Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-25
REPLIES
TO KATZENBACH
Says Former Mayors Criticism
of Wilson's Attitude in State
Is Erroneous.


SEA GIRT. N. J.. Aug. 25.-Ir
answer to Frank S. Katzenbach's
| charge that President Wilson's at
| titude toward the candidates in New
| Jersey was in open violation of the
| purpose and spirit of the direct pri-
mary method of nominating candi-
! dates, Governor Fielder said:
II note that Mr.. Katzenbach is
reported to have used this language
to make the direct primary a sue
cess, to make it corrective of former
abuses. 1t must be kept open; to
| every candidate must be offered
equal opportunities Mr.. Katzenbach
is then quoted as pointing out the
primary campaign for United States
senator last year and the present
campaign for the Democratic nom
ination for governor as instances
where the very intent of the pri-
mary was defeated by President VIII
son.
Mr.. Katzenbach has evidently not
entered sufficiently into the spirit and
purpose of the primary law, has not
analysed the conditions that made 1t
necessary OF the results desired to
be accomplished by the passage of
the law, to be a competent critic.
The primary purpose of the direct
method of nominating candidates was
to give the voters nominee, made
such by q majority of vote of the re-
spective parties where possible, and
that the law failed In its purpose to
just that extent that 1t failed to give
majority nominees
Necessary to Hold Two Primaries.
"Those States that have been
working under the direct primary
for a number of years and have
cured the defects peculiar to their
local conditions, as well as those gen.
eral imperfections that naturally are
found in most new legislation in
volving a departure from established
procedure, learned it was necessary
in some instances to hold two pri-
maries, the first being for the elm
ination of the weaker candidates;
while other States provide for a Sec
ondary choice or even q third choice,
enabling the voter to show his first,
second or third preference among the
candidates. Even these corrective
amendments have their weaknesses
and in certain localities where q
given political condition exists are
subject to abuse.
Mr.. Katzenbach Is too good q
student of politics and of government
not to realize that the bosses have
usually been able to find a way, by
hook or crook, to defeat the will Of
the majority of the people, even
with direct primary, where such
primary was an indiscriminate
scramble between multitude of
candidates.
Used to Win by Division.
Under the old system, where there
was pretense at electing delegates
to the various kinds of conventions,
II the boss found himself unable to
dictate the selection of the delegate
he desired, he was aided in his pur-
pose through the multiplicity of can
didates, the opposition strength being
split up into many parts, while his
small minority was concentrated on
his candidate. Sometimes these super
fiuous candidates were worthy, cap
able and sincere; sometimes they
were mere cat's-paws of the boss with
out their knowledge, and there were
yet other candidates who were paid
agents of the bosses to run with the
very purpose Of dividing the vote of
the opposition 1t was this argumens
based upon these facts that caused
many well-meaning and patriotic
citizens to declare their opposition to
the primary where such primary was
free, open, unguided and indiscrim-
mate, with no restrictions whatSo-
ever, as being subject to greater
abuse, as well as possible of greater
harm even when the candidates were
sincere, than was the old convention
plan.
Want to Know Wilson's Opinion.
"As a prominent Democrat and a
citizen of this State, the Democrats
very naturally wish to know Presi-
dent Wilson's opinion of those seek
ing to succeed him as governor of
New Jersey. and consequently there
was very strong demand on the
part of most of the active Democrats
of the State to have him express him.
self on a question so vital to Democ-
racy. His statement was temperate,
fair and unprecedented. Mr.. Wittpenn
recognized the unanswerable logic of
the Presidents opposition, accepted 1t
graciously and Is acting in harmony
with 1t.
1.-The best answer to Mr.. Katzen-
bach Is that had the three avowed
candidates remained in the contest
there would likely have been still
others. with the possibility, If not
probability. of the Democratic NOM
inee being the choice of only a
minority of the voters, while, as the
situation stands today, the nominee
will be the choice of a majority of the
Democratic voters of the State.
ITO my mind that is the purpose
of the law, and its accomplishment
81 "a