New-York tribune., 1918-02-17
State Leaders Alarmed by
Contemplated Action of
State Agriculturists
Drive at Primary Law
Foes of Whitman Said To Be
Back of the New
Movement
TStaf Correspondence

ALBANY, Feb. 16.-The formation OF
an agrarian party in this state. pat
termed on the lines of the Farmers
Non Partisan League of the Dakotas
and other Western states, is expected
to result from conference of agri-
culturists to be held next Wednesday
in Syracuse.
This and the appointment Of COM
nlittee of nine Senators to consider a
revision of the direct primary law are
the two big events of the political
calendar.
The committee has nothing except the
most perfunctory sort of work to do,
for the matter it is to consider has al
ready practically been agreed upon at
conferences presided over by Elon r.
Brown, majority leader Of the Senate.
At these conferences a partial repeal
of the direct primary law was decided
upon and bill to accomplish this was
drafted.
Its chief provisions are: Restoration
OF the state party convention for the
selection of candidates for state Offices
SAAo HA' JoUiSioIy Ill
county tickets to be selected as the
people of the county may determine,
either by the method of county con-
ventions or by direct primary; the
delegates to the conventions to be Sc
lected at party primaries.
Eager for Old Conditions
So keen is the desire of the average
organization man, Democrat or Re-
publican, to return to the old hand
picking method of selecting candidates
that the appointment of the COM
mittee of nine Senators was placed in
the hands OF Lieutenant Governor
Schoeneck, an ardent follower of Gov
crnor Whitman.
Governor Whitman is on record as
saying he would veto any direct lri-
mary repeal measure the Legislature
may send to him. Thus, while Mr.
Schoeneck can pick any nine men he
wishes, the anti Whitman forces feel
that, no matter who is named, ma
jorjty of the committee will report in
favor of a revision of the law as
planned at the Brown conferences.
Senator George F. Argetsinger, of
Rochester, who has compiled statistics
primaries have been to the taxpayers,
is slated for the Craftsmanship Of the
committee
1t is not unlikely that Mr.. Schoeneck
at the last moment may refuse to ap-
point committee. He has said he has
no power to appoint under the rules of
the Senate. His refusal would mean
the repassage of the resolution amend
ed to put the appointive power in the
hands of Majority Leader Brown.
Friends of Governor Whitman charge
that the entire programme to repeal
the direct primary law is an attempt
on the part Of his foes to kill off his
third term ambitions. And to his foes
they lay the authorship of the passage
of the resolutions by three farmers
organizations in the last two weeks
asking the Senate not to confirm the
Governor S appointments to the Farms
and Markets Council and calling for
the RESIGNATION of Charles Belts. sec
retary of the council.
Farmers Playing Deep Game
The farmers are playing a deeper
game of politics than MANY suspect
There is great deal of dissatisfaction
among them, chiefly due to failure to
Obtain labor and supplies because of
war conditions. One of the most ron
resentative bodies of farmers Of The
state. the New York Federation of Az
flculturlsts, with branches in every
county In the state except two. has
ISSUED call to all farmers to attend q
mass meeting in Syracuse Wednesday
lHe call emphasizes the need OIL one
representative body of farmers in the
state, and politicians of all shades are
gong to be on hand when the farmers
meet to persuade them not to carry ont
their plans of forming political
party
Silas L. Strivings is president Of tho
federation. In his announcement of the
mass meeting he said:
"One of the objects of The orean;za-
tion is to enable the farmers to speak
IN united way upon questions of pub
lie concern, and at this time there are
many such-the problems of farm
labor. price fixing, prohibition as
war measure, the farmer and leeisla-
ton. both state and national.
zone of the big problems is how the
farmer can best serve the nation and
do his part in winning the war. It
has been charged that the reason the
farmer IS not represented at Washing
ton Is that no representative organiza-
tions exist"
farmers political organization in
this state is not regarded bv either
Democrats or Republicans with favor.
They have before them the Farmers
Partisan Alliance of the Middle
West. which has put it's own tickets in
the field, frequently electing them