The record-union., 1897-08-22
SPECIAL AGENCIES.
THE NOMINATING SYSTEM.


The longest and most elaborate mag
azine essay of his life is that which
E. L. Gcdkin, the erudite editor of
the New York Post" contributed re-
Gently to the Atlantic Monthly on
THE Nominating System" The paper
is quite too long for ordinary review;
it is too elaborate for complete analy-
sis in a single editorial article.
While it is not free from error, in the
opinion of the "Record-Union," and is
rather more pessimistic than the his
tory of the country justifes. it is so
well charged with truth, and most of
its conclusions are reached by such log
ical processes, that we wish the paper
could be read, not only by every voter,
but by those who are about to become
active participants in the privileges and
duties of the elective franchise.
We make note of some of the points
made by the essayist, whose political
observation has been from the stand
point Of severe critic, with ardent de-
to the ideal. He protests against the
promoted idea that the primary is a
scheme upon which the republic rests.
That it was intended as foundation
corner stone is true, but that by ne
glect and chicane it has become merely
a part of 'the machine" every observ-
ant man will be ready to concede, and
to agree with Mr.. Godkin, who con-
tends that really the primary is a nov
city in a democracy, the principle of
which does not define the manner in
which candidates shall be picked out.
In more primative stages communi-
ties picked their candidates from men
eminent in their eyes. But that period
has passed with us. Candidates do not
wait to be called; they offer, and ua-
der the reform ballot system we have
invited any and all men to nominate
themselves, a practice the essayist
does not think an improvement, but
concerning which we think him in
error for all the reasons that led to
the adoption of the system, unneces-
sary here to recount.
The first suggestion for a nominating
convention came in 1922 in a call for
delegates to meet in Washington and
name a Republican (old party) candi-
date for the Presidency. This conven-
ton was expected to come direct from
the people Of the party, and thus in
the best sense represent their wishes.
With this convention nominations by
Congressional caucuses ceased, and the
convention nominating system grew
and expanded until it came to consti-
tute the capital fact of modern de-
mocracy in America This change, Mr..
Godl1in thinks has no parallel. and that
1t is really foreign to the scheme af
the republic, he intimates, if he does
not express, as his belief.
In our earlier history the deep inter-
est taken by the people in political af-
fairs forced foregone conclusions upon
nominating conventions. We can agr5e
with the essayist that only in slight
degrees is this true of to-day. With
the elective machinery became more
complicated viva voce voting became
wholly impracticable and the ballot ev-
erywhere became a necessity. These
facts increased the importance of the
nominating convention and made the
work OF selecting candidates more la
borious and complex.
It was then perceived that out Of
party spirit might be drawn strength
for the control of large bodies of vot-
eEs, and the appeal to party spirit thus
became a powerful factor of manage
ment As only the few have firm opin-
ions about public officers, the great
body of people find it easier TO have
= party help them make up their
minds"-a fact out of which party takes
its rise, says our critic In earlier days
party spirit represented hatred of the
principles of the opposing party, but
later it came to stand more for 10y
atty" just as in old monarchies the
cause he filed a place by hereditary
title.
The Republican party through the
war Won its right to loyal devotion by
its adherents and it retains this devo-
ton largely TO this day despite errors
and nnishaps. This loyalty is the basis
of the present management known as
the machine. It is the confidence OF