New-York tribune., 1908-08-11
DIRECT PRIMARIES.

The dIsnatches from Chicago about the prl-
mary election Just held IN Illinois contain varl-
Gus criticisms of the operation or the direct prl-
mary law but the result itself goes far 10 JUS
tifv the new system. Governor Deneen deserved
denomination. for he has, upon the whole given
the state good administration. He had earned
the opposition of the Illinois machine by his
refusal 70 he s1lhservient to the bosses, and the
machine made a desperate fight to defeat him.
The result shows that with popular primary
an official may serve the public without a
thought of the effect of his conduct upon any
selfish interest or upon any boss
OF the defects described in the Chicago dis
matches some are due to the newness OF the syS-
tem-sucb criticisms are not heard from states
where the direct primary has been in operation
for several years-some are due to imperfections
in the law. which of course. is not the best law
that could be prepared. but may be the best that
couId he put through a legislature a large por-
zion of whose members were representatives OF
the machine. The failure to get out large
vote at the primaries, corresponding In that re-
spect TO the result OF the recent trial or the
direct primaries in Missouri. is disappointing,
for the expectation has been that this system,
which gives real power and responsibility TO
the primary voters, would interest the people
and end the apathy and neglect into which the
old or indirect primaries have fallen. The con-
fest over the Republican governorship nomina-
tion was heated and the issue at stake was i'm
portant but the inertia Of the old habit pre-
vailed and there was no general participation In
the election except by the regular primary voter
and party worker But that result in Illinois
and Missouri is not typical for in the states
where the popular system of nominations has
been a long time in vogue participation in
them is general, and the interest in politics IS
uuickened among the people. disgruntled con-
10 t. tod tn
the effect that under Mr. La Follette's leader
ship there every day is election day" 50 in
tense and general is the interest in public af-
fairs This stimulation among the people Of
sense of responsibility for the government and
participation in it is of the most promising
results of the democratizatiOn of politics. The
kind of citizenship which out in Oregon would
take the trouble TO inform itself upon some
twenty laws referred to popular vote and TO
vote upon them as fully as upon the simpler
questions involved in Individual candidates. is
higher type of citizenship than that which
votes stolidly and unquestOningly. 1t may not
be the hest sort of Iawmaking- indeed, we must
think it isn't-but fuller democracy, even if
some of its experiments are crude, is q good
training school in citizenship and a cure for the
apathy and lack of intelligence which make
such things as Tammany possible.
The direct primary however is not a cure
all. Some of its results thus far are disappoint-
ing. The type of leader which it has brought to
the front too often looks to the unaccustomed
eyes of the world suspiciously like a demagogue.
But ii is to be observed Of his leadership that it
is not the leadership of manipulation or of cor,
ruption but of an idea The idea may be
crude and sometimes foolish. but at any rate 1t
is an idea. and if he who is the first fruit of
getting the people on top in politics can lead
with an idea. more capable and worthier sue
cessors may lead with better and worther ideas.
1t will be gain for the country when in order
TO lead the people man must stand for policies
and not be able merely TO manipulate delegates,
If the popular primaries produce nothing better
than the present crude type of men with ideas"
the fault will lie not in the system, but in the
people, for it puts it in their power to produce
the best they capable of.