New-York tribune., 1921-05-04
Governor Signs
Bill Res stOring
The leC,Onventiora
Candidates for State and
Judicial Offices Are To
Be Nominated by Official
Party Gatherings as Of Old
Primaries for Delegates
Measure Giving Tax Depart
ment Transfer Levies,
Also Approved by Miller
Fross . STAT Ccrcspordexs


Frop STAFF Correspondents
4 ALBANY. May 3.--The Whitley bill.
providing for the designation Of candi-
dates for state and Judicial offices by
scficial nominating conventions, was
approved by Governor Miller to-day.
While It had been anticipated that the
Governor would approve the measuresl
it was somewhat of surprise to many
that it was signed without hearing.
Goytxncr. Miller issued no memoyan-
dunn in attacking his signature to the
bill nor did he comment on il.
The measure, which WAS drafted by
the Whitley committee created last
year to re-codify the election laws.
provides for . partial return to the old
oficial convention system. II affords
two definite checks, hpwevex, which
would initiate against the, reastablish-
ing Of boss control. IN the first place,
veptions are to be elected In direct
primaries, and that any person who
can get $50 signatures on petition
can become a candidate for delegate.
This provision, it is claimed, would
eliminate any possibility for hand
picked delegates to conventions.
Court to Decide Contests
Another feature is the absence Of the
convention committee on contested
seats, with its arbitrary powers. The
measure provides that after primary
elections, list Of the delegates primary
are to be submitted to the Secretary
>of State, who shall certify the lists Of.
delegates. and submit them in Sturn to
thA "a >, = Sn>l ~ -
holding conventions. Where there are
any contests these are brought before
the Supreme Court in the district
where the primary election took place.
The enactment of the Whitley bill
ends three-year fight to amend the
present primary law. It has been main
tanned that the present primary system
was expensive and wasteful and did
not function properly. One Of the
contentious was that only rich men
could afford. to enter the primaries
because of the tremendous cost of a
primary campaign.
In signing the bill, Governor Miller
redeemed one of his campaign pledges.
The restoration of the official nominat-
ing convention also WAS one OF the
planks in the Saratoga platform.
Another bill signed by Governor
Miller was the Davenport measure,
which gives the new State Tax De-
partment supervision over the collec-
tion Of transfer taxes by placing the
Inheritance Tax Bureau, now part Of
the Comptroller's office, under the
jurisdiction of the Tax Department.
Transfer Tax Attorneys Remain
The measure carries out, to a large
extent, recommendations made by Gov
ernor Miller in his annual message to
the Legislature. The only respect in
which it falls short Of reaching the
mark set by the Governor is in regard
to transfer tax attorneys and apprais-
ers. The Governor wanted to discon-
tinue these Offices, which in the past
have cost the state huge sums Of money
annually, but there was considerable
opposition to this program in the
! Legislature.
With the exception Of the bill trans
I; the Secretary of States Office to the
(: Tax Department, Governor Miller has
s virtually signed all of the major bills
relating to tax matters and which are
!. part of the program to consolidate the
4 various tax collecting agencies OF the
i state. 1t is anticipated he will sign
/ this measure in the near future.
The Governor also approved the
!. Ferris bill, providing for the appoint
/ ment of commissioner of farms anc
I markets in the Farms and Markets De
partment. The commissioner, who !,
: to receive $4,000 year, will be named
{ by the Farms and Markets Council
which is continued. Dean w. A. Manr
& Of Cornell has been mentioned for thu
= Job While the enactment of this bill
4 tends to establish single-headed con
troll in the Farms and Markets Depart
ment the existing two subdivision!
6 will be continued with commissions,
Z of agriculture and commissioners q
( foods and markets In charge OF eacl
division. These two commissioners arr
Commissioner, who may remove then
at his will and has power to fix thei
3 salaries.
4 Bill Affecting Women Signed
Other bills eigned by the Governo'
( include the Smith bill, amending th'
state labor law in respect to the EN-
+ ployment at night of women proc
s readers. The measure amends the nigh
statute for women, SO as to make i
possible for women over the age o
twenty-one to work as proof reader
3 between the hours of 10 o'clock a
= night and 6 o'clock in the morning. a
& Governor Miller also signed the bill
x transforming the Eastern New Yor'
Rcformatory at Nappanoch into a stat
institution for mentally defectiv
4 prisoners. This paves the way for tn
: adoption of q segregation system whicl
will work to the advantage Of prisp
morale.
Another bill dealing with reforms
tory matters to receive the Governor,
"a signature was the McGinnis bill, eaiml
mating the provision that the supeEir
teudent of the New York State RefoI
matory for Women at Bedford mus
& be woman. The measure stipulate
that the board Of managers shall selec
Z q superintendent who must be q phys
clan with at least Ave years Of autu,
practice to his or her credit.