New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-01-29
10 FIGHT HUGHES
ON PRIMARY PLAN
FORNIDABLE MOVEUENT
ORGANIZED.
Republicans InUited to Join Effort
to Defeat GorernOr on Direct
Nominations.

A formidabIe movement TO oppose direct pr1-
mary nominations proposed by Governor
Hughes was organized yesterday by George r
Sheldon. treasurer Of the Republican National
Committee ex-Justice William A Keener' OF
the Supreme Court: ex-Justice Ernest Hall. OF
the Supreme Court; Charles H Young presi-
dent of the Republican Club: Thomas H Hub
bard William ]. Wallace the Rev Thomas K
SIicer and William NJ. griffith
The following letter signed by them was sent
10 prominent Republicans in the city and state;
Will you serve as member OF a COMMITTEES
to undertake to secure and disseminate ln1orma-
ton bearing on the proposal 10 eStaohsh IN THIS
state direct party nOminations IN place OF nom
nations by convention?
The object is to submit TO the people all pos
sible facts which may be useful in perrecunS
and protecting the representative rorTn OF gov
ernment in our primary system that all citizens
NAV have equal opportunity TO participants IN
primary elections conducted under the same
guarantee of law general elections
Your reply should bs sent to WillIarn a.
Keener. No. rs Broadway. at whose once tns
committee will meet to organize on February .
at II o'clock.
THE letter covers about all the signers have
to say for the present" said ex-Just1ce keener
last night 1T is a movement to disseninats
information bearing the proposal by Gov
ernor Hughes and others 10 bring about direct
primary nominations
1T is fairly well understood that Mr. Young
and Mr.. Sheldon are hostile 10 the Governors
plan. Are all the signers Of the letter OF onS
opinion in that respect?" he was asked
Yes said Mr.. Keener- We are opposed to
the Governors proposal. and that Is why the
call sent out for an organized movement
against his plan. That is all care 70 say
about the matter until We are organized on
February ."
George r. Sheldon. treasurer Of the Repub-
lcan National Committee, said at the dinner Of
the Delaware Valley Society on Saturday night
that the direct primary nominations idea was
beautiful in theory, but in practice not worth
a continental"
President Young Of the Republican Club at a
special meeting Of the club on Monday night
made a speech that carried motion indorsing
the state convention platform. and turned down
a resolution supported by the Hughes men call-
ing for compulsory direct primary nominations
In his speech Mr.. Young said:
No man in this club expended more time. more
money or more effort year since than I did in
advocating Governor Hughes's advancement; n"
man has had more respect for his qualities and
attainments than myself. but when he asks me 10
follow him contrary to the party platform. I
hesitate And il it be urged that the people
understood him TO 9e for direct primaries by
reason of his later speeches and his acceptance.
I reply that. in spite of that attitude. he
10000 votes behind other candidates on the state
ticket who merely stood the party platform
1 believe in party government 10 enforce and
appIv partv priucipTes 7 believe in the re-
sponsibiIity of party administration in accord
ance with the policies announced in the party
platform. These policies but the described
methods Of public service and the defined means
believed to be conducive TO the public welfare.
To that doctrine I then subscribed and / still
subscribe. particularly 70 that sentence which
reads. Il believe in the responsibility of party
administra tion in accordance with the policies
announced in the party platform"
When Governor Hughes claims that the direct
primary a part OF the last campaign be-
cause il was not directly mentioned in the plat
form and was not disapprOved in the platform.
the argument does not appeal to me. If the Re-
publican party had wanted to favor direct nom
nations in its platform. the English language
was capable of a simple expression 20 that effect
That the party did not want to favor direct man
datory nominations is evidenced by the fact that
there is not a word on the subject in the plat
form