New-York tribune., 1909-12-10
CANDID PROFESSOR
LEGISLATORS LISTEN.
Their -4Ueragc LO1c. He Says,
St Primaries Hearing.

Seven members ~ the state Legislature.
composing the joint Legislative Commit
tee on Direct Nominations. found them
selves listening yesterday afternoon 10
some extremely uncOmplimeutary remarks
on state legislators IN general The re
marks were made by Henry Jones Ford
professor ~ politics IN Princeton Unit
versity. who had been asked 20 appear he
fore Jhe first session IN this CITY ~ the
1clnt COMMITTEES. Public hearings will be
continued TO-DAY and tomorrow IN the Ar-
pellate Division Courthouse IN Madison
avenue
Professor Ford who was called because
he had written an attack on direct pri-
maries. appearing m a july magazine, ex-
pressed the opinion that the country had
sot too far from the pure democratic idea
of government He believed it elected TOO
many administrative officials, getting away
TOO far from direct responsibility. There
were TOO many conventions. too many pri-
ma-ies. causing too rnucn political activity.
he thought There was not yearning by
the people % take pa-r IN the selection %
-a-ious officials. ne considered Naturally,
therefore. he was opposed 20 direct p-t-
mares. which ~ looked upon as stin fur
Their complcatins the political system of
the country
our defects are TOO fundamental Re
said. Ito - cured bv any change OF pro
cecure IN nominations. We must have q
radical change. I would prefer the form q
Switzerland. v-1ere The selection n candi-
dates is not regulated ny law. but LEFT fo
private initiative r is useless 70 rrv o.
change the personnel or our candidates by
electinE good men 20 Office and all that sort
Of hUmbuE. We are tre only country in
The world that has a law regulating party
primaries. and the more - rh1t sort %
rhing We get the worse We are"
After Professor Ford had been talking
some tine Asseubiyman Jesse L Phillips
of AllsEany. thought 20 clinch z telling
Point against direct primaries
Don't yol think" ne said. that mem
bs-s o. The legislature nominated 81 direct
primaries and making a personal canvass
on their record regardless of party plat
forms. would be less responsible than those
selected a. party con -errions, more apt 70
be under the influence Of log ro-hng
Certainly" replied ne professor. The
tendency Of the system would degrade or
legislatures. and Jney are low enough as
= is"
The able members cf rhe Legislature seat
&c around rhe table looked stunned for a
moment. and then decided the laugh was
on them, and took Il as good naturedly as
possible.
Senator George Z. Meade OF Rochesre-,
chairman OF the joint committee. presided
Other members Of -he committee present
were Senator James A Emerson, o. Wa--
rens5ur=. Asseublynen Phillips and Julian
c. Scott. Of Chenango, James Z. FAY. of
Kings. Robert :. Conkl,n. OF New York.
and Frank L Howard. % TioEa
EZ-Ju5ge william II. Wadhsus. pTesi-
cenl Of -he Direct Primaries Association u
the State of New York. vas the h-st Wit
ness. He vas asked regarding MS political
experience and activity. II the course Of
which ne iet II De known that = was ne
who arranged the f-s- meeting between the
organizers of the Committee of One Hun
dred ana President Parsons 4 the Repub-
licsn County Committee. az - quiet lttle
dinner a. he Yale Club"
E--Ju6ge Walter H Knapp. o; Ontario
cou-se- 70 The committee. went 70 work a.
once II ar apparent attempt 70 show thar
direct primaries would have made inpos-
sibie such fusion as occurred in the last
campaign. NJ. Wadhsus. after going into
the fusion history n detail. said he believed
otto ? Barnard had been handicapped by
the fact that he had been selected by an
unofficial group before his nomination by
the Republican convention he said that
Ctrecr primaries would cause such a seiec-
lion % 60 before The enrolled voters o. the
party
VI Wadhans said - believed the Hin
uan-Green biz Is presented last year was
satisEa -tory IN lis fundamental provisions.
although. ne thought. some minor changes
might he made. y might be a good idea
70 leave the method a. counting the votes
a the primary tc the party o-Eanizat tons.
Re said