The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-07-07
ROOSEVELT WRITES
AN EDITORIAL

NEW YORK, July 6.-Former Presi-
oent Rooseyelt's deals with Governor
hughes. the New York legislature and
primary reform in a signed editorial
article IN the current number OF the
Outlook.
Mr. Roosevelt writes as follows:
i believe that Governor Hughes has
been supported by the bulk OF the
Wisest and most dlsinterested people
as regards most OF his measures and
positions. and | think that this has
been markedly the case az regards
primary nominations
i know that many honest and sin
cere men are. on principle. opposed TO
Governor Hughes on this point. and
! know also that the proposed re-
form will very possibly accomplish
iess than It's extreme advocates ex-
pect; while | am well aware as OF
course all thinking men must be, that
the worth OF any such measure in the
last resort depends upon the char
acter OF the voters and that no pat
ent device Will ever secure good gov
ernment until the people themselves
devote sufficient energy. time and
Judgment TO make the device work
On Direct Nomination.
Finally, | freely admit that here
and there. where the principle OF d.
rect nomination has been applied in
TOO crude shape. or wrong-headedly.
II has while abolishing certain evils,
produced OF accentuated others-in
certain cases for instance. putting
premium upon the lavish expenditure
OF money
But while ] freely admit all this,
| nevertheless feel in the first place,
that on the fundamental issue OF d.
rect primary nominations. the govern
or Is right. and. in the second place.
that as the measure finally came up
for action In the state legislature. II
was well nigh free from all objections
save those Of the men who object TO
1t, because they are fundamentally op-
posed TO any change whatever In the
desired direction.
The bill provided only for direct
poPulor action in the primaries in rel
atiyely small geographical and polit-
ical communities thereby making the
experiment FIRST where there was
least liability to serious objection and
avoiding or deferring the task OF deal
Ing with those big communities whore
the difficulties and dangers to be over
come would be greatest
Cannot Escape Responsibility.
The Republican party was in the
majority In both houses OF the legisla-
ture which refused to carry out the
Republican governors recommendn
tionS, and although II was only mi
norlty Of the Republican members
which brought about this refusal. the
party cannot escape a measure OF re-
sponslbility for the failure but IL Is
only just to remember that a clear
majority of the Republican members
of each house supported the bill,
whereas three-fourths OF over of the
Democrats opposed IT, This is one
of the cases where It is easier TO ap-
portion individual than party RESPONSE
billty.
Those who believe that by their ac-
tion they have definitely checked tho
movement for direct popular primaries
are, In my judgment. mistaken. In
Its essence this is a movement to
make the government more Democrat
ic: more responsive to the needs and
wishes OF the people as n whole With
out political machinery 1t is essential
TO have an efficient party. but the ma
ch,nery ought TO be suited to Demo-
cratic and not oligarchic customs and
habits.
The Right Of the Voters.
The question whether In a self-Gov-
ernlng republic we shall have self
governing parties is larger than the
particular bill We hold that the right
OF popular self.government Is incom-
plete unless IL includes the right OF
the voters not merely to choose be
tween candidates when they have
been nominated, but also the right TO
determine who these candidates shall
be. Under our system of party gov
ernment. therefore. the voters should
be guaranteed the right to determine
within the ranks OF their respective
organizations who the candidates of
the parties Will be, no less than the
right 10 choose between the cand,-
dates when the candidates are pre-
sented to them.
People VIII Insist on Direct Pri.
marles
There is no desire to break down
the responsibility OF party organi2a-
ton under duly constituted party lead.
ership. but there Is a desire to make
this responsibility real and to give
the members of the party the right to
say whom they desire to execute this
leadership. In New York state no
small part of the strength OF the move
ment has come from the popular con-
viction that many OF the men most
prominent In party leadership tend at
times to forget that in a democracy
the function OF political leader must
normally be to lead, not to drive.
I'VE, the men who compose the
great bulk of tho community, wish 10
govern ourselves We welcome Ia
ership. but we wish our To- 20 TN.
derstand that they derive their
strength from us and that although
we look TO them for guidance. we eN-
pect this guidance TO be in accord
ance with our interests and our ideals
II believe that the people OF New
York state will In the end insist on
taking more direct part In the nomi-
nation Of candidates because believe
they will grow more and more TO In
sist on just the kind of guidance and
leadership that | have mentioned"
Rln nAsgF1 Tn