New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-21

caucus as we give the day to elections. that
to cast his ballot without the long, vexatious de-
lays which often occur when there are exciting
ond he.1 IN the iatter part oi an ho
charge OF the caucus as preside at the election
prcc 2gn te eon ooGaMs b made ma
so that there may BE- chance for better personal
knowledse. Diminishing thus the size OF the
groups from the ward to the local precinct Will
correSpondngly Increase the interest and sense OF
responsibility. and also personal influence lhere
viii De a nelghhOrhcod touch. which will in some
degree be substitute for the old town-meeting
gathering whore could meet each other face 20
facc BY dividing thus the tendency viii be to
lessen the power OF the politician and give II back
again 10 the people Neglect will be iessened with
the now dignity given to the primary.
And this .eads me to say, secondly. thht We must
II e,ecy possible way through the press and upon
portant than an election. Al the caucus II Won
place but II his is neg ectcl Election bay may
find you unable to do more than choose betWeen
two inferior men Tie OLD maxim that il Is the
FIRST step that costs is emphatically true hore."
In closing Mr. Capen emphasized the Importance
If attendance at the caucus on the part OF every
true American.
LEGALIZATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES
Professor Johr r. Commons Of Syracuse Uni
vcrslty addressed the conference the 'Lcgallzl-
ton Of Political Parties" speaking In part as fol-
lows:
1T IS now generally recognized that political
parties are essential TO popular government. but
they have until recently been legally incor-
porated as constituent parts Of our governing ma
chncry. our Federal and State constitutions were
framed hy those who dreaded above all things the
spirit Of party which they identified with faction.
Waahugtcn's farewell address was inspired almost
solely by this dread Naturally. those who had just
emerged from a life struggle with the foreign foe.
whore uaanimty was essential to success, looked
with anxiety on the personal. fractional and 500
tional struggles that followed. Consequently. not
only did they fail to lcgaiizc parties but they on
dcavorod TO suppress them IT, however, parties
are essential. then they must. or later. ove~
come the Constitution itself. This is shown most
strikiugy in the election Of a President on Il party
ticket. instead Of the election Of "A non-parsan like
George Washington. contemplated in the Con-
stitution.
I'VE must distinguish between the prin-2,es for
which party con, ends and the organization by
the aret positive recognition, Of. parties came
with the Australian or official ballot IhiS pro
viIed o. rough definition Of political parties;
based upon the party eonyeIton ana ne ne geHgI be
membership ~ party nominations as certified by
the aforesaid pary AUTHORIZES He.e, i9r the
constituent element in tle machinery OF govern
ment: 49, while recogAizinS parties as oeIonghg
to the legal machinery OF sovernmeni the !a% &C.
prves these same parties OF their most important
mechanical incident. namely the management OF
THIS did not Interfere with the essential nature OF
parties as based on principle. but only with a ne
ch2ncdi accident of the organization. IL rather
liberated the true spirit and function of parties.
But much remains 70 be done. Inc next sup
in the same direction, the further ggahzatiloh OF
parties by defining the membership II para r ar
zen has as iEalienahlc a right to be a member %
> party as to be a citizen This right must, there
which defines citizenship, namely, the law of the
land. and cannot be left to the private interests OF
.'Th.s would increase the influence OF, The voter
p prmay dec}i5n la% Should give prePohderance
to the principles aninatng the membership. rather
by assuming on tho part OF the state. which is the
common represen tativc Of all parties and citizens.
b af the ocs the %S and ads Party
success will thcn depend more upon broad ara pa
upon accidents Of organization Parties viii be
strengthened in their hold upon the hearts OF the
people" who Will recognize mat the minority. by ac-
quloscing In the leadership of the majority may
iorty Neither will the power of leadership be les
sened. but the leaders VIII he made subservent TO
their own ambition"
After simon stcrne had spoken briefly the fol-
aId5ffcft Of GrIeans: r Me- stewart 3
Humphrey and George H. Sutton
At the afternoon session Mayor Flower OF New
SANITATION reported the names of Ralph NJ Easicy
and C. f. Munroc Of Milwaukee for assistant sec.
retarlcs The conference unanimously confirmed
teen OF which Mayor Flower was made chairman
was appointed 10 report at to-day's session on the
plan and scope FOR a permanent organization for
work along the lines for which the conference
called.
r. J. McDermott. OF Louisville. Ky. read the
first paper of the afternoon. on The Supervision
Of Election Laws I'm Louisville Ky" Mr. McDcr-
mott advocated dscontiuuing the Of party en-
hlems and thought 10 ENCOURAGEMENT should be
offered tho ilit"rate voter Elementary education
WIS too easily acquired. d" thought. TO make this
desirable.
Clinton p Woodruff. secretary Of the National
Municipal League Il philcdoluhia. read n paper
on tho primary election laws of Pcnnsy lvania one
or the weak points was the lack OF uniformity in
different counties Mr. Woodruff described the
various systems in vogue in Tho, difreren; counties
r |. Gay. OF Boston dcscrbed the primary sys-
tom OF Massachusetts
General discussion Of the papers read occupied
the delegates during the rest OF the session.
The programme for today will consist ~ n dis
George +. Rush chairman Of IN" Primary Election
Committee Of tho civic Federation Of Chicago: tho
Wisconsin Law. by Charles t.. Monroe secretary of
the Municipal League Of Milwaukee. the Missouri
of Election Comm .ssoncrs St Louis; tho Crawford
County system. r. l. Johnson. cleveland Ohio: The
New Jersey laws. George l. Record. Jersey CITY.
NewYork legislation. Senator T. - Pavey OF
and William r. Spoonor. chairman Of the Legisla
tive Committee OF the Allied Political t'luhs ~
Now York Mayor Quincy. Of Boston. VIII preside
at tho morning session. and speak at tho openine,
81 the afternoon session at o'clock. Edward Iau
terbach viii speak al o'clock The Buffalo plan
VIII also be discussed
The Subcommittee OF Ways and Means 10 which
was assigned the duty of preparing report on
plan and scope. held meeting at the Hotel Man
haitian last evening. w r. SpOOner chairnor -,
tho Legislative Committee II Allied Political Gins
OF this city. presided The whole subject was yon.'
into thoroughly. and a preamble was alopted ,6Icb
Laws down 'omc general principles OF primary -
form |, Is expected that report Of a plan for
days meeting of the conference. ~ w.