The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-21
REPUBLICANS TOT
FOR CONVENTIONS
New York County Committee
Favors Returning to Old
Nominating System.
WOMAN SIGNS REPORT
Minority Recommendation for
Hinman-Grecn Plan Lost
After Two Hours Debate.

b. vote of practically to l the Re-
rublican County Committee went on rec
ord last night as favorlng a return to the
convention system of nominating all
Marty candidates. After an exhaustive
debate for two hours a minority report
1avoring practically the. system Advo-
Gated in the Hinman-Green bill ten years
ago. conventions or meetings of desig-
mating committees chosen the year be-
fore with an appeal from the nominal
tons at later primary. was defeated.
The majority report was presented by
Charles f. Heydt. leader of the Ninth
district. and signed also by Mrs. Georgia
Il wentz, Robert w. Bonynee. president
Of the Republican Club: ex-senator
Nathaniel A. Elsberg. Ezra P. Prentice.
former chairman of the State commit
zee: Herman Hoffman. leader OF the
sixteenth district. and Mary Wood. The
minority report was written by Robert
p Lewis and was signed also by Stanley
NJ. Isaacs and Miss Clara Stiles.
Martin c. Ansorge., who also dis
scented from the majority report of the
committee which had been appointed at
the meeting a month ago. said he agreed
with the principles OF the Lewis report,
an appeal from nominating conventions,
but did not believe In having the county
committee try to fix the details.
The Heydt report favored the election
Of delegates to party conventions at
direct primaries, the issuance OF certih-
Gates TO such delegates to be by legal
election bodies and that there should
be no appeal from such certificates ex-
cept through the courts.
Old Abuses Eliminated.
The committee feels the report
read. that in making the foregoing
recommendation the abuses of the con-
venton system as 1t existed, have been
eliminated and that by these means the
voters may give full. complete and free
expression to their opinions and beliefs
and that a method will be established
enabling the accredited party repre-
sentatives to make declarations of its
principles and ideals. adopt platforms
binding upon the party candidates and
deal with issues rather than PERSONAL
ties"
The minority report provided for a
primary in September at which mem
bers of State and county committees
should be elected. Mr.. Lewis would
have party conventions for the sue.
ceeding year. with the exception Of the
state convention, made up of these com.
mitteemen, the members of a committee
for political unit to be made up OF
the county committeeman and the STATE
committeeman in the unit.
The delegates TO the State conven.
ton he would have selected In Assembl!
hx, No ~
and the State committeeman OF the dis
trlct. Meetings of these committees foI
domination would under the Lewis
scheme be known as party conventions
After their nominations me mbers OF the
party would have a chance to put w
opposition candidates for the nomination
in the succeeding primaries. II Their,
should be no opposition TO a candidate
he would not go on the primary ballot
Wants Party to show Courage.
THE minority report is simply I
straddle." declared Mr.. Bonynges "Thi
is time when a political party mus
have the courage of its convictions. TIL,
minority report has all the faults o
both the convention system and tn
rect primary system and has the merits
Of neither.
I'VE lost a Mayor OF New York he
cause of the direct primary system.
sid former Senator Albert Ottinger
The Republican Governor of New Yorl
was defeated because OF the petty spit,
brought out in the primaries. We viii
lot get rid of Bolshevism until we ge
away from the direct primary system
a system that appeals to popular clamor
! respect the sober judgment of the PEG
Ie, but we do not get II now"
Mrs, Holden Weeks, widow Of tn,
former Deputy Fire Commissioner. wa!
the only woman who spoke.
I'VE do not want anything forced upor