New-York tribune., 1910-04-23
THE H|NMAN-GREEN BILL


sentiment Of the district at the time when
they are called upon to submit designations
for nominations.
Hard to Defeat Designations.
In the larger political units IT would be
| Substantially impossible to defeat the desig-
nations of these year old committeeman.
| because the labor and the expense OF a
contest would DO so great In an emer-
gency such contest might be waged about
that any considerable number of men would
/ think IL worth while TO carry on contest
over the whole state about the nomination
OF one of the minor state officials.
The true method OF improving the Quahty
OF men for the minor state offices Is by
adopting the principle of the short ballot;
under which these officials would be named
by the Governor. with the approval or the
Senate. in the same way that the President
now names his Cabinet. The nominations
OF Governor Hughes himself are evidence
that state conventions are responsive TO
public sentiment vigorously ana generauy
expressed, as far as the Governorship Is
concerned.
Third-The Hinman n-Green bill. by pro-
vidng that official designations OF candi-
dates to be submitted TO the voters Of the
parties at the primaries must be made
eleven weeks before Election Day. neces-
| sarily takes the element of spontaneity out
! of party action. Public sentiment has
often forced good nominations upon un-
willing conventions BY growing gnhsg in volume bI,s
under the Hinman-Green bill no such op-
! portunity for growing popular sentiment 10
affect party nominations is afforded unless
/ 81 be assumed that popular sentiment can
| accommodate itself 20 the provisions OF this
bill and reach fits climax in the month OF
August
Effect on County Committees.
Fourth-The Hinman-Green bill provides
! that every election district shall be repre-
! committeeman. and that every such COM
miJteeman shall live in the district he rep
resents. In great city such territorial
4 limitations upon representation cannot help
| working badly. What every party needs is
l to get into it's county committee many
l Of its strong members possible, and it is
| unreasonable TO insist that two strong men
! must live on opposite sides OF tho same
I street dividing election districts, would
| often be the case, in order that both may
| be in the county committee. We think that
/ any bill should be changed in this respect.
Under these circumstances your petition
ers suggest that the Hinman-Green bill be
/ amended so rs to retain the direct primary
system therein provided, so far II re-
lates TO nominations for the state Senate
| and the Assembly, including the election
| OF the committeeman who are to designate
| the party candidates TO be voted for for
! these offices at the primaries. We think
also that all delegates to such party con-
ventions as are retained should be directly
! elected at the primaries.
All the features OF the Hinman-Green bill
which have been outlined above salts
! factory TO the whole party should be
| tained, so that in substance the only
| change that we propose should be made
/ in the bill is a limitation of its scope so
/ far as its direct primary features are con-
/ cerned.
If the Hinman-Green system can be ex-
! perimentally tried in small units like the
/ Senatorial and Assembly districts, il might
i be practicable to move the date for des-
/ ignating candidates nearer 10 Election Day.
Amendments Would Provide Test.
This bill, so amended, would provide for
/ a trial Of the system in its relation to the
election Of members Of the Legislature. and
. F-.-- a
/ have the system made more comprehen-
/ sive, after witnessing its operations. they
have only to elect Senators and members
Of Assembly who are pledged TO this policy,
1 in order TO secure this result. We respect
| fully submit that the Hinman-Green bill,
| so amended, would provide for an expert
mental trial of the system under cond-
l tons entirely fair to it, and under cond-
I tions entirely favorable to the extension Of
extended.
on the other hand by such amendments
/ the state will be feeling its way through
! experience instead OF making radical
/ plunge into conditions for which there is
absolutely no precedent; for, while IL is
I true that there are many direct primary
I laws in other states Of the union, no such
l law embodies the scheme of the Hinman-
Green bill. IL is argued with great force
I that the scheme OF the Hinman-Green bill
/ is likely to obviate many OF the difficulties
4 that have attended the direct primary sys-
1 TEN elsewhere. but, when one considers the
magnitude Of the interests involved. II is at
I least open to question whether il is not
1 better TO move a sep al time toward a
new system than to put everything to
I hazard by a change OF method applicable at
1 once TO every Office in the state
In view of the fact that the Hnman-
Green bill has the approval of Governor
Hughes and that a number OF Assembly
men have been elected on the pledge to
support this bill. II seems to your petition
ers that nothing less than a vote upon the
bin. as It stands, will meet the legislative
obligation to this measure II is our judg-
should be amended along the lines sug-
gested in this communication, and that in
this form, it should be enacted into law.
Darwin r. James. jr., who as presi-
dent Of the Brooklyn Young Repub-
lican Club had a large part in draw
ing up the original Hinman-Green bill.
said last night he stood for that bin
without amendment. 1T was carefully
drawn" he said. and represents several
years Of close study Of the subject II Is
entirely logical as IT stands, and there
seems 20 be 10 reason for attempting to
| limit it's scope"
Other friends OF direct primaries. who
! said they did not wish to get into anv
controversy on the subject. expressed
/ themselves in opposition to the sugges-
tions OF the petitioners. II do not see
how Governor Hughes can be induced 10
favor any such tinkering with his bill"
said one. "If we want direct primaries
at all we want a system which will cover
1 the entire field. 1t seems assured that
the Hinman-Green bill will pass the
Senate. and we have hopes that with the
aid Of a number OF Democrats who have
promised us their support IL can pass
/ the Assembly"
Judge William II. Wadhams, president
OF the Direct Primary Association of New
York state. has no Sympathy with any
attempt TO limit the scope Of the Hin
man-Green bill. IF il is a good thing
I for a eew officers il should he a good
/ thing for ALL" ne said. IF the Repub-
lican party is desirous Of holding its vote
this fall, Il ought to see that IL can do
so i'm no better way than by permitting
the members Of the party To take part
/ I'm the selection of the candidates.