New-York tribune., 1899-12-11
THE END OF BOSSES.
WHAT n,our DE ACCOMPLISHED III DIRECT PRi-
MARY NOMINATION..

MARY NOMINATION..
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Controller Coer in last weeks lnhepenu-
ent" says that the people can at any tme take
away from the two city machines the power OF
choosing the nominees for municipal offices. This
statement one moment considered and fulIy COM
pretended is enough TO take the average man
breath away II is sudden glimpse OF Utopia
through a rift In the clouds. But also every one
knows Utopias do not exist. Every one KNOWS II
only too we'll II Is an accepted proof OF acumen
and profundity to recognize Utopias Wherever one
sees them No conception OF things radically pet
ter than the present may show Itself but II gets
knocked on the head for Utopia. You may take
plat 10 beat Croker. You may take croker 70
beat Platt What is the gain either way! you
must choose between the two. and in dolns so you
do not enjoy the casust's time honored privilege
of choosing OF two evils the lesser. The balance
is too nicely struck for that. With this usual de-
snairing view of the situation no ono 's hkely 10
vouchsafe Mr. Coers statement more than pish
or A tush -,
Vet Mr. Coler has stated n fact and he mas
given the true cure OF bossism. Direct primary
nomination OF all local candidates VIII take 'he
selection of nominees out of bosses hands Direct
urinary nomination means the doing away with
nominating conventions. Suppose the office to be
olled is that of Mayor let a general primary eec-
,Ion he held all over the city. Let all the party
asnirants be voted for By ballot the man receW-
ing the highest number Of votes would DE the party
candidate for Mayor. To take a concrete example
let us consider what would have happened at the
last Mayoralty contest. Discussion before the
nomination narrowed the choice OF Republicans
betveen Seth Low and Proean parsonage AT
times Oueg at times Olcott, and hnally lracy'
n a direct primary nomination had been held' an
enrolled Republicans (and with broad primary
law like the present there need be none VINO is not
on +he lists either as Republican or Demo
hall I.OW
Tow uould doubtless have been the choice OF the
nartv hut whoever was the minority would have
ooan,.d tho result feeling Itself beaten fairly on
the merit of numbers not by political chcane'
- nomination by convention is discarded, there
,s an end OF bosssm. No boss can control all the
individuals in his party or A majority OF tnem'
He cannot dictate TO two hundred thousand voters
houo, in hand A primary election would be one
81 tho present city elections reduced one-haif'
Dd any man control such an elecuon' oi
hold such a body of voters In the mono" Oh niS
bando II those two hundred thousand 90 as al
rrosent select few hundreds to choose the can
didates the boss can easily rule this HANDFUL. Inc
s,reneth Of bossism is in delegated functions IL
~, hoss cannot control nominations he cannot
control elected officials. The cheertul conuIlou-
t,ons of seekers for his favor will cease. There
uill he no place left for him. Mr. Coler says
7, tho neople really want to destroy the power OF
Tammany Hall and the RepuGhcsn can randtdates for
oHiyce they can accomplish the task In year IL
tbev will compel the Legislature 70 ainenu ,,i ur
pr,narv Election law so that all nonlha tlohs wiz
he hv primary election the overthrow OF ,n oheHitn
nowcr will bc easily accomplished. Inc proNisio"'
boweyer must be mandatory, not permlssl'e
This "a not theory except so far as 1t applies to
,bis city II is attested experience IN many ciues
In all OF South Carolina. Mississippi Alabama ana
,nost Of louisiana North Carolina and Georgia
,h,q sysiem OF direct primary nomination no" pre-
,a,s and II is constantly spreading. In south
CaToina and Mississippi, besides local onctelsi;
S,tn ofcers including candidates TOT inc uhIten
S,ates senate are thus nominated. 10 llIusuatc
S,r1 Tho system has crippled bossism there u IL
nni,, necessary 10 recall the nomination OF thlleo
S.a;yos Senator McI.aurin. senator truman "ds
90 master of the South Carolina democratic
~ oLne lie stroye his miRhtlest 10 secure LIE
notinn of Governor Evans az his colleague Inc
nnorn indenendent Democrats Favored Mr. M
t"nr,p When the votes were counted aIler s9h-
nraJ Urinary election extending over me ehLHS
&C. e. was found that the bosss eHorts hau
pan fntie McLaurin had won ny. an ehoI IIiVus
- tari,v The very magnitude OF Inc t!tCuon
21 Se nolitical king look much Ike old nanute
Sew-York Dec. I. ls'f - W. ~
nun, rp,pr,xEs READERS AGREE WITH 1T
,ro the Editor OF The Tribune
cir. I have read several letters In The tribune
,oto,v from your readers In relation to the Trans
al war and / wish to say that ! am In entire
..h,, Nth your views. Mr.. Mexican, VINO