New-York tribune., 1909-03-28

voters OF the parties may be enrolled by the
official party representatives in the same man
ner as they are now registered 1hiS olsPoses
OF the objection that the farmer viii have TO
drive several miles in order to enroll In the
rural districts party affiliations are Tor tne
most part well known. and personal enrolment Is
not so necessary as 1t is in larger communities
II names are put Or left OF Improperly u Is
very easy TO provide means OF c2rrecCon. Pu. ,e
the importance Of enrolment throughout the
state and of limiting participation IN the party
primaries to the enrolled voters is OBVIOUS ana
for that the bill provides.
with respect TO the expenditure of money, limit
ing the amount which candidates may expend
and also limiting and defining the purposes ioF
which money may be spent There should also
be publicity TO expenses, and statements or
expenses in connection with the primary cleo
ton should be fled before the general election
Arguments drawn from experiences IN other
states as to the lavish Of money have no
place. One important provision Of the Hin
man-Green bill is that party funds or moneys
in the treasury of party committees snail not
be used IN ala Of candidates. for nomination.
II IS also important to consider the relation
of party organization to the system Of direct
nominations and I believe that this has too
generally been overlooked
Those who desire TO destroy parties and
party organization, and think that they can
use g system Of direct nominations for this
purpose are egregiously- deceived. Those who
desire TO act independently OF parties have
their opportunity under the provisions Of the
election law relating 70 independent non1ns-
tions. Independent nominations are now made
by petition, and that is not changed or affected
by the Hinman-Green bill.
Direct nominations q IN relation to parties
mean the direct nomination Of party candi-
dates It IS method Of selecting those who
shall represent parties IN running for Office or
in filling party positions
PARTY ORGANIZATION ESSENTIAL
Now, il is futile and undesirable to attempt 10
destroy parties. II is inevitable that parties will
continue, and party organization is essential
Those who in attempting TO perfect any system
which has such q close relation to the public
ignore the necessity and cont inusnce of party
organization, like the ostrich, bury their heads
in the sand. Under system of direct
nominations party organ ization will be active,
and the question is simply whether it shall be
recognized and made responsible and representa-
tive in the interest Of the party and of the peo-
pie OF the state, or whether il shall be left to
work out its plans in secret and irresponsible
fashion.
The State OF New York has been hotbed of
political activity since its organization and has
been characterized by the development Of strong
we should not ignore facts. ANY improvement
in methods must take account Of the political
history and conditions of the community, and
that is important with respect TO the question
OF direct nominations.
The aim should be to SECURE a representative
party organization, and TO have such action
II may desire TO take regarding nominations Of
candidates taken in such g way that those who
act will be directly accouutab BILE to the members
Of the party. This il accomplished under the
Hinman- Green bill by providing for the election
of members Of party committees by direct vote
at the primary. Whether the basis Of repre-
sentation in the state committee shall be the
Congressional Senatorial or Assembly district.
is left to the state committee to decide. But
whatever the basis, II is TO he composed by the
election of one member from each of the unit
districts by direct vote at the party primary.
In q similar way, county committees and COM
mittees for other political subdivisions of the
state, are TO be chosen by direct vote OF the
party members. II is proposed that the members
OF these committees shall have a vote fairly
proportioned to the voting strength Of the party
within their units OF representation Thus the
bill provides that member of the state commit
tee shall be entitled to vote for the district
he represents and to one additional vote for each
one thousand votes or major fraction thereof
cast within his unit OF representation for the
candidate of his party for Governor at the last
election. In q county committee a member shall
have one vote. and additional vote for each
one hundred votes ma jor fraction thereof so
cast within the unit OF representation from
which the county committeeman is chosen
In order that there should not be undue
number Of committeeman to be selected, the
members Of the county committee are used so
far possible, to make up committees for other
political subdivisions. For example, a Senatorial
district committee, or a Congressional district
committee, ii is proposed. shall consist Of the
members Of the county committee within the
Senatorial or Congressional districts, and such
members to cast the same proportionate
vote in those committees that they entitled
10 cast in their county committees respectively.
do not wish 70 go into unnecessary details,