. Of Wayne County;
c. Fred Boshsrt, OF Lewis. and former
Senator Merton Z. Lewis. OF Monroe.
The mot; on to table was made by Mr'
Lewis, who argued that the organlZa-
tion should not take stand on me
constitution as il was matter Tor the
individual voter to determine.
Belts Fights Motion.
The resolution. as originally offered
by Charles B. Sears, of Erie. was
changed after William II. Smythe and
others showed some oppos ton TO IN
dorsing the apportionment and tax M
ticles. II was pointed out, however.
that they were not an integral part OF
the constitution and would be sub
mitted separately. The resolution as
finally passed read; ...
"Resolved: That the revised constltu-
ton adopted by the Constitution Con-
vention embodies the constructive pro-
1ramme of the Republican party for
the Improvement of the state govern
ment as declared in the successive con.
ventions of the party, and is entitled
70 have the votes OF Republicans cast
in favor Of its approval"
Charles II. Belts complained that the
notice of the meeting had not explained
the sub ect 10 be discussed, ana that
the upstate members were for that rea-
son not present. There were eighty
two out Of total of $50 members pres
emit in person or by proxy. II was not
only a mistake to try TO bind Republi-
cans to the constitution, Mr.. Belts said,
hut inasmuch as the labor interests
we're opposing the document, an in
dorsement by the Republican organiza-
ton would be in the nature Of a slap
at labor
When the Wayne County editor went
or TO assert that the constitution had
been prepared solely with the interests
OF New York City at heart a NUMBER
of upstate men got up TO protest
Among them were James ). Whlpple,
of Cattaraugus; Hubert Vaudeville, OF
Chemung: Frank l.. Young, OF west
chester, and Representative James ,;
Parker, Of Washington. They pointed
out that only five Republican members
of the Constitutional Convention voted
against submitting il to the people, and
that majority of the Republican men,
bers came from upstate.
Plan Address to People.
Chairman Tanner said he would re-
gret exceedingly having any impression
20 out that the committee was divided
"The party is not divided" he said,
"and | don't believe the feeling exists
that il is divided. Most of the county
committees have Endorsed the constitu-
ton. and we take it up now IN regular
course. The constitution carries out
the Republican platform, and we have
no right 10 say that il is not doeu-
ment that should be adopted."
Colonel Lafayette 3. Gleason, secre-
tary Of the committee, said he was OPP
posed to indorsing the constitution, but
would not vote against the resolution.
The chairman was empowered to APP
point a committee of three TO present
an address 20 the people in favor OF
the adoption of the constitution. He
will announce the names in few days.
The following committees were an
nounced: Finance, George ". Aid
ridge. Of Monroe; Ellis j. Staley, of
Albany; Frederick d. Kilburn. OF
Philip Elting. Of Ulster;
Alfred Z. Vass, Of Kings; Fred W.
Hammond, Of Onondaga; VI. Jesse
Brayton. Of Oneida. Law, b. w. B.
Brown, Of New York; Charles b. Sears,
Of Erie; Jacob Bremen, Of Kings;
Mortimer b. Patterson, of Rockland,
and Frank l.. Young, Of Wcstchestcr.
The meeting wound up with a dis