New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
~ THE NEW CITIZENS POINT OF VIEW ~
Two Opinions ON
the Primaries


Of the two methods think the latter is really
more democratic than the former. In the di-
rect primary the nominating is supposed to be
done by the rank and file of party members
It is actually done by the coseted leaders of the
party, and no responsibility is placed on them
because they can always say "the voters did it."
In a convention the men selected to represent
the party are given wide publicity and under
take full and open responsibility for what they
do. They have no "alibi" such as is furnished
to party leaders where the method of the
direct primary is used and they are able to
shift the burden to the shoulders of party
members.
There is potential advantage, however, in
the direct primary-the fact that revolt within
the party is easy. Where the convention
method is used the power of the rank and file
in the choosing of candidate begins and ends
with the selection of representatives to the
convention. BY the direct primary method the
rank and file can revolt at the last minute, and
gain their way by storm-if they only will
The trouble is-they don't.
l can see no way in which women can be
effective at the primaries from the beginning
except by forming a strong organization of
the machine as they see fit. In this way they
could WELD very strong influence upon party
leaders, and in no other way For when all
is said and done nothing can be accomplished
without organization, and nothing can effec-
lively grapple with an organization except
another organization.
HOWARD L. McBAIN,
Professor of Politics, Columbia University.
TIME convention is nominating system
whereby the members of party meet
at a primary and elect delegates to go
to a convention. These delegates, in theory,
confer at the convention and select the party's
candidates for the coming election.
The direct primary is a nominating system
under which the members of party meet at
primary and select by direct vote the per-
sons who shall be the party's candidates for
the coming election. Of course, the names
Of possible candidates have been previously
brought forward and put on the primary ball
lot. The direct primary is thus an elimination
contest among party's candidates to see who
will appear in the election finals in November.
The direct primary is the method used
throughout New York State, except in very
small communities. It was adopted as reform
because people had become dissatisfied with
the convention.
The convention is far from a direct ex-
preston of the will Of the party as whole
The delegates are selected by party members
at time when interest in politics is slack,
except on the part of the professional poll
ticians who play the game all the time. 1t is
inevitable in these circumstances that the Sc
lection of delegates should be perfunctory,
that the delegates should as rule be mediocre
men and that after their arrival at the
vention they should be effective chiefly as rub
ber stamps in the hands of the politicians, and
not adequately reflect the better elements Of
political life. In other words, they are mis-
representative of their party.
And the party-the rank and file OF men,
bers-has no choice but to abide by the results
Of these mems work The party's direct
power begins and ends with the selection of
the delegates, and these men, although their
work may be criticised, are their own masters
and the masters of the party's fate from the
time they are selected.
40 away with such defects 1t was felt that
the only way to eliminate the manipulating
and misrepresentation politician was by di
rect vote of party members the selection
OF the candidates Themselves instead of on
the selection of delegates to select the candi-
dates
People now feel that even the direct primary
is not working as we'll as it was hoped. Some
criticism of it is we'll taken; some of it comes
from politicians who find, and regret, that
they cannot forecast and control the results
OF primary as fully as they could those of a
convention.
ALBERT SPRAGUE BARD.
The Citizens Union