Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-07-23
LETTING THE PEOPLE RULE.
(From the New York Timcs.)

The direct primary law was passed with
the intention of doing away with machine
control and letting the people rule. As far
as We have gone in making preparations
for the first direct primary. its effect has
been exactly the reverse. 1t has taken
away from the people all power to direct
the framing of issues and 1t is evident
already that it has made easier the ma
chine domination of nominations.
Platforms were formerly made by dele
gates in the naming Of whom the people
had at least some share. Enrolled vo-
tiers elected delegates to State conventions,
and these delegates appointed a resolu-
tons committee. which drew up the plat
form. II their work was unsatisfa Glory
1t could he amended by the convention as
a whole. This year the republican plat
form is to be made by a committee of
twenty-five, TO be appointed by Senator
Root. The rank and file not only did
not place Senator Root in this position,
but never had a chance to do so. It has
nothing to say about the membership in
the committee he Is to appoint. and has
no way OF deciding whether 1t approves
or disapproves the platform which his
appointees will draw up.
The Democratic platform is to be draft
ed not by the delegates of the people-the
people have no delegates-but by a COM
mittee appointed by Chairman Osborn.
The people did not vote to invest Chair
man Osborn with this power; they were
not consulted, and could not be under the
primary law. This committee Is TO re-
port to conference, the members OF
which will also be selected by Chairman
Osborn. The people did not even vote
to put Chairman Osborn in the place
which enables him to make these appoint
ments. The platform may represent the
ideas of the people or may not: they have
no opportunity to say anything on the
subject. They can go to the polls in Nov
ember and choose between the two plat
forms But they had the same right I'M
der the old system, with the difference
that under that system they had some
thing, whether little or much to say about
the making of those platforms.
In making the nominations they will
certainly have a voice. but the idea that
the new system will lesson the chance Of
machine control is already seen to be
erroneous, 1t will strengthen that
chance. The machine will vote solidly at
the primaries for the candidates chosen
for 1t. The anti-machine men have no
way Of selecting a ticket with which to
oppose this hack-stairs slate. and will
fritter away their votes among several
candidates. Either that, or they will dis
regard the spirit of the primary law and
~ IN hn AL tall III
sen by some OF their number at some con-
ference OF self-appointed leaders II
they do that, II will certainly be a more
oligarchic and misrepresentation way OF
choosing candidates than ever was adopt
ed under the old system. There is talk
Of mass convention to select candidates
A mass convention would be entirely I'M
representative. No hall In the State
could accommodate all its democrats. and
the men nearest TO the city in which the
convention was held would outnumber all
the rest
The Democrats In New York city out
number the country Democrats Under
the primary system they can, IL they
see ht' name ticket on which every can
didate shall be New York city man
That would mean the nomination Of an all
Tammany ticket ticket, with no favors
to " the upstate" Mr.. Murphy will
doubtless see TO II that 1.-The upstate"
shall be represented on the ticket, be-
cause 1t Is good politics, but he has the
Democrats OF that region at his mercy,
From any angle. the direct primary law
mas decreased the power of the people
and increased that of the machine.