The sun., 1918-09-05
REPEAL THE COSTLY DIRECT
PRIMARY Law.
The OLD Committee on Credentials No
Different in Effect from the
Present Primary Law.

Ino Vio COHmISsoo On CfodoniAN NC
Different In Effect from the
Present Primary Law.
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-S1: VIII
you let me send my heartfelt apprecia-
tion Of the truth. soundness and wisdom
Of the editorial in TIE Sun of septsm-
Der 3 headed PRIMARY Day--Rspsal
the Foolish and Futile Law; and the
admonition shat the next Legislature
can do no better service to public policy
and common sense than to uproot the
direct primary humbus and allow the
nominating convention to resstabllsh
itself'f
On ono score alone the Republican
Assembiymen and Senators should unite
next winter with their Democratic col
leagues At Albany and repeal the direct
primary lav-that Of expense. In those
war times mon, States and nations are
bearing tremendous financial burdens.
All are trying TO economlze still further
In order to meet the greater burdens Of
the future; yet primary day just passed
cost the people Of the state Of New York
nearly two million dollars. and this for
an utterly useless and cumbersome
measure.
In the year 1917 there were enrolled
In this State as members of political
parties s2s.s71 Republicans. 6s251s
Democrats. so,s53 Socialists ana 1s,1oa
Prohibitionists. The total number Of
those voting at the Presidential election
Of 1915 was 1.715.7SS. As the voters Of
the State have extended the suffrage to
women It is likely that the enrolment
figures above quoted have been much
larger in 1918. The average cost of con-
duct Of primary elections in tho State
for 1917 was Sl3s a vote: and in 1915
500 a vote. This is a perfectly unwar-
ranted, extravagant and foolish ex-
penditure in peace times alone. What
shall be said of it during the burdensome
expenses Of this great war? There should
be no question as to the attitude Of the
Republican and Democratic Assembly
men and Senators next winter over this
costly law. Their first duty is to their
constituents, and every constituent Of the
State of New York Is borne down with
the high cost of living. village. county.
State and national taxes-and to expend
nearly two million dollars year on q
law not aiding any valuable purpose
why. 1t mustn't continue.
Under the old convention plan the
politicians and those directly interested
in the nominations for public ONCE met
all expenditures. Under the direct pri-
mary law the State. that Is, all the peo-
pie. pay the expenses for these nomina-
tons. But there Is no difference between
the two systems In essence or effect. for
the direct primary is just Is much In the
hands Of the leaders Of political organi-
cations as were the State conventions.
The only opponents to a return to the
old convention system that know are
those who object-to my mind very
justly--to tine Committee on Credentials,
and they point out many injustices and
cruel. even brutal political wrongs per-
petrated by Committees on Credentials
in past State conventions, both Republi-
can and Democratic. But what is the
direct primary law IL 1t is not a great,
Committee on Creden-
tials? There is no difference whatever
in the effect and purpose Of a Commit
tee on Credentials and the present pri-
mary law. none whatever. From .
financial standpoint the politicians and
the aspirants for public office paid all
the expenses Of the Committee on Gre
dentials in the State convention, while
the people of the State pay all of the
expenses OF the direct primary law.
which Is nothing but, as ] say. a gigan-
tic Committee on Credentials.
On August IS THE sun in an editorial
headed Our Monstrous Election Code"
referred to the muddle over the papers
Of Eugene NJ. Travis, the Republican
candidate for State Comptroller, and
rather doubted il the Court of Appeals.
under the law, could get the case in
time 90 review il, and added:
But whether It does. whether Mr.
r7avis's name goes sh the ballot or not.
the proceeding has revealed again the
overtechnical and ridiculous
provisions OF the statutes regulating pri-
maries and elections under which the vot-
FRS OF the State OF New York conduct
their politics
The statute Is monstrosty. unintel-
isible TO the average elector. full of pit
falls for the honest man In public life,
capable OF rendering FIRST aid to every ras-
cal who seeks personal Advancement or
private revenge. II the Judges in the
courts cannot agree on what 1t requires
of candidates, candidates cannot be ex-
peeted to fathom its mysteries.
But who were responsible for "the
overtechnical and ridicu-
GUS provisions OF the statutes reguiat-
ing primaries and elections under which
he voters OF the State of New York
their politics: Why. the Re-
oublicans and Democrats at Albany who
passed the present direct primary law
hey were respone.lle, entirely so. for