Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-01-27
EXTENDING DIRECT PRIMARY
LAW.

pass at this session or the fegista-
ture is the extension of the direct
primary to include the nomination
OF congressman and governor.
There is no doubt that the public de-
mand the rightto nominate men for
these offices, but the law should not
stop there. The people have just
had a taste of what it means to Sc
1ect the man for a high position at
Washington, under the direct prin-
airy system. A United States sena-
tor has been chosen and the man of
the peoples choice goes to the
national capital to represent New
Jersey. While the vote. al, the prim-
airy last September on the United
States senator was small compared
with the total vote at the general
election in November, 1t is certain
that with the principle of direct
nominations thoroughly established
the people will hereafter take a
greater interest in this matter and
will be sure to express their prefer
ence.
But If the people are capable of
!
selecting their United States senator
and there is no doubt that they
are-why are they not equally capa-
Bile of expressing their preference
for President and vice-president of
the United States?
The day of the convention when
delegates are sent, unpIedged, to
act as they think best, but usually
to act as the political boss dictates,
has past. In 1912 another national
convention will be held to nominate
men as candidates for President.
The usual custom has been for each
district to send delegates to a state
convention, held at Trenton, and
these delegates name other dele
gates to go to the. national conven-
ton. AS a result, the people have
little direct voice in the selection of
who shall be the candidates for
President. Usually a few political
leaders get together and select the
they prefer. The delegates fall
line and carry out the program as
arranged by the few leaders.
The direct primary has met with
'uch success, however, in the s~elec-
ion of a United States senator that
here Is no reason why it shorf1d not
e applied to the nomination Of a
andidate for President. On the
allot at the primary should be the
e men who Eant to be candi- i.
xsfeHf ythalFfJJffas
nd there should also be an oppor-
unity for the people to express their
preference for the nomination for
President. Thus, when the dele
gates are elected directly at the
primary they, at the same time, rel
ceiye their instructions. This meth
cd eliminates all boss dictation and
makes the candidate The zeal pop
ular choice.
For instance, it is now generally
accepted that President Taft will be
a candidate for denomination on the
Republican ticket. The regular
party leaders are almost unanimous
in hrs favor. Should delegates be
sent to a state convention to name
delegates to a national convention
all unpledged, it is highly probable
that these delegates will be con-
trolled by the regular" leaders and
that Taft will receive the nomina-
ton. whether the Republican voters
as a whole favor him or not. Should
the people have the opportunity to
express their preference at the prim-
airy, however, 1t would be possible
for them to instruct their delegates
to ignore Taft, II they so desired,
and vote for whatever other mar
might be a candidate for the nomin-
alton, whose name would be promin-
emily before the people by that
time. In this way the delegates at
the national convention would be
carrying out the instruction of the
voters at home and the real popular
choice would be the nominee. This
method Of selecting a candidate for
President applies to both parties.