New-York tribune., 1909-03-20
THE PRIMARY CONTEST
NOW OUT IN THE OPEN
PARSONS In OPPOSITION
THINKS DIRECT NOMIN4-
TIONS AID TO TAMMANY.
BeieUes System VIII Eliminate ET-
perlenced Mem and Make Cam
paigns More ETpenSiUe.

Herbert Parsons. president of the Republican
County Committee. last night came out against
direct primary nominations as proposed by the
Hinman bill. introduced at Albany yesterday
This bill is favored by the Governor
Mr. Parsons SAYS that the greatest peril to
sntiTarrnany success next fall is the passage
of direct nomination bill. Mr. Parsons has
hitherto refused to comment on direct nomina-
tfons but last night after reading the dispatches
from Albany in answer to questions E-opounded
bv a Tribune reporter. he clearly declared his
opposition to the new bill Mr.. Parsons said he
would not volunteer a statement, but would an
swer questions.
so far as YOU have examined the bill which
has the Governors sanction do you approve OF
its general features?" he was asked Mr.. Par
sons said
l have not seen the bill but only the state
ment printed in the afternoon papers The bill
in essence is direct nominations by the point
system; that is in effect the scheme Oh dlrect
nominations that the county committee recon-
ruended in a bill introduced by Assemblyman
Prentice two years ago. BY that bill delegates
we're 10 he elected but they could be pledged
when originally nominated, and if pledged their
votes had to be counted for the candidate Tor
whom they were pledged The object of electlug
delegates was 10 have a convention ready made
I'm case no candidate has a majority OF the
points While this bill does not adopt that sys-
tenn it veers toward it. Personally think II
would be much better If 1t had fully adopted our
system -
YORK county it is not easy for the Republican
party to get candidates. In this bill the 0rganI--
zati6n will be responsible for putting up Candi-
dates against Tammany and will have to name
the candidates eight weeks before primary DAY,
which will he between three and four months
before Election Day If it is difficult I" get men
to stand candidates now Tor three OF touT
weeks as is the case in many districts. 1t VIII
be many times more difficult 10 get men 70 be
candidates for three or four months
our bill of two years ago made IT optional with
either the organization or independent party
voters in the district either 10 eject Tree dele
gates r 10 instruct those delegates for particular
candidates In a majority of the Assembly us
| ,ricts in New York County Il would seldom
/ baupen that there would be enough interest in
Republican nominations TO lead 10 the instruc-
/ tion of the delegates for particular candidates
/ nOritv party should make nominations and that
il should have the opportunity to do so up 10 the
/ last moment. That It would have had under our
bill but won't have under this one
do not think II Vill improve party commit
tees II may weaken them only one man can
/ be chosen from an election district. PeTnaIs
there are four or five men in election district
who ought to he members of the county COM
/ Dlfttee That probably is the case sometimes
nov, All kinds Of men are needed in a county
committee This scheme will tend TO make that
impossible l fear that II will directly tend
against the election Of older and more expert
enCed men who are needed for counsel but who
NAV not be willing to be aggressive candidates
for a thankless position.
men strikes me as unnecessary. l do not see
why il should be made necessary % nominate
them by petition instead OF by meeting The
retitfon ulau simply imposes an additional bur
den upOn the party. Ii is entirely unnecessary
in Great ma ioritv of election districts in New
York County. where it Is difficult enough for the
Republican party to get men to be Wiling TO
look after the partys interests II they could
only be got by having petition circulated at
least four weeks before the primary 1t would be
still more difficult to get them.
Nv whole idea is that every attempt should
he made to make politics as inexpensive as pos
sibIe. The difficulty with most of these schemes
* that they tend make il more expensive.
The result Of that will be that in order TO keep
I'D an efficient party organization either public
spirited members Of the party must contribute
very literally failing in that special interests
will by indirect contributions provide the active
party men The more money necessary the
greater the power of the moneyed interests in
the party machinery, especially IN great city.
Under the bill apparently only an enrolled Re
publican could he voted for for nomination at
Republican primaries
But apart from all that I compelled 10 say.
and | saw il with hesitation, as I expect 10 be
charged with being boss and using the state
r,,arT for the purpoee of defeating anv progress
sive legislation that the greatest peril TO anti
Tammany success this fall is the passage of
direct nominations bill. Not only is that so be-
cause IL makes more difficult a fusion pro-
gramme but it puts it in the power Of designing
and unscrupulous men Of the other side to create
or aid a factional row in the Republican party
and divide 1t at time when II ought 10 be
The experience of Illinois in so narrowly re-
aIec+ine as Hughes-Iike man as Governor
Deneen his narrow majority being due to the
bitter primary fight. should be a warning TO US.
Nayor Fitzgerald of Boston, a Dcrlocrat. was
elected al a time when it supposed that the
Republicans could certainly win His election
vas secured. as 1 have understood, through the
fact that the people interested in his success at
least aided a Republican candidate TO tight the
man whom all Republicans apparently thought
should be the Republican nominee for Mayor.
This created a bitter in the Republican
ranks and Mr. rockingham, now Lieutenant
Governor whom every one supposed would be
nominated. won at the primaries, but by such
narrow majority that II blasted everybodys
hopes of succeeding at the election
In nv opinion. a debt of gratitude is owed 20
the many men who. despite bitter attacks upon
them have come out in the open and argued this
question Whatever the final result may be, the
Governors bill shows that the courageous stand
taken by these men has had at least benenclaI
effect on the minds of the Governors supporters
who drew this bill