New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-31
THE MOST IMPORTANT BALLOT,
j. Iampden Dougherty Urges Voters to Use Utmost Care
in Selecting Constitutional Delegates

number, but the entire personnel OF
the convention was excellent Why Is
IL that to-day men of like high type
have not been named for the most inn.
portant duty that can be cou6ded "a
any body Of men IN any free common
wealth? DO the people realize what
this work is? DO they recognize the
: splendid traditions and institutions
which are to be preserved or, perhaps
destroyed? Do they appreciate the
many particulars in which the spirit
of the time properly demands change
in our organic law If so, why have
such unrepresentative persons been
nominated? Is 1t because the lnteli-
gence and conscience of the people OF
the Empire State are atrOphied? i
there some radical defect in our sys-
TEN of nomination or Of selection OF
nominees? Why could not the Demo
Gratis at Albany last winter and the
Democratic Governor now asking the
sutfrages Of his fellow citizens have
enacted law permitting minority rep
resentation among delegates large
so that the best qualified men of both
the leading parties might have found
places in the convention? Why did
they pass statute which makes vot-
ing for Constitutional Convention dele
gates purely partisan business so far
as most of the voters are concerned ?
Partisanship should have nothing what
ever to do with the choice of men to
frame the states organic law
Although the nominees are for the
most part mediocre men. ranking from
mediOcrity downward, nevertheless if
there still exists in the minds Of the
voters of the state anything Of the
spirit OF past days, any respect for
themselves and their institutions, any
desire TO build for the future as worth
lily as the past has built for them, they
should use the greatest care in marx
ing the convention ballot. There must
be no party cross at the top of any
column. 1t is disgrace to the state
that tins system OF voting. discarded
as 10 all other candidates, should have
been continued with respect 20 caudi-
dates 70 constitutional convention.
The names OF some nominees are
known throughout the state and be
yond u; their qualifications are ample
IN every sense. let each voter do his
part 70 make sure that Root. Cullen.
Straus, not TO name others whatever
their party affiliations be elected. Let
him repudiate as nominees those who
could not pass an elementary examina-
ton m the history Of the state. are IN
familiar with the evolution of its in
sttutions and have never shown the
slightest interest in the profound cues
tons Of the day nor had any opinion
regarding them. IL is not enough to
elect few able men as leaders uDon
the theory that the others are good
enough If Of the rubber stamp variety
Tor that is a betrayal of the interests
of the state. While all delegates should
be open minded, ignorance Of and IN
difference TO public questions are not
a congenial soil for receptive minded
ness. Every member Of the convention
ought to be able to contribute some
thing OF value to il.
By their action next Tuesday the
voters Of this state will prove their
own fitness or untitness 70 eniov the
elective franchise. Democracy is on
trial. II the $500 stripe OF nominees
is 10 be chosen the preamble TO the
constitution ought TO be- changed 10
show how utterly regardless we have
become OF the priceless gift of free
dom to shape our own institutions.
J. HAMPDEN DOUGHERTY.
New YORK. OCT 30 19lA