Evening journal., 1923-01-10
SEES Peril
IN DIRECT
PRIMARIES
tC0ntlnued Ftom Page one.l


radio at the Hotel dupont Other
speakers were Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt. Assistant Secretary or
Navy; Rear Admiral Rodman anC
! Colone lCook. Senator Ball in MS
speech said:
/ Just one month ago tonight I at
ktended banquet at this hotel. given
by the Society OF the Sons OF Della
ware OF Philadelphia, celebrating
the 135th anniversary OF the Rati1-
cation OF the Constitution OF the
United States. by my State, Della
ware. At that banquet. Mr.. Irving
Bachelor. one Of our leading au-
thors. was one Of the speakers. his
subject being What is the Matter
With America Since the recent
election. ! had feared the American
people had held. at least 10 some
considerable extent, the United
States Congress responsible for our
shortcomings. But Mr.. Bachelor
told us that the fault was in our
American homes-that the families
lacked the strong executive head
which they in our earlier days pos
sessed. That our boys and girls were
not given the lessons OF obedience
nor taught the importance OF in
dustry that was ground into US as
youngsters. This discourse so i'm
pressed me that I have given some
study TO our general conditions. with
the idea OF ascertaining how much
= traced
the failure OF Government agencies
to properly function. We are al well
aware that things are not normal
that there is a general feeling OF dis
content feeling that certain
branches OF the Government are not
functioning as they should. our
Government Is Of such a nature that
To get the best results Il must he
government by parties, the party in
control always being held respons-
ibie for the results. II everybody IL
prosperous and content. that party
receives the commentator. II the
country is not prosperous, then tnat
party must accept the criticisms ana
the responsibility. But in my snort
experience. l have learn
ed that il is sometimes very difficult
10 enact important legislation leg
islatIon that the party in power
deems essential for the carrying out
OF its policies: though they may nave
A reasonable majority in that BODY
This condition. as 10 the per-
sonnel OF our legislative bodies
would cause US 10 conclude that the
OF selecting the candidates
for the various Offices by the great
political parties Is not entirely sat
isfactorv. During the last few
wears there has been a tendency to-
change from the old convention ne
,hod OF nominating 10 what is term
ed the direct primary. In the OLD
plan, by the common
urinary. the parties elected dele
gates 10 a convention. and that con-
vention. after due deliberaton, ee-
lected the. candidates 10 be voted
for at the general election. The
charke was made against this me-
tbod that a few strong men could
control the convention. and thus
nominate the ticket, and tha. these
few men. in making those nomina-
tions made them for their own ad-
and rot FOR the general
good
In otker words. the cry wac
made OF boss rule" The people in /
their might determined 10 over |
throw this situation. and as a result I
of the campaign. claiming. as they /
lid, that it was in the interest Of /
he masses against the classes, the /
method OF nominating 4
gave way to the popular method |
II direct primary-where the people /
themselves make these nominations.
{ this were strictly democratic
orm OF Government this would
eom 10 be the proper way 10 make
hese nominations. but our is re-
publican Government. a representa-
i've government where certain power
: delegated by the people. and in
Ielegahng this power. our foregath-
RS no doubt saw the evils Of the
trictly democratic form.
II have absolute confidence in the
and wisdom OF the major
ty Of the American people. and II
he direct primary enabled the ma
ority OF a party to nominate their
andidates. I would be an advocate
Il and loyalty support that method
4 making nominations. But in
'ractice we find the majority Of the
'arty is generally defeated, and that
minority make these nominations.l
I there were but two candidates for
l.
ther of course would receive that
majority. but in practice we find
here are generally many more than
wO candidates. and frequently the
nan eceiving the plurality. and thus
he nomination, will not receive
nore than one-third or one-fourth
( the total vote. We find further
hat the loyal party supporters. the
eople who believe in the principles
dopted by that party at its national
and for which II has
TODD for the years past. divide their
ote i-mOng three or four candidates,
epresenting the party principles
'hile probably one candidate. pro-
assing to be a Repu blican or Demo-
rat. but whose principles differ from
Ither party. will receive the solid I
lpport Of a clas. which frequently
sufficient to make the nomination
yer any of the true loyal men
hus the will of the majority is de- J
,ated and the minority representa- b
We becomes the candidate.
"If this was not a Government by v
arties probably this would not be Il
, serious a matter, but I firmly be- b
eve that in our Government. IL its
iccess. certainly II its efficient func-
oning. depends upon parties. the
rect primary. as I have described, !
astrnus the nnMer OF nariies fnL o