New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-16
IfISPEpRESENT4TI NOMINATIONS.

What better Illustration could there be or the
need of a popular system of nominations imam
the unanimous denomination Of Senator w en-
pie one of the eight Republicans who voted Tor
racetrack gambling? In the light that we nave
regarding upstate sentiment there cahuot pe
the slightest doubt that in opposing Governor
Hughes Senator Wemple misrepreSented MS
constituents. In fact, Mr.. Wempie dld not pre-
tend that he was faithfully representing their
wishes but only that he was carrying OUT the
mandates of his district boss, TO oppose whom
would mean retirement from public life
There is no reason for believing that the Repup-
lcans of the district unanimously approve Mr..
WempIes course or unanimously desired his re-
nomination.
In fact, as an indication Of how the district
feels six of eight delegates from Schoharle
County were opposed to the nomination. out as
they could do nothing against the Delegates
from Schenectady and Montgomery they maue
II unanimous One Of them says: Inc sehL-
"ment in Schoharie County Is very larger!
against Senator Wemple; that sentiment pre-
walls in every town, and beie'e ne VIII oe
.'cut pretty hard in our county.
Tbere is every reason 10 think that Schoharle
County does not differ in sentiment from the
other two counties in Senator Nemples dis
trict and that IN all three of them ne VIII De
c1lt pretty hard And yet he Is the nominee
nv a unanimous vote No such result would be
conceivable under a system Of direct primaries
Under that system the voters OF the dstrlcI
could have expressed their support Tor the GOV
ernor directly by voting for a man pieogeu 10
his policies, and If there is such preponderat-
ing sentiment on the Governors side as we
have reason to suppose there is, and as the
Schoharie delegate -teStifes TO IN his county
Senator Wemple would not have been renoml-
mated.
Nominating conventions frequently not
commemorative Of the wishes OF the party be
cause the votes of the delegates to them are
delivered in the same way in which the vote OF
Senator Wempe in the Legislature was deiiV
cred The delegates of one county are deIVerei
10 a candidate for Senator in consideration OIL
the delivery of the delegates Of another county
70 some candidate for Congress perhaps. Thus
tho Senator gets as Senator Wemple got. the
s,1nport of two counties. The desires OF the Ike
Duhlicans of the district are minor consldera-
tion. The process is this: The counties IN the
district are Y, and H. The candidate TOT
Senatorial henors lives IN Y. He has certain
support in Y. Some one else, who wants 10 run
for the Assembly In Y, has also certain sup
porters They form an alliance, ana out ol IL
The candidate for Senator gets the unanimous
delegation from Y. Some one who wants 10
RIM for Congress has by similar alliance got
control of the delegates from Y. and are
in the same Congress district as well as IN the
same Senate district. The candidate for Con
gress agrees 10 deliver the votes OF 10 the
candidate for Senator in consideration OF MS
delivering the votes of to the candidate Tor
Congress Each by this process gains the sup
mort of two counties. which. in the case as
suned is enough TO nominate the Senator Inc
other county-Z-acquiesces and makes 1t unani-
nous. Thus man whose real strength is the
nv
dictarino becomes the unanimous choice OF
three That would he impossible under direct
nomination system.
And if Governor Hughes is renominated sena-
tor Wempe can count upon the head OF the
ticket to pull him through.