New-York tribune., 1910-05-23
ADVANTAGES OF A COMPROMISE.

ADVANTAGES OF A COHPhohioE.
While test of the HiHman-Green plan
applied only to the small political dlVls-
ions of the state would not be the best
and fairest test possible, il would be one
well worth making. 1t would not indl-
cate fully all that the adoption OF the
whole plan would have done for the I'M
provement of political conditions. 1or 10
obtain such complete effect it is neces-
sary that the utmost interest should be
developed in the primaries. The high
est degree of interest is not possible at
primaries where nominations are not
made for the highest Offices. Moreover,
the Hinman-Green plan sought 10 ac-
complish something more than has been
the aim of the ordinary form OF direct
primaries, which ignores party organ11a-
tion completely and merely seeks to
make elected officials perfectly response
BILE TO the public. The Hinman-Green
plan contemplated the making of party
organizations as well as elected officials
the direct choice of the party voters, ana
aimed to fill both with an equal sense OF
responsibility. compromise measure,
which must necessarily leave the seiec-
ton of the powerful state committees
virtually untouched. will do little TO
change the tone of party organization
But one thing q test such as the pro-
posed compromise would dot WOULD
show how empty have been the obJec-
tions raised against the Governors plan.
The conditions of the test would be, as
We have pointed out. rather adverse. III
there is anything in the objection that
referendum TO the people of the decisions
Of the party insiders" favors the
bosses. certainly the full force of it
would be felt at primaries in which pop
ular interest was not intense or wide
spread. Furthermore, the public would
see whether the expense of such pri-
uaries was enormous" Again, we
should find out, though here perhaps the
trial would not be so conclusive as would
be a primary TO choose a candidate for
Governor. whether, after participating IN
direct primary or two, man could
not tell whether he was a Republican or
Democrat If the system is absolutely
result from its trial on limited scale.
And if in a year or two the state should
be overrun with demagogues, OF course
we should know that the critics Of the
HinmanI Green bill were prophets
Furthermore. in favor Of a compromise
it NAV be said that nowhere are direct
nominations more needed than in the
,.lo nd
Direct nominations sprang up in the
South, where there is virtually only one
narty. so one-sided is the political situa.
iion. There the regular election is a
mere formality. If 8 ring or machine
made the nominations it was plain, since
the election went practically by default,
that the people had no such control over
the character of officials as they have
where political parties are evenly
matched and both sides have to consider
public sentiment. A large proportion OF
the legislative districts and some of the
counties are almost as one-sided polit-
! ically as are the Southern States. Only
political catastrophe can unseat the
ma iority party. IN such political sub
divisions the machine in control has te
pay little regard 10 public opinion. II
will have to pay much more regard to IT
when its choice has TO run the gantlet
of direct primary.
Again. if the public should take to
the direct plan, as we should expect il
TO. ii would be an easy and speedy ster
from the nomination of some TO the nom
| if,ati6n of all officers in that way. This
| is close state politically. If the new
system should he popular. how long
would il be before one party or the
other. for the sake of the advantage with
the public. would propose voluntarily &c
name its state ticket at a statewide di
rect primary?