New-York tribune., 1909-02-06
WADSWORTH In FRAY
FEARS DIRECT PRIMARIES
EFFECTS.
Soys They WouH AlIoaO Tamenlany
TO Control Neao York City
Erpense Greatest Objection.

= T,seisrs AssociRtiosssf the state. He spoke
-sg,s+ direct primary nominations recon-
-s.nsed by Governor Hughes. He said he de-
-.r,s II understood that he did not want TO ap
80 ..oersonaIly antagonistic to any one. or to
CIV group Of men, nor TO question the motives
:. ,sncerity Of its chief advocate-the Governor
:. tbe stste-for have the highest regard and
admiration for him"
o+her speakers included Bishop Coadjutor
r,ctard H Nelson, of the Albany Episcopal
rsocese: Postmaster James H Callahan. OF
e.bsnertsdv. and Douglas MaIlock of Chicago.
u- Vvadsuorth began by enurnerating the off,
rsrz who would be nominated under the Governors
6.-.rt primary This, he said would COM
Jeyelv eliminate all nominating conventions. great
20 srnaT Under the direct primary plan was
contsaded. the winning candidate would more truly
-.nrssent the sentiments Of his party. II the
-.-+v voters under the present system, attended
.ba primaries and caucuses and exercised their
,.auers IL pyss safe 10 that the nominee
-sn-.se1ted IN a great majority of instances, the
sentiments os great majority OF his party But
., = direct primary such percentage was neces-
ssr~ 20 success. A mere plurality OF votes would
h. sufficient for nomination This would not repre-
sent the wishes of the majority OF the party He
ct+ed the nomination OF Adlai Stevenson for Gov
,-nor OF Illinois last summer sS illustrating his
pcint saying that while Stevenson polled only
7Aao- against divided opposition OF nearly 100000
xoes he the nomination
Els next point was that the centres OF population
,,.der z direct primary law would WELD great
power in the selection OF candidates This would
give 8 candidate from city an overwhelming ad-
vantage ever a candidate from 3 country town
The ceierity and with which the former could
rsk. his canvass would give him lead the latter,
even though ne abler man. could not over
couae he named Buffalo. Syracuse, Albany, Troy,
Rome Utica. Elmra. Binghaznton ana Schenectady
as cities which would in the selection Of candidates
prsvert the counties from getting proper recor1i-
ton.
TAMMANE RULE FOREVER
New York City. however. he cited as best Illus
trating his point Under the direct nominations
plan Tannany in Manhattan could for years TO
come hold the Democratic party by the throat in
.he greater city and could nominate and control
tbs entire city ticket The people Of The Bronx.
Queens and Richmond. Republicans and Democrats
alike xo1ld have voice IN the selection Of can
dida.es 4 Etro1s New York City machine. with
the help OF a strong Buffalo machine. under these
conditions could control the selection OF candidates
for Governor and other state Offices
when we think OF this phase OF the subject IT
IS not surprising note that the political leaders
or bosses whichever prefer TO use. in ths
greater city OF New York do not seem to bs everss
TO direct nominations" he said
Fusion would disappear with direct primaries. be
believed He said:
The point wish TO make is this; That effective
fusion between parties involving It does
ticay impossible under direct nominations: II is
only possible under present system OF holding
fully considered and debated This also is phase
Of the Question Ehich some Of our good refoImer
Shen they consider the political situation which
mayoralty election
He cited the denomination by both parties of
Judge Eaight. a Republican, ss showing that the
present system did much TO keep the Judiciary out
Of poiitice- The nomination of Judge Haisht by
both parties he asserted. would have been impos-
sible under direct primary system
I don't believe that Republican. no matter
rho hs is, csrry Democratic statewide prt-
mary against Democrat who is acceptable TO his
party he said $50 when you establish direct
primaries you had better make up your minds to
say goodby 20 the custom OF re-electins faithful
Judges without opposition, and you may well
prepare the judiciary thrown into politics TO
s1st such greater degree"
EXENsE GREATEST OBJECTION
Tha greatest objection to his mind however,
the expsnse: much the expense to which
the public would be subjected by having two cleo
ions year and the consequent disturbance Of busi
but rather the expense to which the candi-
dates would be subjected
Emphasizing this point he referred to state
of Isaac Stephenson. that he had spent s1os.-
900 in canvsssing for the United States Senator
strip under the Wisconsin direct primary Law, and
esa Il seemed conceded that Senator Stephen-
son had spent in all s25o.ooo in defeating the La
Toilette faction.
II il seems necessary spend a quarter Of a
million carry the primaries Of the State of Wis
Neusln, nov much VIII De neCsSsaLg 10 CdiiS NiO
primaries Of the State of New York. which has four
tines the greater population7" asked Mr.. Wads-
worth.
Taking up what he called phases OF a general
Character" Mr. WadEwoTth referred to the nomina-
lions Of Governor Hughes and Elihu Root saying:
We have always strfren in this country toward
certain civic ideals 1t is good thing for people
conditions may never completely reached, never
,hns,ess the efforts put forth in trying to reach
1,ons under which live One Of the greatest po-
ofaoe shall seek the man. While it is true that
,a,s IDEAL Is not attained in all cases by any
stances. nevertheless il is reached in great many
os-y &c se ms hrst nomination by the HePeonTan @
not a candidate for that honor; had asked no one
.ogrsgsd any Of his friends or admirers 70 or
sought It IN seT a m ms ao matter Of
ne vas not In this country during greater
ssIn.rles and convention Of 1906. That year the
sstss lin THEREBY faTnss an apt ii9sraton
ssn through nominating conventions. the ONCE
:, se ;s we been operating under direct nominations
coad hsye Eresy TO De doubted that M s1e hggnes
or attitude toward the subject. and have won
sns would have boldly entered upon sfatewide
he ssss n Their own behalf 70 certain extent mt
tor sSsouocan state convention; this last conven-
In neither Of these conspicuous instances
lit s nominee Of the convention called upon 10 10
NTsecut!ng canvass
wen a more recent lnEtsIce ol
ss,. tee man 1t occurred Just the other day |
aoet u Albany: when the secretsry Of STATE MT:
rse .h me State of New York. Does any one sup
r. tor moment that Mr.. Root could, while hold
1e srest ofice which he filed at washington,
noses, jumped into statewide struggle against opz
sh.e1ts Tor hts Office? His attitude toward /
suesuon was known TO all men-one OF viii,
20 serve the State OF New York II the call
IN "a u oe made upon him. but Of absolute refusal
tbe esort 70 any effort IN his own behalf among |
slsture - 10 S'oNe VI 'iie iii7iA' " ~ 80
rvitr. ne members Of his party in the Legislature.
te1stp and influenced by the sentiments OF the