The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-20
PLATFORM JEROME WANTS
INCLUDES AN OPTIONAL FORM
OF MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP

Hearst-Ihe Party IL Not Behind TheH1.
District Attorney Jerome announced
yesterday some OF the things which he be-
lieves should be in the platform to be
adopted by the Democratic State oonven-
ton at Buffalo on next Tuesday He Is in
favor Of home rule for the cities. He be-
ieves in an option OF municipal ownership
OF traction utilities, whether they be under
ground, surface or elevated, and Of gas
and electric plants. zach city to decide for
itself what II wants. He also came out Tor
the election OF United States Senators by
popular vote.
What was most needed said Mr.. jerome,
we're the adoption Of the Massachusetts,
ballot, which would give the voters a better
chance to down the bosses and an extension
and a more rigid enforcement Of the corrupt
practices act.
The Democratic bosses in the State came
In for a lacing. 1t was the cowardioe Of the
politicians, Mr.. Jerome said. that was re-
sponsible for Hearst's strength. They
were simply looking after their W in
tereets and had no principle to fight for.
Mr.. Jerome said:
There are 10 my judgment some very
serious issues which seem not to have been
touched upon at all in the present discussion
OF political questions. / nave always CON-
tended that there was practically little
political liberty for the people. that they
were simply given a choice between candi-
dates, none Of HON were OF their own
selection. l do not see how we are to have
substantial political liberty unless We have:
First, h starch put bach into the civil
service to the very limit. The decent
people OF this State irrespective of party
do not desire that their appointive public
Offices should be used as brides to perpetu-
ate political power. Second, there should
be a great extension OF the corrupt practices
act and a rigid enforcement Of those
principles.
But important az the two foregoing
issues are, there is one in my opinion which
is the paramount issue, and that is the
adoption of the Massachusetts, ballot. II
we had the Massachusetts, ballot in this
State. together with the nomination by
petition, the decent people of the State
always would have it in their power to cor
rect the mistakes and wrongdoing of a
political party. In my campaign last
year 1 spent an m sum of money
in the endeavor TO instruct the voters how
to vote as they wanted to. If the Mas
sachusetts system was in vogue not one
dollar would have been necessary and my
vote would have been substantially larger
than 1t was.
The sure way to bust the boss and to
keep the political party on its good behavior
is to have the ballot laws so framed as to
make it easy for those citizens not seeking
personal reward to get together and elect
to Office men whom they trust. The present
system OF balloting in our State was craftily
devised to render it almost impossible for
an independent candidate to make a direct
appeal to the people.
THE present corrupt practices act was
a step in the right direction and aver the
limited civil service system we nave does
a great deal TO break down the solidarity
OF political organization, were it not for
the growth Of the old system OF handing
out the spoils to the ~Victors. To-day the
political bosses OF the State Of New York,
and especially in this city probably have
very much more patronage from the vari-
GUS public service corporations than they
have in the public service. l do not believe
there is a district leader in this city who
would not rather give up all the patronage
he has in the public service than that which
he has from the gas, telephone, electricity
and transi corporations. This problem
will nave to be dealt with and it is more
difficult to deal with it than with that to
which the civil service question addresses
itself.
But first. last and all the time, to my
mind, the first step of paramount neces-
sity is for the people to gain control and
make organization the machinery for ex-
pressing the will Of the people, and fight
to the last ditch for the ballot used in Ms
sachusetts namely, a ballot on which
candidates are grouped alphabetically for
the Offices for which they run and on which
there is no party column"
What is your stand on the question
Of municipal ownership Mr.. jerome was
asked.
IL believe that every municipality should
ave the power 70 perform for itself all
those services which involve the granting
OF public franchises, such services as are
now usually performed by what are called
public service corporations. For instance,
] believe that New York city should have
the right u own and operate gas, cleo
tricity and all car lines. whether elsvated,
underground or surface, carrying passen-
gers. But whether the municipality should
own and operate a particular street car
line or whether it should Owl IL and have
il operated by a private corporation on
short term leases is a question to he deter
mined by each Municipality for itself,
according to the economic conditions then
and there existing. 1t is conceivable that
in one city il might be wise to own and
operate a municipal gas plant, in a second
IL might be wise 70 own the gas plant but
not to operate il; again in a third city it might
be wise not b own or operate. These, as |
have said, are questions which should be
determined by zach municipality for itself.
Il believe thoroughly in home rule as a
Democratic principle, and il il one Of the
absurd phases of the Independence League
platform that il jumbles up with the Ten
Commandments matters which have alb
solutely nothing to do with State issues.
For the State to assume to determine what
New York city shall pay 10 its iremen,
teachers and street cleaners il a gross vio-
lation Of sound home rule principle and
entirely contrary 10 the spirit Of Democracy"
What are you views o the method of
e%lecting United States Senator's" Mr..
jerome was asked.
Il believe" he said. that United States
Senator'S should be elected by popular vote
in the States"
What do you think Of the proposition TO
take from the Attorney-GeneraI the right
70 determine whetherA charge Of fraudulent
election shall be presented in COURT"
in theory the Office Of Acknowledgement
Ia not A ~poiitical one, but in this case cur