New-York tribune., 1909-02-09
OPPOSE PARTY COLUMN
Continued from irst page.

Ter OF Columbia, and the Rev DR.. Thomas R.
Slicer were against the system. Then Mr..
Woodruff was asked about his views the
Brooklyn bill
DECLARES FOR BROOKLYN PLAN.
eff we are to have direct primaries certain
ly should favor a system like that" he said. 81
a party man. organization man. and
should stand for the preference on the ballot of
party representatives, I understand this bill
will provide. Independent nominees should go
the ballet by petition
Governor Hughes made public o-nght let
ter to a citizen of this state who wanted to know
how the direct primaries worked in Kansas
The letter was written by Speaker Doley, of
the Kansas Assembly. also chairman OF the Re
publican State Committee Mr.. Dolley sent
copy 10 the Governor and authorized its publica-
tion. II takes up and answers most of the OBJ
jections raised against the system by Speaker
Wadsworth in his recent speech, which seem to
be the sum total of the arguments OF adver-
sarfes Of the system.
Speaker Dolley tells of the successive steps
which led TO the adoption of direct nominations
and then Says in part:
cannot tell you how corrupt how vicious
how high handed. how subversive Of good NOR
ais. how rotten, the old convention system was.
Indeed. the inside workings Of state conventions
and the midnight conclaves leading up thereto
have never been told II need not be told The
old system is gone Let it's Vaccinations sleep.
II may suffice to Say that ciidueS and cabaIs rep
resenting the corporations, the special interests
and those who have fattened at public expense
had manipulated caucu5es, county conventions
and state conventions, legislatures and con-
crosses. and traded and dickered and traffcked
in political candidates. and policies for geneT-
alton and the people had no remedy. The
Democratic party was controlled by the same
sinister Influences. a revolt at the polls
Election Day brought no relief
Perhaps the situation is different in New
York. Perhaps you have no bosses Of precincts
and wards and counties who obey the mandates
OF higher bosses in state affairs Perhaps those
who sit at the political pie counter by grace of
federal appointments, and all those who draw
long salaries for little work at public expense
boIea ,,ot arro0stad m +bau saIyas the ri9bt IN
dictate to the Republican and Democratic vOt-
your state, county and local officers. Per
haps there is a fair expression or popular will
in that regard. II so, you do not need pri-
mary election law If so. New York politics has
been badly maligned throughout the Republic
Speaker Doliey answers a number of objec
tions that have been raised to the direct nomi-
nations system and declares that kansas
would no more return to the convention system
of ten years ago than II would TO the shotgun
system OF the Jayhawkers and Redlegs Of fifty
years ago"
FIRST DEBATE IN ASSEMBLY.
The first debate on direct nominations in the
Legislature took place in the Assembly to-
night when Assemblyman Bennett called up his
resolution asking for informal tion concerning the
primary vote in New York City for the last
three years Although there is no direct nomi-
nation bill before the Assembly, Mr.. Bennett
launched forth into a speech in favor of the
Governors proposition saying that his object in
Introducing the original resolution was Ito have
placed before US certain information which has
an important bearing on the question that is
rov, stirring the voters of this state from end
70 emo. the question Of the Improvement of the
method by which select our candidates for
public office"
The resolution was adopted with an amend
noent offered by Assembyman Francis. Of New
New York Board OF Elections only in those dis
tric+s where there was contest
In his speech, Mr. Bennett said that there was
widespread feeling that public offices had not
o11yavs been filed by those whom the voters
v,o,,Id prefer and that there inssteuJ
demand for a change in the primary law.
Assemblyman Hammond of Onondags, who
was acting as majority leader, said, in speaking
of the resolution:
'eyyhen this resolution was introduced week
ago confess that was at a loss to know just
r.bat was It's meaning, but I read in the papers
+bs next morning that It. was proposed to line
49,, those In favor of direct nominations. As for
me do not propose 10 be lined UP. II strikes
me that the whole subject of direct nominations
AZ this time is out of order. although believe
that It is a question OF sufficient Importance TO
merit the fullest information. [ believe we
should get that Information, but it is absurd
nov. to talk about the main questions of direct
nominations"