New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-02
SNAP HEARING
ON DIRECT primary.
Coz. Warner Tells Hughes Of
La,c's Success in Michigan.
by Telegraph TO the Tribune. ]

BY Telegraph to the Tribune
Albany, March 1.-Governor Fred "
Warner of Michigan, while on a visit TO
Governor Hughes here yesterday paid his
respects to the special committee of the
Legislature which investigated direct pri-
mary laws of other states Coming to De-
troit unannounced. the COMMITTEES held
what Governor Warner says was virtually
d snap" hearing. Not one friend of IN !.
direct primary system was called before
the committee, he says. while the men who
were there were VIGOROUSLY enemies Of tie
direct primary.
On this evidence the committee reported
that it was Impossible to draw any other
conclusion than that the Michigan direct
primary Law has proved very unsatisfac-
tory"
The men who appeared before the New
York legislators we're all knovn to be IN
friendly to the direct primary" said Gov
erncr Warner. L don't mean TO criticiss
them in any way: they are eminent gen
tlen1en Only they We're all on one side,
and so far as have been able TO find out
there was nobody to represent the other
side II was perfectly natural for these
witnesses to be opposed to the direct pri-
mary too. Almost all of them were men
who had represented or now represent big
CORPORATION interests. and had been a part
Of the old political system when the cor
porations ran the conventions 1Sct does
not work unoer the direct primary
All Of these men came from Detroit
that is WAYNE County, in which Detroit IS
located. You can Judge how accurately
they represent the sentiment Of their com
n1unity from the fact that Wayne county
was the first to take up the direct primary
and has sent unhrcken legislative delega-
tions every year to take a vigorous part
il, extending the scope Of the direct prl-
mary law That means. to me, that the
voters like our primary
Governor Warner is a great adn1irer or
Governor Hughes and the fight the New
York Executive is making for reform laws
There will be a direct primary law
nassed in New York State sure. ne pre-
diets The same class Of people fought
rs in Michigan, and they used the same
ARGUMENTS. hut We passed our optional law
first and then broadened IL and perfected
II and last year passed still broader ara
more rigid law. Corporation men fought
us old politicians fought US. but after once
irving the direct primary our voters m
sisted on having it extended TO other parts
Of the state. The first Law provided for a
TefnrprdUm 10 Ine NtlSIS w w tN0-NA--
eof adoptins the direct primary by districts
Nina ont Of the twelve Congress districts
adocted il, and more than forty out of the
A;ebtv counties Under the law of 1aa all
LEGISLATORS and all congressman and county
oe5cars must be nominated directly.
"OIr legislators. nominated directly. nave
I,eer of as high type as rs ever GOT under
m. convention system. And my experience
is that they are much more responsive 10
the reorle That is the nun q, the direct
nrirnarv-tne officials nominated dlrectly
serve the people. and not some boss or some
corporation. We have tried IL out and We
know
For instance there was the question OF
taxing the telephone companies. One was
having S24 taxes. although IL owned ABOUT
goo ooo Of property in the state. The com
many was taxed on earnings. and its books
showed almost no earnfngs-ts business
vas handled by an allied COMPANY "eh'
the hill to accomplish what We were arter
had been killed b. a couple Of legislatures.
hut a Legislature nominated largely at the
direct primary passed that bill and the
con,nanv now pays about sono taxes
year
Mark me- New York state VIII nave
direct urinary and the sooner such law
is passed the better of the voters OF all
rarties will he"