New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-14
LOCAL DEVASTATION.

Thorough is the policy or the SuppoI'ei"
of Governor Hughes in the upper part OF the
state We have several times alluded TO the
victory Of Mr. Thaddeus G. Sweet who ran
for the Assembly nomination on the direct pri-
maries issue in Oswego County against Assem-
blvman Frank L. Smith. This victory was
completed at the Oswego County Convention
ON THURSDAY. when Mr. Sweet was formally
nominated The direct primaries men, how
eyer were not content with merely sending a
representative to Albany 10 vote in accordance
with their views. but proceeded to give the
county organization beating all along the line.
DISPATCHES say that the leader. Judge St""el'
and his forces were swept out of power ana
that the Hughes forces will reorganlze the
county Mr. W. W. Spencer, who was opposed
by the machine. was unanimously nominated
for County Clerk and. all in all, revolution
seems to have sprung from the apparent!
harmless circumstance that the machine was
led by a man who was openly and VIGOROUSLY
ouposed 10 the Governor and that ii tried TO
send back 10 Albany a representative who re-
Elected that opposition. The devastation that
has fallen upon Judge Stowell's machine. which
has been in existence twenty years, contains
warning To the other anti Hughes leaders Of
the state.
In Herkimer County. where the Republican
the other hand were more favorable 10 the
machine, but at the same time of such char
acter as not 10 inspire it with confidence that
il can pursue its course regardless of the grow
ing sentiment for primary reform. The early
returns indicated victory for the organization,
but the direct primaries forces showed such
remarkable strength that they can hardly he
overlooked. The indications were that the or
ganization would control thrty-seven delegates
10 the Herkimer County convention while the
AUTHORIZATION delegates would number
twenty-nine A weaker showing than that for
the Hughes forces in Franklin County re-
Gently resulted in the retirement of the organ
ization candidate for Senator and the indorse-
ment Of the Hughes candidate, Judge Paddock
in his place.
There is vitality in sentiment which can
overturn strongly intrenched organization Ike
that of Judge Stowel in Oswego and divide
the honors of the contest with the Organiza ton
in Herkimer, and there is not doubt that the
organization leaders and newspapers through
out the state are waking up 10 the fact that
they have on hand a dangerous issue. The
Buffalo News" which has all along been one
of the most intense opponents of direct pri-
maries. quotes with approval The Tribunes re-
mark the other day that expediency not plat
forms ma kes issues and that the people will
have direct nominations if they want them, no
matter what the Republican state platform
of 1908 said or did not say. The News agrees
but il seems 10 hold the opinion that If the
people want any form of direct nomination they
want the original blown n-the-bottle' West
ern sort, Of which The News" speaks with sud
den respect as the kind that prevails for local
offices in ''some of our counties And II Is
sure that they will have none Of the Governor :
variety Does this indicate shift, due 10 the
contemplation OF such cataclysms as that i'm
Oswego: Is the organization 10 take the posi-
non that it is the only real supporter Of the
none genuine without our trademark" kind or
direct nominations while the Governors variety
is base imitation that violates the pure food
law in politics: IL would not be surprising
Indeed we have been expecting it, Neverthe-
less. II will he diverting 10 high herDics
worked up over reasonable attempt TO depart
one iot or title from the sacred system the
ten tablets handed down 10 Moses. in Wiscon-
sim and on the part of those who last winter
were denouncing everything direct" the
Western brand well as the Hughes adapta-
ton, as "socialistic and un-American."