Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-07
7. R. SAYS HUGHES
IDEAS ARE RIGHT
IndorseS New York Governors
Attitude on Direct Primaries
in Outlook Editorial
MUST GIVE PEOPLE POWER
Declares Those Who Think They
Have Checked Movement
Are Mistaken
MUST GIVE PEOPLE POWER
rAaaoninted Prean1


NEW YORK, July 6.-Former Presi-
dent Roosevelt 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:
IT believe that Governor Hughes mas
been supported by the bulk of the
wisest and most dislnterested people
as regards most of his measures and
positions, and 1 think this has been
markedly the case as regards primary
nominations.
IT know that many honest and sin
cere men are opposed to Governor
Hughes on this point, and 1 know also
that the proposed reform will very
possibly accomplish less than its ex-
treme advocates expect; while am
we'll 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 until the people
themselves devote sufficient energy
time and judgment to make the device
work.
STILES THRIFT
"Finally, I freely admit that here
and there, where the principle of direct
nominations has been applied in too
crude shape, or wrongheadedly, 1t has,
while abolishing certain evils, produced
or accentuated others-in certain cases,
for instance, putting premium upon
the lavish expenditure of money.
"But while 1 freely admit all this,
neVerless feel in the first place that on
the fundamental issues of direct pri-
mary nominations the governor Is
right, and in the second place that
as the measure finally came up for
T.. h. kafx eli fIffo nv a q
we'll nigh free from all objections save
those of the men who object to 1t be-
cause they are fundamentally opposed
to any change whatever in the desired
direction.
"The bill provided only for direct
popular action In the primaries in rela-
lively small geographical and political
communities. thereby making the ex-
pertinent first where there was least
liability to serious objection and avoid
ing or deferring the task of dealing
with those big communities where the
difficulties and dangers to be over
come would be the greatest.
ARE MISTAKEN
"Those who believe that by their ac-
tion they have definitely checked the
movement for direct popular primaries
are, in my judgment, mistaken. In
its essence, this Is movement to make
the government more Democratic; more
responsive to the needs and wishes of
the people as a whole. With our politi-
cal machinery 1t is essential to have an
efficient party but the machinery
ought to be suited to democratic and
not oligarchic customs and habits
1.-THE question whether in a selfgov-
erning republic we shall have self-gov-
erning parties ifs larger than the par
ticular bill. We hold that the right of
popular self-government is incomplete
unless 1t includes the right ofsthe vot-
ers not merely to choose between candi-
dates when they have been nominated,
but also the right to determine who
these candidates shall be. Under our
system of party government, 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 to choose between
the candidates when the candidates are
presented to them.
NO BREAKDOWN DESIRED
"There is no desire to break down the
responsibility of party organization un-
der duly constituted party leadership,
but there is a desire to make this re-
sponsibility real and to give the MEM
bers of the party the right to say whom
they desire to execute this leadership.
In New York state no small part of