Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-07-08
ROOSEVELT
FOR DIRECT
PRIMARY
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP MUST
DERIVE THEIR POWER FROM
THE PEOPLE.

Ex-President Roosevelt deals with
Governor Hughes, the New York
Legislature and primary reform in a
signed article in the current number
of the Outlook Mr.. Roosevelt
writes as follows:
Il believe that Governor Hughes
has been supported by the bulk of the
wisest and most disinterested people
as regards most of his measures and
positions and l think that this has
been markedly the case as regards
primary nominations.
Il know that many honest and sin
cere men are on principle opposed to
Governor Hughes on this point and
/ know also that the proposed reform
will very possibly accomplish less
than it's extreme advocates expect;
while am well aware, as of course
all thinking men amust be, that the
worth of any such measure 10 the
last resort depends upon the char
acter of the voters and that no
patent device will ever secure good
government until the people them
selves devote sufficient energy. time
ard judgment to make the device
work.
Some Evil Results Admitted.
Finally, / freely admit that mere
and there, where direct nomination
hes been applied in too crude shape
or wrong-headedly, it has, while
aholishing certain evils, produced or
accentuated others-in certain cases,
for Instance, putting a premium upon
the la1 ish expenditure of money.
"But while l freely admit all this.
/ nevertheless feel in the first place
that on the fundamental issue of
direct primary nominations the Gov
ernor is right, and in the second
place that, as the measure finally
came up for action in the state Legis-
lature 1t was well nigh free from
all objections save those of the men
who object to it because they are
fundamentally opposed to any change
whatever in the desired direction.
"The bill provided only for direct |
popular action in the primaries in
relatively small geographical and po-
litical communities, thereby making
the experiment first where there was
least liability to serious injury and
avoiding deferring the task of deal
ing with those bib communities where
the difficulties and dangers to be
overcome would be great.
Republicans Are Responsible.
"The Republican party was in the
majority in both houses of the Legis-
lature which refused to carry out the
Republican Governors recommenda-
tions; and although it was only a
minority OF the Republican members
which brought about the refusal the
party cannot escape a measure Of
responsibility for the failure; but 1t
is only just to remember that a clear
majority of the. governing parties is
larger than the particular bill. We
hold that the right of popular self
government is incomplete unless 1t
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 andidates shall be. Under our
system OF party government, there
fore, the voters should be guaranteed
the right to determine within the
ranks of their respective organiza-
tions who the candidates of the par.
ties win be, no less than the right
to choose between the candidates
when the candidates are presented
to them.
There is no desire to break down
the responsibility of party organiza-
ton under duly constituted party
but there is desire to
make this responsibility real and to
give the members of the party the I
right TO say whom they desire to ex-
soute this leadership. In New York ,
state no small part of the strength
Of the movement has come from the
popular conviction that many Of the {
men most prominent In party leader
ship tend at times to forget that N
4 democracy this function OF political \
eader must be normally to lead, not s
irive.
Leaders Reminded OF Duty.
I'VE, the men who compose the
great bulk OF the community. wish
10 govern ourselves. We welcome
but we wish our leaders
10 understand that they derive their
strength from us and that, although
we look 10 them for guidance, We ex-
pect this guidance 10 be in accordance
with our interests and our ideals.
~ believe that the people Of New
York state will In the end insist on
.aking 2 more direct part In the nom
nation Of candidates because I be-
ieve they viii grow more and more