The sun., 1909-06-18
DIRECT PRIMARY CAMPAIGN
FRIENDS PLAN A
STATE FIGHT.
Onlcers Announced at q Meeting OF the
Advisory Council in Albany-The New
York Members-C county Organizations
Formed-.n Endorsement OF Hughes.

Onlcers Announced at q Meeting OF the
Advisory Council in Abany-The New
York Members-County Organizations
Formed-..n Endorsement OF Hughes.
ALBANY, June 1.-THE advisory council
Of the Direct Primary Association Of the
State OF New York met this afternoon
at the Ten Eyck Hotel and perfected plans
for Statewide campaign. All parts
OF the State were represented. This was
the beginning OF a campaign for the enact
,nent Of a law which would put in effect
the direct primary system of nomination
advocated by Gov. Hughes.
County organizations were announced
as having been formed in Kings, West
chester, Oneida, Ontario, Erie, Cayuga,
Onondaga and Monroe counties. 1t was
also announced that county direct primary
leagues were being organized in many
other counties. and that it was proposed
to have a complete organization in every
county OF the State.
Each candidate for member OF the
Assembly is to be asked to state his posi-
ton with reference to direct primary
legislation. Through the local organiza-
tions in each county a vigorous campaign
will be made to elect members to the
Legislature who will support direct pri-
mary legislation and to advocate the
enactment OF direct primary law.
This letter from Gov. Hughes was read:
I thank you for the invitation to attend
the meeting OF the advisory council OF the
Direct Primaries Association to be held mex t
thursday. My absence from Albany on
that day makes acceptance impossible.
As ] have frequently stated. l regard the
provision OF proper system for the direct
nomination OF party candidates as matter
OF fundamental importance, and ! hope
every honorable effort will be made to secure
IL. The movement is not an attack upon
party or upon party organization or
upon party leadership. II aims to promote
efficiency and to secure representative
government through parties; then methods
which facilitate the control OF party ma
chinery by cliuues and make 1t unneCes-
sarily difficut for the party voters to record
and enforce their will must be abandoned
The movement Ii one in which all citizens
should be interested. for the need OF an
improved system is apparent in all parties.
And the more desirous one is to maintain
party integrity and TO avoid the disnte-
grafton OF parties. the more sollcitous he
should be to provide methods by which
the wishes OF the party voters may have
direct and decisive expression.
Judge Wadhams, on assuming the duties
of president Of the association, said the
most important political issue before the
State Of New York to-day is the direct
primary issue. Under our present sys-
TEN OF making nominations, he said,
-the party members do not select or
nominate their own candidatee-they are
appointed. The appointment is oquiva-
lent in two.thirds Of the counties to an
election. A majority Of the elective
officers therefore are filed by appoint
ment. When these officers take office
they usually do as the appointing power
RcsoIutions we're adopted indorsing
Gov. Hughes's views on direct nomina-
tions.
The following officers and the advisory
council OF the association were announced:
President. Judge W: II. Wadhams Of
James, Jr., OF Brooklyn. Merwin K Har.
OF Utica. William H. Clark Of Cortland,
Pliny T. Sexton OF Palmyra and Fred r.
Hazard OF Syracuse; treasurer. James
Talcot Of New York; secretary. no choice
In the advisory council the New York
CITY members are Oscar 8. Straus. Allan
Robinson. Benjamin E. Hall, DR.. John
HAYNES Holmes. DR.. Stephen 8. Wise,
Henry W. Sacifett, j. Adams Brown.
F. M. Crossett, William Chilvers. Henry
Moscowitz, Marcus NJ. Marks, Hamilton
Holt, Norman. Hapgood.. James B.. Roy
nolds, Edward +. Higgins. William H.
Wadhams, James Tslcot and John A.
Sleicher.
BROOKLYN Frank l.. Babbott. Nathaniel
II. Levy, Edward P. Lyon. George e,
Waldo. DR.. Nehemiah Boynton and Will
lam A. Prendergast.
Queens connty-H. A. Bogart.
Westchester county William Cravath
White, Charles M. Jessup, V. Everit Macy
and Seabury c. Mastick.