New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-01-23
APPLAUSE GREETS HIS
REPLIES TO CRITICS.
Calls Present System a TraUesty OF
RepresentatiOn-CarHegie Names
Hughes for President.

among the four hundred guests at the dinner
given for him by the Hughes Alliance at the
Hotel AstOr. Andrew Carnegie. VINO spoke in
place of Governor Fort OF New Jersey. who was
detained by state business. said that it was only
recently that he had taken up the consideration
OF direct nominations. but left it TO be inferred
that the Governor had converted him to his
cause
Government by the few. said the Governor
early in his address, means government by ths
interests that control the few. statement that
served him as text through his speech He
said that in way was he working against ths
pledges of the party his own to the party
in advocating direct nominations His views on
the subject were known before his denomination,
and his party had so far mdorsed his utterances
as not to say anything in conflict with them tu
the state platform
So far as being opposed to the principles oe
representative government. the Governor said
that direct nominations meant actual represents
ative government and that this criticism cams
chiefly from those seeking to nullify representa-
tive government. If" he asked. eft IS repre-
sentative government to elect officials by direcs
vote in what way is it against representative
government nominate them directly2"
'gThe way to get representative government
he declared. with emphasis. "is TO get peopls
who will represent what they pretend TO repre-"
sent"
proper machinery for direct nominations could
be put to work 1--WE can readily make the
laws applicable to general elections" he said.
"applica BILE to primary elections. If we truss
the voters 1t will be no trouble to make laws
which will enable the voters to express their
Wishes"
Under the present system Of nominations ths
Governor said that about three-quarters OF the
members of the Assembly came from districts
where the nomination by the dominant party
there meant election. the same being true OF
the members OF the Senate The root OF the
whole evil he said was in control Of party
legislation for selfish interests.
Whatever II may be in theory" he said 1T
is a fact that the Intervention OF delegates IS
only a sham. Whether they are ignored. or
whether they are bartered. as sometimes hap
pens In rural communities. the delegate system
is used only to delude and is a trayesty upon
representative government
UNDERTAKINGS NOT To BE DELAYED.
At the outset the Governor said there were
new undertakings which should not be long
POSTPONED" and then he mentioned the preserve
tion Of the state forests the publication or tns
streams and the utilization Of the water powers
for Industrial advancement "Our state WORK
must be done" he said. and in the way We do
it will be tested capacity for free govern
ment" Extravaganza IN public undertakings
must not be permitted. nor should the admln1s-
tration be honeycombed with fayorltlsm- COh-
tinuing the Governor said:
Government by the few tends to become. and
has been to small degree. government oy
the interests who control the few Any system
which makes that easy will not bear dlscGssion'
and the DeopIe will not indefinitely endure IL
OF course we rely fundamentally upon our
morals and educational agencies we TeJoIce f -
the high level of intelligence ana IN tile ~ ulo
soundness of our people But the eHectINCnesS
of wholesome public opinion oepehds ,;tai ui2i %
keeping open the avenues or our PoIuSdl o.
tion When find unnecessary obstacles, We
should destroy them We ought 20 put h9ruIeS
in the way of private schemes or pohtlcaI me- me-
nipuIators and make less difficult the play OF the
disinterested forces Of our public sPIrited-eltzeh
Almost invariably We elect to Office candi-
dates who are nominated by parties 30 thdr
neryersion OF party machinery is a serious mem
ace to the public at large. And freedom OF party
action is essential to popular government
This is so in districts where the vote Is Ialllg am,
close For il nominations are dictated on e4cn
side by one or by a few men who contIoL
party machinery, the people nave nave no PiOPeH
Chance to select their representatives
But in very large number OF dlstrlcts IN
the state the election Of Senator'S and or ~
sen,bIvmen and Of local officers is One-slded
aYstr Except where there is pOhucai up
heavaI a nomination by the dominant party =
equivalent to an election More than ohe-IlsIL
~ onr Assemblymen have been chosen from DIS
tricts where the dominant party mas electeo rs
candidate uninterruptedly for many years; Ih
sanh Of thirty additional dstricts the rule shows
onIv one exception in ten years n eacn OF Ten
additional districts the RUE SHOWS OtiIy w.
ceptions in ten years II would perhaps noI %
putting il too strongly TO say that not less lldLL
three -fourths Of our Assemolymen are cno5Tn 5ga
from districts where the nGrlIh1tlon nom @ IL ~ -
dominant party is decisive The same may -
said with respect to a large number OF Sen4-
torial districts and counties
DELEGATES a SHAM.
whatever NAV be said in theory the inter
,ontion of delegates to choose the nominees IS
for the most part sham Whether the deie-
gates are ignored. as is so largely the case OF
are the subject Of barter and trafrC as i zoo
fraouently the case. particularly in our sJnalier
communities il comes 10 the same thing lhey
represent form which is useful IN tne Lain
~ to deIude the people. and constitute 2
trayestv of representation 1T u We're proposed
10 confer By law upon those who to so large an
cxtant dictate the nomination OF Candidates
tHo ,lov-sr that thew actually exercise the state
would rise in indignant protest
do not desire either OF the parties 70 De coti-
eidered in this matter to the exclusion OF the
others II some of my friends are not perstaG-
ed with regard TO the conditions IN ther own
Dartv let them consider the machinery and
methods OF their opponents ~ We are 10 ,sl nes7
wholesome government we must nave Whoie-
some party mana cement and true party repre-
sentation and we shall be greatly aided IN Sc
curing IL in the case OF any one party oy th9
eFeorts that we make to secure il in all parties
have urged that party candidates should pa
nominated directly by the voters OF the party
That is that the party members should decide
directly who should stand for office as the party
representative This is called the system OK
some have said that because Of statements
In the platform adopted by the convention at
which was nominated. have no right to urge
this do not find any statements in the plat
form cOndemning direct nominations. Had the
Republican convention desired to denounce the
system of direct nominations. the English Ian
guage was adequate 10 the expression OF tlGC
intent Parties have their obligations to their
candidates as we'll as candidates to tnelr party
And IL the party desires 20 express It's diSap-
Tro,-aI Of DOIicv il Is very easy and proper for