Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
Direct Primary Battle Is Already Won,
Now Progressive Fight Is for
Decency in Politics, Editor Tells
Monster Mass. Meeting.

York.
The largest of these was at Coop
er Union, where the speakers We're
d., Governor Sulzer William Randolph
Hearst Bainbridge Colby, William H.
.Wadhams and Henry Morgenthau
The other meetings were in Congress
Hall, Brooklyn, and in the Avon
Beach Hotel, Bath Beach, both of
which were addressed by Governor
Sulzer. ~
In making the fight for the law
which will take the control of poll
tics from the bosses of the State ma
chine, Governor Suffers "war board"
which has had charge of the cam
-paign, carried the fight tonight into
the stronghold of the Senators and
. Assemblymen who have announced
they would vote against the bill
when it is brought to a vote at the
next session of the Legislature.
Speakers Rouse Enthusiasm.
The rousing enthusiasm with which
the speeches of Governor Sulzer and
Mr. Hearst were received by the large
audiences showed clearly that the
fight TO place the control of State
politics in the hands of the people
has gained a host of supporters.
Mr., Hearst got a tumultuous greet
ing from the throng that packed
Cooper Union as he stepped TO the
stage. cambridge Colby, chairman
Of the meeting, was in the midst of d
strong speech in favor of direct prl-
maries when Mr.. Hearst appeared.
Instantly the-huEe crowd arose with
a mighty cheer and cries Of Hearst,
Hearst, Hearst!" rang out. Hats
were tossed into the air and for two
minutes the crowd yelled.
Breaking. off his own speech, Mr..
Colby, committeeman of the Progress
-sive Party. introduced Mr.. Hearst,
saying:
n is an extreme pleasure TO me
TO introduce to you man whose flame
is linked with this campaign for the
advocacy Of righteous principle; a
man who has the greatest of all
forms of courage, to stand alone and
wait for the front rank to catch up.
Monuments to Liberty.
Mr.. Hearsts newspapers, in my
opinion, are monuments Of liberty in.
this republic"
Mr.. Hearsts speech follows:
Ny Friends: / do not intend to
discuss direct primaries. I intend
to discuss political honesty.
There is no need TO discuss di-
rect primaries. Everybody knows
that if the people have ability
enough to vote. they have ability
enough to select the men for whom
they shall vote.
Everybody knows that the right
Of the people to elect their candi-
dates to public Office includes the
right to select candidates for public
office.
Everybody knows this. except Rip
Van Wrinkle and the Seven Sleepers
Of Ephesus and a few fossilized rel
les Of a prehistoric political age.
Such money trust -mortgaged attor-
neys as the Honorable ]. o. Y. Root
know it. Such highbinders OF high
finance as the Honorable Charles
Finance Murphy know it.
Bad for. Themselves.
These gentlemen do not oppose
direct primary because they think it
is bad for the country They oppose
# because they think it is bad for
themselves.
The only individuals who con-
scientiously oppose direct primaries.
are a handful Of reactionaries who
are coussienciouzlv and con-
stituuouaIy. opposed 10 politi-
cal progress of any kind. a few
urs-rr.olu;ioua~y hOld-overs or
trrow-baCks who are az yet I'M
r.T-frca- of the ability Of the
American people 20 govern them
selves.
we can never convince this hand
r1r ~ missionaries.
They are like a man riding back
ward su a train. They never see
anything until it is passed.
So WHY discuss direct prlmaries2
Tho people as whole are con-
WINGED. and in addition TO all the
people believing in direct nomina-
t.ors. AN the parties have agreed
To- direct nominations,
Away back IN December. 1895. the
Ir-arauE1 nee La que declared for
direct nominations and fought its
campaign on that issue as one Of
its main principles.
Republicans Frightened Into Policy.
In September 1910. the Repub-
Hcan party was frightened into ac-
cepting the principle Of direct nom
nations and wrote fl into the Re
puS,scan platform.
The Democratic party, not 20 be
outdone IN popularity or in false
rretense. also wrote The principle
into lrs platform.
And in 1912 along came the Pro