The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-11-23
The Direct Primary.
(New ork Times.i

SION OF the New ork legislature have
the courage and the common sense to
repeal the direct primaries law and re-
store the state convCntion2 Such Il
purpose is attributed to the Republi-
can leaders in the legislature. If thew
carry it out, they will have recorciled
to the Republican victory at the state
general election even the majority OF
Democrats. The direct primary springs
| from Il false theory of government. 1t
discards representative government for
the fiction of immediate popular gov
eminent. 1t springs also from a false
theory of political human nature. 1t
assumes that the way to check or pre-
vent boss control, to select and elect
the best men for office, to make parties
responsive to the will of the majority
of their members and attentive to the
public interest, is to make change in
the mechanics of the process. Set up
the direct primary, abolish the state
convention; then, with the magic aid
of the interminable Australian ballot,
all 5 well in the political world. By
act of legislature the political ideas
and ideals Of the voters have been
elevated and purified. BY wiping out
a system with which they were famil-
lar and contented YOU have wiped out
what was or seemed evil to the gener-
Gus refCTmers, to the believers i'll the
millennium by jumps.
The best friends the direct primary
has, apart from the political perfec-
tionists, are the bosses and old hands.
1t suits them. Only from a surprising
Difference to the people, who are gener-
ally sick of this pretenSe of securing
I "a 1rtyr ,,fr l.,
cllned to give up device so useful to
them. Who has a more cynical appr4-
citation of the value to him in his bust
ness of the senatorial primary than the
Hon. Boies Penrose? In this state the
blind hostility of the Republican boss
lets to Governor Hughes led them to OBJ
pose his guileless beginnings of the
direct primary. What is not wanted
by the bosslets ought to be wanted by
the plain people. That was the argu-
: ment. The folly of the professionals
lent an artificial strength to the move
ment for change. The professionals
soon accommodated themselves to it.
The new process was more hidden from
$ the public eye, more capable of manip-
p ulatIon and cabal than the old. Nom
nations were arranged as before. The
primary ratified them. The profession
ais usually beat the amateurs. The
y men who wouldn t turn out for a eau
Gus wouldn t turn out for a primary.
10 The politicians had it their own wav.
< TheIr viii was registered just the same
ny che expensive paraphernalia of re-
form. A conference, - a meeting of
e the party directors, took the place of
n the state convention.
In the latter, which can t be restored
too soon, what was done was done in
the light OF day. No matter what
L Estates were fixed in hotel or com.
D mittee rooms by the masters of the
@ show, there was always the opportunity
t for fight on the floor. 1t was a re
, sponsible system. The party voters
were represented by delegates. If they
were not fairly represented. it was their
I own fault, Too many of them kent
@ away from the caueuses. as they keen
II away from the primaries No caucus
n can be packed if a majority of the
-, voters in the unit do their duty. Ma
statute can quicker their sense of duty
In a state convention men Of similar
II political opinions, devoted to certain
@ policies and candidates, meet. oct ae.
- qualnted, combine. Under the direct
- primary this open and statewide co.
- operation is impossible difficult. or in
Vi effective. There is isolation, uncertain.
: ty. The masters know what is beina
l. done. They have arranged it. All
:, over the state they can work in con
>, cert. Organization, unity. univ of
Il group if they be divided. are theirs
Their opponents are fighting an essen.
italy invisible enemy. In a state con.
h Ventlon their delegates would meet the
! To
6 ful, majority or minority. the represen.
tatives of the party voters. the voters
> the whole state sees what is going on.
I The old plan was open and responsible
h lha new Is irresponsible and under
+ hand.
E When the voters are strongly inter
ested, when their dander is up. they
| smash 'slates,' defeat candidates
+ have their will at the polls. From
f lllden to Hughes, to go no further,
II the evidence of that power is in every
h memory. They can't be made to take
" any additional interest by statute. The
Il direct primary has helped make the ex-
k preston of their will more difficult
i All over the direct primary map of
the United States you hear much the
Same complaint Leaving out of con.
Sldaratlon absurdities of law which in
g so2e states let Democrats, Socialists.
e ana what not choose Republican candi-
5. da'es, and wee versa, there is a general
., admission that inferior candidates win
Ill the primaries who would have small
u chance III a state convention, and that
/ oniF rlch meen need apply for office.
The primary campaign and the election
campaign require a fat purse
1t will be white-stone dav for this
T. state and every other state that has
e been submitted to the costly new
= tangled humbug when the direct pri-
@ mary is abolished and the state con.
:, veltion is revived.