The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-24
The Reward OF Merritt.

The Reward OF Merritt.
BoNNIvAkD's affection tor his chains
WAS surely as nothing compared with
the devotion Of rural Republicans Of
this State for their present degrading
condition Of political servitude. The
more completely Republican the dis
trict, moreover, the more universal
seems the hatred Of light. 1t il St.
Lawrence county that supplies the
latest testimony of t,rpitude st. Law
renee county. the region so hopelessly
Republican that cynical Democratic
observers have come to believe that
evon the autumn leaves when they
descend suffer transmutation to Repub-
lican ballots.
On Tuesday the Republicans Of st.
Lawrence in convention assembled NOM
mated two Assemhlymen. the Hon. E.
A. MERRITT, Jr., majority leader Of the
lower house, and the Hon. FRED j. GRAY.
As majority leader Mr.. MERRITT had
played q conspicuous part in the defeat
Of the direct nominations measure: his
vote, his influence, his experience were
all against tia Governors bill. In the
wicked Assembly machine he WAS a
wheel Of importance. Nor was the Hon.
FRED j. GRAY without experience or
influence, and both were also employed
TO the detrimcnt of direct nominations.
Nevertheless, despite their sins
against the light GRAY and MERRITT
have been renominated In a district
where denomination spells election. Mr..
MERRITT, moreover, was named with
out contest, unanimously, by accla-
nation. In the Second district OF st.
Lawrence the voice OF the champion
Of direct nominations was totally silent.
In the First district it wa slightly dif-
ferent. There was a contest-and Mr..
GRAY's opponent carried two Of fifteen
towns, yet we doubt II even the most
ardent champions Of the new political
gospel can regard this az an impressive
showing.
In view OF the widespread publicity
given to the defeat Of one opponent
Of the Governors measure, an unpopu-
lar member OF the Oswego district,
tho Hon. FRANK L. SMITH, the st. Law
renee result is perhaps worthy Of more
than passing notice. As We have
pointed out before, the Republican
organization, machine, bosses. have al
ready scored in compelling the retire.
ment Of the Hon. EDISON w. HAMN OF
Wayne, one OF the Governors chief
adherents in the Assembly. Now they
add to their strength by the unopposed
denomination Of one OF their wi lead
ers and the naming Of . second men,
Der Of material influence by an over
whelming vote. Apparently the area
Of conhagration I'VE direct nomina-
lions is still circumscribed and the
prospect Of victory in the first skirmish
far from promising.
The denomination Of the Hon. E. A.
MERRITT, Jr., is. as we have said, a on
spicuous triumph for the opposition.
OF all the opponents Of direct nomina-
tons none has been franker or less re-
served than the genial giant Of Potsdam.
From the outset he has maintained that
the propaganda was without appeal to
the rural Republicans and that his con-
stituents had neither interest nor SYM
pathy for the Governors measure. All
this has been q matter OF public record,
confirmed by his influential vote as
majority leader cast against the meas
ure. Others may have lodged, COM
promised or evaded. The Hon. E. A.
MERRITT has invited the lightning.
1t Is therefore impossible to escape
the conclusion that the Republicans of
st. Lawrence county are satisfied with
the attitude Of their representatives and
have sent them back with the full and
complacent realization that they will
repeat their votes. Rural New York
may indeed be aflame, as the organs of
direct nominations say, but apparently
there are as yet no forest fires Of reform
in the Adirondacks, where Republican
majorities are perennial.