The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20
SOME NEW BOOKS.
Our Nominating Machinery.


Ono OF the most valuable contributions to the
volume entitled Nominations for Electric once in
he United States by Frederick W. Dallinger
U>ongmans). With the exception Of Tho Amen-
can Caucus System" published by the putnams
some fourteen years ago, no systematic attempt
has boon made 70 consider In oil its bearings the
very important part played by the provisions for
nominations In our governmental machinery.
Il was for tho purpose Of supplying this deficiency
that tho book before us prepared. The
authors aim has been TO give an account OF the
origin and development OF our nominating SYSTEM
70 describe II IL exists To day, and then 70 point
out such evils az have arisen under IL and such
remedies as have been suggested for their removal
II In chiefly 10 the historical chapters, comprising
some ninety pages Of the volume that we would
direct attention at this time IL Is but Just 10 recog
MISC al the outset that the author has approached
tho question from n strictly nonpartisan point OF
Wow. and has treated IL in q scientific way. Tho
compilation Of the materials whereof we have here
tho digested outcome has, evidently required q
great deal Of research.
Mr.. Dallingor begins by pointing out that
from worry remote times, wherever popular govern
mont has existed, the necessity OF some method
OF selecting candidates previously to the formal
election hos been perceived. Indeed, our word
candidate" is derived from a ctStom which pre-
vailed in Republican Rome. the custom. namely,
for aspirants TO elective Office TO appear clothed In
the white togo In the forum. there TO plead their
own merits before the assembled voters In later
times. when the foundations of popular govern
ment in England laid on the ruins Of the
feudal system, a method OF self announced can
didacy similar TO the Roman practice is encoun-
tered. This usage supplemented by system
OF nomination by small cliques of rich landowners
who, account Of the limitations OF the suffrage
wcre able 10 control the parliamentary elections
There existed, also, the legal nomination at the
hustngs on Nomination Day" as il was called
which wes open TO voters of all parties, and was
in fact sort of preliminary test In case no more
persons were nominated than there members
to be elected, there said TO be an "uncontested
election" In England since 1872, the plan OF NOM
ination by q paper signed by ten voters has taken
the place of the old nomination day. The recent
introduction Of a modified caucus system by the
Liberal party is a significant change in English
political Methods In 1880, Liberal candidates
in boroughs, and some in counties, were chosen
In local party associations and appealed TO the
Liberal electors on the ground OF having been thus
selected. Five years later, nearly all new candi
dates were so chosen. and man offering himself
ed as an interloper and traitor The same process
has been going on in the Tory party, though moro
slowly. II would be interesting 10 compare the
methods of nomination which have been adopted
in France, Germany and Italy, but we must con-
fine ourselves TO the history of the American
system.