New-York tribune., 1908-09-08
THE PRIMARIES AND AFTER.

President Parsons of the Republican County
Committee, In an interview published on Sun
day criticises The Tribune's view OF the
nlan TO secure a Hughes or anti-Hughes
instruction in a few primaries. lie says
that the present primary law did not exist
in 1897, when Mr.. Quigg, with an orgah-
ization mandate led the party to rout The
Tribune never said 1t did He says Mr.. Halpln
in 1905 did not take vote Of enrolled Repno-
licans on Mr. Jerome. The Tribune never SAID
he did. The criticism misses the point OF lhe
argument. Mr.. Parsons has taken the staha
that the organization is all that is to be consid-
cred in party management, that the enroheu
.'yoters are the people TO whom the party lead
"ers are responsible" that the party conslsts'
and consists only of enrolled Republicans
Our reply has been that Mr.. Quigg and Mr..
HaIpin met disaster in acting on that idea. and
the lesson of their experience is not in the least
invalidated by any question of the particular
process of enrolment under one law or another,
or the specific method by which either leader
secured the organization mandate for MS
course. The fact remains that each Ignored OF
was forced by the sentiment of his organlza-
ton subordinates to ignore the unenrolled ana
unorganized Republican vote and the indepen-
dent vote and the theory now announced by
Mr.. Parsons does the same thing. whereas TWO
years ago he acted on an entirely different the
i56A'S~S'~--
taking large view of critical situation point
ed the way TO victory.
Mr. Parsons in his criticism of The Tribune
entirely ignores our argument as to the unfair
ness Of the proposed vote even as a test OF
organization sentiment. 1t is so arranged tnat
the field is combined against Hughes. There
fore, even if more enrolled voters favor
Hughes than favor any other single candl-
date, unless they are In an absolute ma
iority, their delegates will go to Saratoga in
structed against Hughes, but free to vote for
Tom. Dick or Harry, to deal and dicker with
delegates elected before Mr. Hughes was can
didate or the present question arose, and to
give the party any candidate whom the anti
Hughes forces can combine on. perhaps one
whom most of the voters of the state had never
before considered for the Office Such an ANY
body-tob beat Hughes mandate, should 1T be Sc
cured, would be only a travesty Of the direct
instruction principle under which it masquer-
AIDED.
Mr. Parsons complains that The Tribune
"only wants leadership one way, and that is al-
ways its way" We only want leadership
which we believe will lead to Republican vic
tory to good government and the triumph of
moral principle. We want the kind of leader
ship which Mr.. Parsons so courageously gave
two years ago and the kind of leadership which
President Roosevelt and the Republican candl-
date for Vice-President Mr.. Sherman, now
giving when they look beyond organization irri-
tatiOn and personal feeling to the large moral
and political issues involved and see that Gov
ernor Hughes's nomination is necessity"
And whatever the result of to-days "test," we
believe that, in spite of what we cannot but
consider a temporarily excessive sense of ex-
elusive responsibility to the organization ma
chinery which he directs, Mr.. Parsons will ut
the psychological moment be found In harmony
with them, advocating the broad and states
manlike policy of commencing the Republican
party to the great body of independent voters,
both in New York and all over the Union, by
keeping it true to the moral standards to which,
under the inspiration of Governor Hughes, it
has committed itself beyond the possibility OF
drawing back without worse than throwing
away the immeasurable political asset of
moral principle.