The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-30
Are rormIar ,primnrics uisrrcui,cd.

RON the fact that in Mondays New York
PRIMARIES the candidates favored 10y the
party organizations. almost without cXccptlo ion.
won decisive victories, gloomy opponents of
popular government will deducc the lesson
that the direct primary is a failure. and that
the machine operates quite as succcssfully
on the mass Of the voters as it did of Old
on party conventions
y first glance at the results would seem
TO supply some basis for this conclusion
Governor Martin II. Glynn has been renomi-
nated by the Democrats. defeating John a.
licnuessy by majority that may reach
$4,000 and James W. Gerard the American
ambassador ut Berlin. has defeated Franklin
D. Roosevelt. Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
Tor the party nomination for the United
States Senate. Both successful candidates
had the active support OF Tammany Leader
Murphy and the State organization.
In the Republican contests the organiz;,-
ton victory was equally complete its most
notable feature being the runaway race made
by District Attorney Charles :. Whitman for
the gubernatorial nomination. Even in the
Progressive party the organization candidate
which IS to say the ColoueIs candidate. for
Governor Frederick Nj. Davenport. defeated
William Sulzer. although THE Same Old
Bill quite as usual, does not admit he is
dead and has postponed the wake pending
the receipt of belated returns.
Before. however one jumps 10 tho con-
clusion that these results indicate a failure
OF popular government as applied IN tho
selection OF party candidates there are other
elements in the equation that ought 10 be
considered One is the obvious fact tina,
the voters al any rate have had an oppor-
tHnit! to express their preference and have
expressed it. privilege they were not per-
mitted under the old convention system. II
they choose under such circumstances to back
but themselves
Moreover. the organization candidates in
all parties were men OF particularly high
type. Among the Democrats, Ambassador
Gerard, after distinguished career at the
bar and on tho bench, has made Il notable
record at Berlin, bearing himself through all
the delicate and trying situations that tho
war evolved with Il dignity and efficiency that
won universal admiration. Governor Glynn
despite some errors OF taste and Judgment
has administered successfully the affairs of
The State and has saved New York many
millions Of dollars
1t was SO also with the Republicans Mr.
Whtmans fearless prosecution of Becker and
the gunner for the murder Of Herman Rosen-
thai made him a popular hero and apparently
his alleged dallancc with the sage of oyster
Bay did not cost him any votes.
Under the convention pan save in some
period OF political storm and stress. it is
unlikely that men OF this stamp would have
been put forward by the organizations
Weaker candidates would have been chosen
men more amcnaDle to party dctation and
party discipline. All the voters would have
had opportunity to do would have becu to
FOLLOW the flag.
On the whole, friends OF popular govern
ment have no reason to be discouraged II
he organizations won In Now York there ,
ire good many reasons for believing il was
because the organizations offered the best
men.