New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-29
FINDS LESSONS IN WEST
Hotchkiss Praises Des Moines
Plan and Direct Nomination.
FOR NEW RULES AT ALBANY
Suggests That Government Sup
ply Funds to Manage Politi-
cal Campaigns.

Auburn. y. Y, Oct %--WINiam n
HOtchkiss, Superintendent Of Insurance.
was the guest Of honor at an informal re-
ception given by the Business Mems AssO-
citation of Auburn at Masonic Temple To-
night Short speeches were made by prom
inent men, and Mr.. Hotchkiss delivered an
address on Present Tendencies in New
York" He said in part:
These are days Of awakening in New
I rk- For generations we have looked 20
the East, 20 our own experience, Tor the
remedies through which growing evils IN
government ooth local ana state, H1is 81.
be checked NOw-like it or Motive OF the
East md our faces and our thoughts often
turned toward the West somehow. the
cities and states Of the great middle land
seem to be solving some OF our New YORK
problems. Indeed. out OF that West come
messages of inspiration and hope
And So tonight l bid you westward
no, with your thoughts What remedies
does the West offer New York?
our cities declare that, in the govern
ment of cities. We Americans nave regis
tered a succession of failures Two dec
AIDES ago we put aside all systems pre-
viOusly tried and eagerly welcomed dS
prophets those who said relief would come
from strong and responsible eNecutIEe
and an upper and a lower munlc1pdl cOuh-
ell To-day the Mayor and those coun-
ellis have gone the unregretted way OF pre-
viOus systems; and out OF the w est comes
a new remedy which, men say. Is S1dhu-
/ refer. Of course. to the so-caIled com,
mission. or Des MOineS. plan OF uunlclpdL
government. That il is a hopeful sign OF
the present times Is certain. Inat II Ha5
been reasonably successful Where L Il9v
NAV not safely be denied. That II alreduy
IS deeply fixed in popular favor IN lHe
Middle West all must admit
elimination Of Party System.
But. in what does it differ from present
forms2 Chiefly in the permanent eilrnlnd-
ton from city government OF the party
system. which has been called tle 70 %
bulwark of municipal corruption ana mem
ciencv" This has been done by the WlplnS
cut of all ward boundaries and the eIecIiGn
of the CITY OurnisSfOnerS-uSuaDy nve IN
number-fronn the city al large by the non
PARTISAN primary and direct vote on OalIots
without party columns or party deSlsHa-
ton and, in the later charters, oy TdniIHS
TO given percentages Of city voters the rlsII
70 initiate ordinances, TO demand reIeIen-
dunn vote on franchises, and even 20 recdII
or unseat auv of the five commissioners
who fail TO respond 70 the popular Will
SecOndartly. in merging the city leSlSId-
tive and executive functions IN a small SToup
of nsn-the cOmmtssioners-whO, as -heads
Of departments. are directly responsible Tor
administration. and. as members OF pOard
as II were-of the City's directors. perform
all the legislative functions now vested IN
a municipal council.
Time is lacking for a full description. Of
this new Western remedy Thus rar II mas
been tried only in cities relatively small
That II would work in a metropolis IKE
New York may be doubted But. that II
tends to eliminate many OF the evils OF CITY
gOvernment-Want Of responsibility waste
fitness in expenditure. imDrOvidenCe in
granting franchises, log rolling between
the councils and individuals coInposlns
them. delays in administration and the al
ways suspected and sometimes present
graft in granting contracts and privileges
seems to be admitted
Direct Primaries Popular in West
Another remedy. broader than the city
and underlying government IN state ana
nation, also comes TO mind. II IS, perla Es'
a new fact to YOU but New York was prob
ably the first Of the states where tne di-
rect vote was seriously considered IN
legislative bill This was in 1898 But that
feature of the bill was rejeCted-the idea
was novel; the need was not then appar-
ent- Not so in that great West toward
which we are looking There the movement
took root and grew. until to-day most OF
the states west OF us have this new method
of choosing candidates and political lead
ers: and there that method, (which eIlTnl-
mates the uiddleman and lessons the faint
ed toll Of political craftsmanship. Is now as
firmly fixed in the law by popular approval
as is the direct vote for public officers on
Election Day itself
But I am not here 10 preach direct noni-
nations. A greater far has been before me,
and direct nominations. cause. has N
New York passed beyond the pale OF con
trOverSy. Whichever party wins IN the
pending contest We New Workers have rea-
son 10 demand trial OF this Western de-
vice
The question that should be yours and
mine tonight Is. where shall the direct vote
most certainly be applied Our answer viii
be prOmpt-where- in present conditions
money is most potent There. whatever the
compromises incident to enactment. what
ever defects or limitations the Legislature
NAV insist upon. there shall this remedy De
most sternly applied
Money Cannot Buy judicial Decisions.
Not a man of you but knows toward
what 1 am leading Money cannot buy
judicial decision. that passed out with
Tweed Money. when directly applied.
will not win executive or administra tive
favor But, of two Of the FIVE links OF
our chain We are not so sure So. let US
put in our pegs right here, and, IN the
coming discussion. see To II that this Nest
ern remedy is applied, If nowhere else, 70
those who make the laws and those who
head our parties. Given this, l care little
whether my candidate for Governor or
Mayor is chosen direct He Will fairy
represent me. But. remember, friends, we
must have the direct vote on Legislator
10 be Alderman. or Assemblyman. or Sen
ator-yes. United States, tOo-Or Repre-
Sanratfves in Congress. and more tmpOT-
tant still. party committeeman anu
most OF all on the leader or boss az the
apex of the party system. or the remedy
will fail Government viii not otherwise
shake off the venal power
But the unhOly influence OF money on
government will not be eliminated through
the direct primary alone Governor
Hughes in his laSt-but tmay we hope ,
not his TarewelI-SpeeCh called attention 20
latf-e procedure and the preparation ana
treatment Of legislative bills Each man
of YOU familiar with conditions IN Albany
knows what he meant
For New Rules at Albany.