New-York tribune., 1909-04-02
WOODRUFF THE PARENT
SO D4VENPORT DECLARES.
Responsible for Direct Primary
.feitation. Says Senator.

Senator Frederick VI. Davenport. OF oneida No-i
" told Brooklyn Republicans. at a mass mems
In the Logan clubhouse. Sixth avenue anu "'i -
place last night. that the chairman of the Re
publican State Committee was responsive LOT lie
-rsaer agitation for direct primaries bill IN thls
state Although the paternity Of the olil was
traced at the legislative hearing FesierudS -
ancient Greece" asserted the Utica Legislator. te
real father of the measure in this state Is inc
o-psrization leader Five years ago he was Tor H.
ana many times since has spoken In It's faFof'
But conditions have changed and. his views nave
changed"
AS matter Of fact he continued the bottom
of the opposition the passage OF Dill Is lach
Of faith in the Judgment good taste ana sense VI
the common peoplc And In time "hen 'he
growth Of democracy makes reliance in the palil
people the means OF success for every poli'Ieai
movement, the opponents of the measure VIII uIu-
nately fail because they are afraio OF 'l'e P'
people. -
II is wrong this supposition that the bad feat
ures Of the several primary laws now operali'e
in other states have been incorporated IN 'he M" mn
man-Cren bill. All of these bills nave oeeh stuuieu
ana the best parts selected by tie Governor ana
there is no mind in the state that having acquired
the facts can get through and analyze the" d
keenIy ana with the same genius as CharIes T.
Hughes. Senator Davenport continued;
The ride Of Governor Hughes up PennsyI Iyam2 ANA
avenue on inauguration day was sn,snt for
which the opponents OF the great mok eient o ~
which he is now standing sponsor IN the ~ state oL
York would do well 20 heed. ne ContiL
roaT Of applause which greeted him from one end
Of the avenue 10 the other far SURPRISING IN lts
magnitude that accorded to the Governor OF any aiLE
other commonwealth. was reveleuon 1L h;to, IN
from all parts Of the ma tion, looked upon MIN as
representative of something in which they steau,
fastly believed Roosevelt came into fame ana
power through the regulation OF the corpor G
Hughes has come into fame and power through 'he
regulation Of the politicians. >--
The foes Of direct primaries in the state OF New
York have fallen the sad blundeT Of SupPoslng
that the movement is of the people. Ihere haS
been more distinctly rational noNeIie'lI y.
OF the incessant warfare of the many against uhe
few. x.,,.,
The caucus and convention system has fallen
down in this country. The control OF II mas pasSeu
int the hands OF the few. and the " EST aHoke 70
the situation before the East. The West undertook
the correction OF the evil In an unWise ana aIAste
frequently no attempt made to provide an adequate
party test It forgotten that the party system
was the centre OF our political deNeI2plieh' So
under foot But again. as in the railway slrugsie;
the heart of the West was right when its remedial
legislative measures were wrong. but IL - 20 ma
same West that re owe the experience which now
makes possible TO frame a rational ana enectiVe
direct nominations laW.
tions and convenient method by when the enrolled
voters may If they Will. control party nominations
It is party measure. but II thoroughly safe
fsa fH7rds the interests Of the many FS'Hs' '' the
Ex-Judge William H. Wadhams said the conduct
Of the primaries as defined in the Hinman-CIreen
bin was the American system. inasmuch direct
primaries had been adopted IN two-thirds Of the
states.
Assenblynan George H. Green Of Brooklyn, ~ho
introduced the bill in the Assembly. also spoke.
Charles s Aronstar. president of the Logan Club.
presided over the meeting. which taxed the capac-
fly of the