The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-01-11

upon the policy of doing away with par
ty conventions. The. abuses of the sys-
tenn have grown to such an extent that
the last legislature adopted the Populist
plan for the city of Minneapolis. We
call it the Populist plan, for the POpu-
lists are the brains of this country
and have led, or are leading the ad
vance in this and every other import
ant reform.
We want our friends to read the fol-
lowing article, as it will encourage them
to do their best to help the Peoples
party establish the new system
throughout the state.
The experiment with direct nominations by
the people, which Minneapolis is to try next
fall gives special interest to the opinions
of authorities in practical politics on this
branch of the profession. Perhaps the most
practical municipal politician In the country
at present is Bird: s. Coler, city controller of.
New York. Mr.. Coler is practical in the
common Interpretation of, the word-he
has been nominated and elected in city
and by party where theorists have little
show. He is practical in the other sense
he has broad views of municipal questions
and politics, sees the evils OF machine man
agement. and is clever enough to get at the
root of the matter and tell about it in
very straightforward way. Mr.. Coler. though
elected to his present Ofhce as Tammany
Democrat, has been mainly instrumental in
defeating the odorous Ramapo water project
in New York city, saving the city untold
millions, and presumably calling down the
wrath of Tammany upon his head. He has
written quite little of late on municipal
matters, and always shows sound common
sense. His latest article, when the Peo-
pie Nominate" in the Independent is
clever discussion of the evils of the machine
and the patent remedy. AS Minneapolis is
soon to try this new plan, Mr.. Coler's opin-
ions are timely.
THE MACHINE IN POLITICS.
Mr.. Coler says that party machines are
a fungus growth on the body polite and
that they are born of political indifference"
The machine" he says, must have some
thing to feed upon. Those in large cities
thrive upon the neglect of their obligations
by party voters, and the impractical theories
of amateur reformers. The first product of
the machine is the party boss; the oneman
power in politics. The party machine is
not necessarily dangerous, because Organiza
tiOn is essential to success in any undertake
ing where many individuals or interests are
involved. 1t is the machine personified, the
one-man power, that is contrary to the prin
pies of our form of government. Human
nature is always selfish, and as a rule it is
doubly SO when invested with unrestricted
and irresponsible power. The political boss
who trades upon his power, using it to enrich
himself and his friends, is merely taking ad-
vantage of the civic Indifference of the ma
jority of his fellow partisans. No individual
ever controlled an actual majority of the
voters of any city or state"
DEFEATING THE MACHINE.
Railing at a political machine will not
destroy it, is Mr.. Colers next point,
though every word be sword point and
every phrase a true indictment. Unsup
ported charges and startling assertion will
not change votes.
But there are two ways of defeating the
machine; one is to vote with the machine
of the opposing party; the other is for the
people to nominate candidates for Office by
direct vote at a primary election. One
method cripples the machine for time; the
other will destroy it.
Taking up the situation as it is in New
York. Mr.. Coler says the chief cause of COM
plant against existing political organiza
lions is that the people have no voice in the
selection of candidates AS conditions are
much the same all over the country, what he
says is pertinent.
Primaries and conventions have become
mere formalities, and are manipulated to
confirm the dictatfOn of one man. Candi
dates selected in that way feel that their
chief responsibility is to the man who saves
them the risk of testing their strength with
the people by giving to them a party nomi-
nation as matter of personal favor. This
system Is wrong and contrary to the theory
of government by the people. There is but
one swift and certain remedy for the present
condition. That is primary election law
that will compel the nomination of all candi-
dates for local Offices by direct vote of the
people, Amend the law SO the nominations
shall be made at the party primaries, and
no man can dictate who shall and shall not
run for Office in New York"
THE GIST OF POPULAR NOMINATION.
After suggesting to the people of New
York city how they may secure direct nomi-
nations next year if they work for the priv
ilege--showing how, party bosses may be
overcome. even in the legislature, by pow
erful movement of the people--Mr Coler
goes on to analyze the direct nomination
proposition, making it so simple that every
voter can understand He says: THE plan
Is: Let the Republican voters nominate
their candidates for Office and let the Dem
Ocratic candidates nominate the candidates
of their party by the simple method of
casting a secret ballot, the man receiving
the largest number of votes in each case to
be the nominee. BY this method. govern
ment is restored directly to the people. and
the details of the act should be as brief and
simple as possible. 1t is the theory of our
form of government that any citizen may
aspire to any office. This plan would mt
q
When the people nominate, there will be
no party bosses and no machine candidates.
One voter will have just as much power as
another in the selection of the men who are
to run for Office as the candidates of his
party
POLITICS IN THE OPEN.
summing up, he concludes with this:
When the people nominate. offices can
not be bought and sold; the honest and
faithful public servant cannot be turned
down by one man, and the public business,
cannot be controlled for private gain. An
other important point gained would he that
the public would have an opportunity tn
learn something of the character and merits
OF the men who sought ofiice before thew
became party candidates. When the people
nominate. the game of politics will he
played in the OPEN"
OTHER ADVANTAGES.
Mr.. Coler's article is brief and it is Main
That he does not attempt to recite ali the
arguments in favor of direct nominations
without going into full discussion of the
subject here, 1t might be we'll to recall the
1act That primary nominations do away with
the evil of convention combinations-that
endless trading and dickerine which ca
often defeats the will of the people whom
they have been so fortunate as to make
their will known through the present nri
mary system, result not very often at
tanned. Another point gained is that Of
giving all the Offices a chance It is al
most universally the custom now that the
delegates elected from any given precinct
q nhN to,