Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-07-12
ROOSEVELT DEFENDS
ANNOUNCES HIS SUPPORT OF
HUGHES PRIMARY PLAN.
Recognizes Weakness Of Law, How
ever, and Urges People to Be
Cautious.

Ex-President Roosevelt deals witt
Governor Hughes, the New York Leg
! islature and primary reform in sign
ed article in the current number Of tn
Outlook. Mr.. Roosevelt writes as fol
lows:
II believe that Governor Hughe
as been supported by the bulk of tn
wisest and most disinterested peopl,
as regards most of his measures ant
positions and l think that this hal
been markedly the case as regard
primary nominations.
Il know that many honest and sin
cere men are on principle opposed tt
Governor Hughes on this point and
know also that the proposed reform
will very possibly accomplish less thar
its extreme advocates expect; while
am we'll aware, as of course all think
ing men must be, that the worth Of
any such measure in the last resort
depends upon the character of the
voters and that no patent device will
secure good government until the peo-
pie themselves devote sufficient energy,
time and judgment to make the device
work.
Finally, I freely admit that here
and there, where direct nomination
ha7 been applied in too crude shape or
wrong -headedly, 1T has, while abolish
ing certain evils, produced or accent
uated others-in certain cases. for in
stance, putting premium upon the
lavish expenditure of money.
But while freely admit all this, I
nevertheless feel in the first place that
on the fundamental issue of direct
primary nominations the Governor is
right, and in the second place that, as
the measure finally came up for action
in the state Legislature. it was we'll
nigh free from all objections save
those of the men who object to 1t be-
cause they are fundamentally opposed
direction.
THE bill provided only for direct
popular action in the primaries in
the experiment first where there was
relatively small geographical and po-
litical communities, thereby making
least liability to serious injury and
avoiding deferring the task of dealing
with those big communities where the
difficulties and dangers to be overcome
would be great.
THE Republican party was In the
majority in both houses of the Legis-
'ature which refused to carry out the
Republican Governors recommends
tions; and although it was only a
minority of the Republican members
which brought about this refusal, the
party cannot escape measure of re-
sponsibility for the failure; but 1t is
only just to remember that a clear
majority of the Republican members
of each House supported the BILL
whereas three-fourths or over Of the
Democrats opposed It, This Is one of
the cases where it is easier to appor-
tion individual than party RESPONSE
bility.
Those who believe that by their
action they have definitely checked
the movement for direct popular pri-
maries are, in my judgment, mistaken.
In its essence this is movement to
make the Government more democrat
ic, more responsive to the needs and
wishes of the people as a whole. With
our political machinery it is essential
to have an efficient party, but the ma
ought to be suited to demo-
cratic and not oligarchic customs and |
habits.
THE question whether in a self-gov-
erning 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 1t includes the right Of |
the voters not merely to choose be-
tween candidates when they have been
but also the right to deter
mine who these candidates shall be.
Under our system of party government
therefore, the voters should be guar
anteed the right to determine within
he ranks of their respective organiza-
Ions who the candidates of the par
les will be, no less than the right TO
,hoose between the candidates when
he candidates are presented to them.
There is no desire to break down
he responsibility of party organiza-
ion under duly constituted party lead
srship, but there is a desire to make
his responsibility real and to give the
members Of the party the right to say
whom they desire to execute this lead
,rship. In New York State no small
part of the strength of the movement
las come from the popular conviction
hat many OF the men most prominent
n party leadership tend at times to
orget that in a democracy this func-
ion of political leader must be nor
nally to lead, not drive.
we. the men who compose the
Ireat bulk OF the community, wish to
'overn ourselves. We welcome leader
hip. but we wish our leaders to un-
lerstand that they derive their
trength from us and that. although
We look to them for guidance. we ex-
'ect this guidance to be in accordance
With our interests and our ideals.
Il believe that the people OF New ,
fork State will in the end insist on ,
aking a more direct part in the NOM /
nation OF candidates because believe
hey viii grow more and more to in ,
lst on just the kind Of guidance and
leadership that have mentioned "
lTONEED nE 1Q1T MIG ,