New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-27
RADICALS WIN A POINT
New York A. c. Adopts Form
of Direct Primaries.
NAME BY SECRET BALLOT
Vote to Amend Constitution
Heartily Endorsed at spe-
cial Meeting.

The growing demand for direct mr..
maries found its way into club lie Las,
night, when the. New York Athletic Cl,h
| at special meeting i'm the city house a,
| Sixth avenue and Central Park Sop,b
voted 10 amend the constitution 50 as -
include this popular feature. Hereaf,o,
| the nominating committee Of tho cl,b
each year will be selected b. secret haI.
| lot. ard no member Of the committee MAJ
! hold office or be counted among the hoard
Of governors.
In many ways 1t is one Of the mos,
l.radlcal departures I'm club governmer,
! that has ever taken place in this country
| Furthermore. it received unmistakable in.
dorsenent last night, for when Colon1
| Robert NJ. Thompson, the president of m.
| club, who presided. put the question. only
| two dissenting voices were heard out NJ
the eight hundred members present
The changing of the constitution OF the
Mercury Foot organization is the cul.
mination of a dissatisfaction with the
management Of the club among its on.
thusiastic athletic supporters that has
been blowing hot and cold for the las,
four years. In 1908 a committee presented
practically the same amendment as went
through with flying colors last night At
that time II was downed by the official,
OF the club then IN power.
This year those who believed the ain
letic features of the club to be of nara.
mount importance rallied to its support
Barlow s. Weeks acted as the spokes-
man for these members, and he forcefully
presented the benefits to be derived from
direct primary system. Under the
amendment he offered the nominations for
the nominating committee must be posted
upon the club bulletin on the second
Tuesday Of each December. Any twenty
five members Of the club may propose
seven names for this committee, to be de.
livered in writing to the secretary At
the December meeting of the club the
members. by secret ballot, will elect its
nominating committee OF seven from
among the names offered, the majority
vote to rule.
After Barlow s. Weeks had spoken on
the proposed legislation Colonel Thomp-
son from the chair suggested that, in his
estimation, a mall vote of the club would
be preferable. He cited the method as
pursued in the election of the overseers
Of Harvard University.
Mr.. Weeks replied, and in 80 doing
struck the keynote Of the feelings Of the
meeting when he stated that everything
should be done to attract men TO the club
and cause them to welcome crossing It's
threshold. rather than the policy Of dr1y-
ing them away. He said that the vote
should be cast inside the walls Of the
house where the members could mlngle
and find out what was good for the or
ganization and so feel direct interest
in its welfare. Several times while Nr.
Weeks was speaking he was interrupted
by cheers and applause.
The sentiment OF the assembage was
so enthusiastically expressed that Colonel
Thompson at once put the amendment
TO a vote, and il was carried, to b" put
in operation at once. Under the eoEHi-
lions OF this year the nominating COM
mittee will be balloted for on December
II and the annual meeting for me cleo
ton of officers will be held January lt
1918.
After the meeting last night II was
said that a number of the present otlceIs
of the club. feeling that the plan to'
direct primaries was in the Lature OF an
tagonistic criticism of their admlnIs'ra-
ton, had expressed the intention OF re-
signing. The proximity of the annuai
election and the counsel OF the cooler
headed members OF the club are likely 10
prevent any action of this sort, although
the meeting in January is likely TO be the
liveliest since the election OF the late
James Haslln to the presidency n N4'