The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-12
DIRECT PRIMARY IS
BUNK SAYS HEDGES
Tells Legislature He's Through
With Politics Based on
SScling the People.
CONVENTION PLAN SCORED

AtpANY. March lit am through
with the game OF politics while its ac-
tivities are prcdlcated on bunking the
people who DO not know the facts"
t'~cl,red Job Il. Hedges before the Sem
ate and Assembly Judiciary committees
to-day at the hearing on pending cleo
ton law amendments. including tie Ar
getslnger bill, submitting to a vote OF
the people next fall the question OF
whether or not the state convention
should he restored.
81 favor IN official State convention
with final determination OF its nom
inees lodged In a primary vote. You
cannot make the people participate in
the primary. We know the effort II
takes to bring a largo portion OF the
VOTERS to the polls at a ridiculous cost.
The vote OF the Gubernatorial election
laA fall was an anti-Democratic vote,
not a pro-Hepublican vote.
-Four years ago Il was an anti
Republican vote and not a pro-Demo-
cratic vote. No man votes for an Ideal
platform uni ~ he drafts II. No man
votes for an ideal candidate unless he
votes for himself Selecting candidates
at primaries il really a selection BY
default when but IS per cent. OF the
party vote comes out.
'"rhe direct primary agitation has
got down to tho old time propo j.
ton OF bunking the people. who do not
care anything about 1t anyway. It
10 time for open, general. frank leg
islation on this question. We mus,
x.A Vart a rAl a a. 90.
60 have good government va can only
get II through the official state con.
vertion."
While William NJ calder, Kings coun-
TVS candidate for United States senator
in the Republican primaries last fall,
agreed that the convention plan OF noni.
nation WAS better thar the committee
designation OF candidates. he thought
that the present primary system should
DO continued.
~ do not agree with Mr.. lIcdg g
that the direct primary il bunk. Al
last falls primary 80 per cent. OF thC
NoOe cast at thr election for Governor
was registered al the previous primary
The people should not be asked to vote
on the question OF holding an oiiicin'
convention his year., as they must ther
PASS on the woman suffrage question
and several others 10 b. submitted by
The constitutional convention"
Albert :. Bard. representing the Cit.
.zcns Union. opposed the State conven.
ton and The party column voting. Sc
lid Edward T.. Finch OF the Honest Bal.
lot Association. Elmer q Sammis OF IN,
Brooklyn Young Mems Republican
club and Mansfield Ferry OF the city
club Of New York. who were In favol
Of the bill making the election distric'
he same as the primary district AND
extending the signature law To primar,
elections.
Francis NJ. Hugo. Secretary OF state
said the State Board ~ Elections shoulo
10 abolished and the work turned oyei
20 him, claiming no could do the worl
for which they spend s334.00o for STA.
100. He said his present election bureat
spent only $500 n year for salaries ant
$4,000 for printing. II he did the wori
1t the State Election Board he woult
only need an additional deputy at $1,000
ten deputies at $1,000 each. twenty-five
deputies at sl,l00 zach and twenty
clerks at SEQ each.