The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-07
In Outlook Editorial He Takes
Up Hughes and Pri-
mary Reform
VOTERS SHOULD SAY WHO
CANDIDATES MAY BE
Roosevelt and His Party Ii Blamed
for Failure to Take an On
ward Step

New York. July 6-Ex-President
Roosevelt deals with Gov. Hughes, the
New York legislature and primary re-
form In signed editorial article in the
current number of the Outlook
Mr. Roosevelt writes as follS =: II be-
1ieve that Gov. Hughes has be 4 sup
ported by the bulk of the wisest and
most disinterested public opinion as re-
CARDS most of his measures and posi-
tions and 1 think that this has been
markedly the case as regards direct pri-
mary nominations, know that many
honest and sincere men on princi-
pie are opposed to Gov Hughes on this
point, and I know also that the propos-
ed reform will very possibly accomplish
less than Its extreme advocates expect;
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 character of the voters
and that no patent device will ever
secure good government unless the peo-
pie themselves devote sufficient energy,
time and Judgment to make the device
work. Finally, l freely admit that here
and there, where the principle of direct
nominations has been applied in too
crude shape or wrong headedly. it has.
while abolishing certain evils, produced
or accentuated others in certain cases,
for instance, putting a premium upon
the lavish expenditure of money.
Direct Primaries
but while ] freely admit all this,
nevertheless feel in the first place. that
IN tba f,,pdo r,epfoI issua IF direct nrf-
mary 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 well nigh
free from all objections. save those of
the men who object to 1t because theJ
are fundamentally opposed 10 any
change whatever in the desired direction.
The bill provided only for direct pep
ular actions in the primaries in relative.
ly small geographical and political COM
munities. Thereby making the expert
ment first where there was least IL
ability to serious objection and avoiding
or deferring the task of dealing with
those big communities where the diff
culties and dangers to be overcome
would be greatest
FORTY in both houses of the legislature
which refused to carry out the repub-
lican governors recommendations and
although it was only a minority of the
republican members which brought
about this refusal, the party cannot es-
cape a measure of responsibility for the
failure, but it 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 ap-
portion individual than party respohsi-
bility.
Mistaken in Views
"Those who believe that by their action
they have definitely checked the move
ment for direct popular primaries, are in
nv Judgment mistaken In its essence
this is a movement to make the govern
ment more democratic, more responsive to
the needs and wishes of the people as a
whole. With our political machinery 1t
Il essential to have an efficient party,
but the machinery ought to be suited to
democratic and not oligarchic customs
and habits. The question whether in a
eelf-governng republic we shall have self
governing parties is larger than the par
ticular bill. We hold that the right OF
popular self-government is incomplete un-
less it includes the right of the voters
NOT merely to choose between candidates
when they have been nominated. but also
the right to determine who. these candi-
dates shall be. Under our system of
marty government, therefore, the voters
should be guaranteed the right to de-
termine within the ranks of their respec-
tive organizations who the candidates of
the parties will be, noSle than the right
TO choose between the candidates when
the candidates are presented them.
Party Organization
s~rhere is no desire to break down the
responsibility of party organization under
duly constituted party leadership, but
there is a desire to make this responsible
ity real and to give the members Of the
marty the right to say whom they desire
70 execute this leadership. In New York
state no small part of the strength Of the
movement has come from the popular
oonviction 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 nor
mally be to lead, not to drive. We, the
men who compose the great bulk OF the
community. wish to govern ourselves.
We welcome leadership but we wish our
leaders to understand that they derive
their strength from us and that, although
We look to them for guidance, we ex-
pect this guidance to- be In accordance
With our interests and our ideals.
5'I believe that the people of New York
state will in the end insist on taking q