New-York tribune., 1919-03-16
Direct Primary Is
Opposed by Women;
New Law Sought
Helen Boswell and Mrs. Liv-
ermore Say Present Sys-
tenn Plays Into Hands of
the Bosses; Amendments
Are Asked

Women leaders of the Republican
party have declared that the present
direct primary system of nominating
state officials is not complete sue
cess and that the convention system Of
nominating candidates should be re-
stored with notifications which would
retain the features Of the primaries
which they consider most valuable
Among these are Mrs. Arthur l..
Liyermore and Miss Helen varick Bos-
we'll, members of the G. o. ?. State
Committee, and Miss Mary Wood, a
Republican and an attorney. They
believe that the present system plays
into the hands of the bosses even more
than the old convention nominations.
Every one agrees that the direct
primary law as it stands is not per-
feet" said Mrs. Livermore yesterday
"but it is far from the wishes of most
people to have it so amended as to be
practically repealed. Senator Law
has introduced most drastic bill in
that it extends the convention system
from the selection of party candidates
for public office to representatives in
Congress and to members of the state
legislatures.
"To my mind this is step back
ward. Ours is a representative gov
arnment, and if the voters do nothing
else they would select their own rep
resentatives to the state Legislature
and to Congress.
"A convention often has proved a
useful clearing house for discussions
of party policies. Nationally, the great
political parties nominate candidates
by means of party convention to
which delegates are elected. The
ideal way of electing state executive
officers in New York State would be
for the enrolled voters to elect dele
gates and send them to a state con-
vention.
This convention should proceed
without a committee on credentials,
and there would be no chance of dis
qualifying voters, as under the old
system. Delegates to the convention
selected at the primaries could be dis
qualified only by court Of law, which
tion of convention by the so-called
political boss.
'"The advantages of the nomination
of state candidates by delegates
elected by the people would be many.
In this way man whose record was
not thoroughly inspected and known
could not be selected.
II am opposed to the return of the
county convention" Mrs. Livermore
continued. "Thc direct primary is best
suited for the small communities,
where candidates are known person.
silly to the voters and conditions exist
ing are known.
THE main amendment to the pres
ent law should be in requiring party
committees 10 meet and designate
their candidates two weeks before the
last day for fling designations by
petitions. This gives time for filing
other designations in case the selcc-
ton by the. party committee is not
satisfactory"
| Helen Varfck Boswell, who is second
yfce- chairman Of the New York County
Committee and is chairman OF the
women Of the county, agrees with
Charles Evans Hughes that "the idea
Of the direct primary Ia ideal" but
like Mr.. Hughes thinks tho practical
working out Of the direct primary
leaves mach to be desired.
when Robert Y. Bonyngc prepared
the report Of the special committee
from our county committee in Janu-
ary on the question of the nomination
of party candidates." Miss Boswell
said, "hs summed up the beliefs Of