The sun., 1909-02-21
HUGHES'S DIRECT. PRIMARIES
Continued from First Page.

lf any Omcer BnOulu De Tree from nOfutnh
tion by bosses and cliques that Officer
should be the Judge. Since we have
decided that Judges should be elected
not appointed, it followed logically that
their nomination should be brought about
by the freest possible expression OF the
public will. As to the objection that
direct nomnati ions might result In the
choice Of a candidate by mere plurality
vote and thus force upon the party nomi-
nee not supported by majority OF the
party voters the Governor said that the
Chief Executive may be elected by q
plurality vote. so what could be said againt
his being nominated by plurality OF his
party? The Governor indulged In q
little sarcasm at the expense OF the OBJ
jeotors in general
Their hypothetical woes affect them
grievously. he said, but the spectacle
Of a scandalous perversion OF our repre-
sentative system seems to give them slight
| qualms.
Gov. Hughes did not purpose to in
! terfere in any way with the right to make
independent nominations by. petition.
| He had not recommended the direct
| election OF United States Senators OF the
| nomination OF Senatorial candidates at
the primaries. Nor was the so-called
initiative and referendum in question.
! Then the Governor proceeded to outline
his conception OF the scope OF direct
nominations reform.
The method Of enrolment in this State
was so excellent. he said that IL was en-
! tirely practicable to provide for the en-
rolment of party voters throughout the
State. The permissive system OF town
enrolment could easily be made manda-
tory. Recent practices in primaries m
rural districts showed, he said. that
instead of being a burden an enrolment
will be an important safeguard against
frauds. The enrolment system is now
perfectly understood by the voters.
The primary election should he held
under regulations similar to those which
govern general elections. and the cost OF
ballots. polling places, supplies. inspec-
tion and the like should be borne by the
public.
The amounts which might he expended
by candidates should be limited. and an
important deterrent with regard to the
improper use OF moneys could be sup
piled by the publication OF primary cam
on behalf Of candidates Immediately after
he primary election and before the gen
eral election, Stringent laws. said the
Governor. should be passed for the regu-
lation Of these matters.
As to party organization the Governor
held that parties exist In fact and will
continue to exist; that party organiza-
tion Is necessary and will continue. He
favored direct nominations not as blow
to parties but as a means OF bringing
the management of parties into closer
touch with the spirit Of our institutions.
The party organization should be SO ar
ranged that il would spring directly from
the voters or. in he language Of the Court
Of Appeals. should he constructed from
the bottom upward" instead OF from
the top downward"
The Governor sugges ed that the MEM
bers OF the party State committee should
be elected in their districts directly by
the voters Of those districts; for example,
IL the members of the State committee
be chosen from Congress districts the
party voters in a given Congress- district
would vote directly for the member from
that district. He continued:
With respect TO other committees it
is important that there should not be an
undue number Of party representatives
TO be chosen. FOR the attention OF voters
should be properly focused upon those
to be voted for in their districts. This
may readily be accomplished by having
the voters choose directly those who are
TO represent them in a given committee
and by having the other committees
built up from one so directly chosen"
Thus said the Governor. the county
committee might be made up OF members
coming from small unit districts and
elected directly by the voters OF those
districts. The members OF the county
committee residing within a given unit
district might constitute the committee
Of that district. The same scheme might
apply to the Assembly district committee.
Where a city Is within the county the
members of the county committee who
reside within the city might be consti-
tuted the city committee. Committees
Of larger districts than counties. as. for
example. Senatorial. judicial and Con-
greSs district committees and the city
committee in New York. might be made
mp from the respective county committees
resentation. The system would be simple
and understandable. said the Governor.
On primary day the voters should stand
upon the same footing; there should be
no regulars or -irregilars,
Concerning nominations Of candidates
for elective Offices the Governor held
that these nominations should be made
by direct vote OF the enrolled party MEM
bers.
Il therefore favor the adoption OF a
plan" he said, which will permit the
presentation OF names OF candidates and
furnish opportunities for open and fair
consultation by the party committees
which have been duly chosen and whose
representative character has been res
sonably assured in the manner already
stated. Thus the State committee would
present the names OF those whom they
propose as candidates for State Offices,
the county committee those proposed
a. candidates for county offices, DC The
committee would not have the right
Of final choice Of candidates The names
they certified would be placed upon the
ballot; other names might be presented
by petition, and the party voters could
choose the men they wanted as candi-
dates.
As to proportional representation the
Governor thought that rural communities
would be benefited by a method Of direct
nominations. He suggested that there
should be an Official primary ballot with
distinct parts Of the ballot for the names Of
candidates for membership OF party COM
mittees and candidates for nomination for
elective Offices. No candidate or group
Of candidates should have preferential
position on the ballot. Practical equality
could be secured by numbering the names
of candidates consecutively from the top 10
the bottom Of the ballot so that each can
didate would have u different number no
matter for what Office he might be pre-
sented. In closing the Governor said:
Under practical plan Of direct nomi-
nations larger scope will be given to the
operation Of wholesome influences Our
final reliance must be in the intelligence
and conscience Of the people The argu-
ment that they cannot be trusted will not
avail We are seeking TO reach the honest
Judgment Of the people through the party
relations in which they 30 largely appear
for the purpose OF political action. We
must consider these relations as we find
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