Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-09-15
JOHN r. HARDLN,S SPEECH
AT DEMOCRA TIC CONVENTION
Sadly Msman
Republics me-G Interesting
on AM emo Should Rule

nOulu Kulcs
respect, and with the respect the alle-
glance formerly accorded. Many people
have come to believe that the party
/ organization is a machine operated
/ for selfish and corrupt purposes by
bosses whose aims are not patriotic,
/ or even partisan; who are serving not
the people and the State, but, to use
the popular language of the day, the
special interests" and the predatory
rich" with Incidental profit to the am
/ bition and pockets of the politicians
! themselves.
/ This suspicion is so universal that
! good men hesitate to seek nominations,
/ and the announced support of the most
worthy candidate by a party leader is
hailed as sufficient reason for no
| further consideration of his name.
Doubtless this general belief has been
the occasion of much personal injustice
to individuals identified with party
management, and l have no question
that there is much more real patriot
ism among party leaders and party
workers than the cynical pessimism of
prevailing public opinion comedies. Few
deny either the necessitysor the desira-
bility of organization for political
effort.
Party Machine Critics.
The loudest critics of party machines
and party bosses call others to their
support and promptly Organize,
| choosing usually a name under which
| to rally for the new movement and an
executive guidance for its manage
ment, thus instinctively following the
methods they are banded together to
denounce. Observation in our own
State justifies the remark that the
leaders of reform movements are usual
ly intolerant of dissenters and reserve
the privilege of announcing principles
and selecting candidates, leaving rati-
ffcation only to those who may be at
tracted by the nature of the principles
announced, the high character of the
candidates selected and by faith in the
sincerity, probity and patriotism of the
leaders.
Political Organization.
Organization, therefore, cannot be an
Objectionable feature of political
party, and the high problem of the
present day is to bring back to the
party organization the respect and con-
fidence it formerly enjoyed by restor-
ing it to a condition which will COM
pei it to remember the principles which
it's name conventionally represents, to
nominate candidates of character and
worth, and to call to its leadership
men whose patriotism cannot be justly
assailed. The solution of this problem
must be sought through the party pri-
mary. and the solution is essential not
only to. the restoration of the older
parties to the respect and confidence
of the voters but also to the preserva-
ton of new parties which may be
formed either by way of protest against
principles advocated by the old, or in
support of new schools of political
thought
1t is entirely true that the people
themselves are to blame that the things
complained of have come to pass and
that the remedy has always been at
hand. We have had for Instance, for
many years in the Democratic or
ganization in some parts of this State
direct primaries for the selection of
candidates to be offered TO the popular
suffrage, and in other parts of the
State nominations have been made by
conventions chosen by election district
units.
Control OF Party.
There has never been a time when,
with proper diligence on the part of
the Democratic voters, the domination
and control of the party machinery
have been, not only theoretically, but
actually, beyond the reach of the voters
of the Democratic faith. The trouble
has been, if trouble there has been,
not lack of opportunity, but an indif-
ference which approXimates a lack of
patriotism.
Fashion should Change.
The fashion has been to scold and not
to vote and until the fashion changes,
all the laws in the world will not re-
vive or restore the influence of party
organizations. The signs Of the times
seem to indicate that the fashion is
changing, and that voters are again
appreciating the privilege, not only of
casting a ballot on election day, but
also are awakening to the almost equal
ly important privilege of participation
in party management and in the selec-
tion of candidates by party
There are those who would abolish
party in State and nation. This would
tend, as l believe not for the general
welfare, as it would necessarily mean
voting for men only, a dangerous con-
dition in a republic where safety lies,
as l have above suggested, in adher-
ence to certain fixed notions of the re-
lations between government and peo-
pie. Eliminate these and you have
a people with no anchor except the
popularity of a seif-chosen candidate,
and with no organized or effective pro-
lection against betrayal and usurpa-
ton.
But whether Objectionable or other
wise, parties will remain with us. Be-
fore the end of Washington's first adj
ministration, the formation of parties
had begun, and one then formed still
persists, even today, preserving the
distinguished mark which has followed
all the vicissitudes of it's history 1t
has always stood for the constitution
as the law of the land.
Merit of Constitution.
Opposing parties, by whatever name
known, have found the merit of the
constitution in the. elasticity of the
good and welfare clause, and have been
guided by the demands of expediency
rather than by the written law. There
was danger at one time, and perhaps it
T. II.