The San Francisco call., 1908-09-23
DIRECT PRIMARY
LAW IS EXPLAINED
George Van Smith Delivers ADJ
dress Under Auspices of the
Pilgrim Brotherhood
District Attorney Brown De-
clares Racetracks Respon-
sible for Many Criminals

OAKLAND, Sept 22.-"The Direct
Primary" was the subject of an ad
dress delivered tonight in the First
Congregational church, under the aus
pices of the Pilgrim brotherhood, by
George Van Smith, political editor Of
The Call and president of the Direct
Primary league of California District
Attorney Everett ]. Brown spoke on
The Racetrack"
Van Smith explained succinctly and
in detail the operation of the direct
primary law and told of the results of
It's workings in Oregon and Wisconsin.
He answered many questions that were
asked from the audience and was ac-
corded the closest attention by his
hearers. In citing the merits of the
direct primary, Van Smith said:
1T is the right and privilege of every
American citizen who wants to run for
office to be given the opportunity to do
so. This right is denied him in most of
the states of the union under the exist
Ing laws. The direct primary gives the
citizen the right and privilege to run
for off1ce without having to do business
with bosses and conventions. / have
been asked whether the direct primary
law, if put in general force, would not
tend to destroy the identity of political
parties. In reply, 1 will say that. on
the contrary, the tendency of the use of
the direct primary law would be to
build up and strengthen parties. 1t
would make the parties representative
OF what the people wanted. 1t would
make them the peoples choice, for the
people would have the say as to what
the parties should be and what they
should represent
HELPED TO DRAFT LAW
Van Smith, who assisted in drafting
a cfr
that, with some minor changes, it was
the best now in operation He ex-
planned the purpose of the league to Sc
cure the enactment of a direct pri-
mary law by the next Legislature, and
urged the support of all citizens for
such a measure as one which would
heIp to crush bossism in the control of
political parties.
His explanation of the Wisconsin
law gave the details of the methods
there employed. showing how the can
dldates were placed on the various
county and state tickets. The elimina-
ton of the convention, with its trading
and program, was to the speakers
mind the great feature of the direct
primary as protecting the rights of the
people.
BROWN CONDEMNS RACETRACKS
District Attorney Brown declared
that he found that the first predomi-
mating cause in creating law breakers
and criminals in Alameda county was
liquor and that tho second predomi-
mating cause was racetrack gambling.
He said that there were more persons
now IN the state prisons and reforma-
tories of California than were being
educated in all the big universities and
colleges of the state and that 60 per
cent of the prisoners were under 2S
years of age. He said that the present
laws of California look with a benign
countenance upon racetrack gam bling.
The district attorney stated that the
work Of the police of Oakland and the
work in his own Office was increased
just as soon as the racing season
opened at Emeryvi1le, and that this
was due to the incoming of the criminal
and gambling element which follows
the races. Brown urged the voters to
compel the various candidates for the
legislature to go on record before cleo
ton day as to their attitude on race
! track gambling.