Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-29
Senator Nye Finds Voters Gain Most
Through System of Direct Primary

n
You must 60 out in the open and spend
your money where all men can see It,
Under the convention system lew
shrewd agents would find no difhculty
in convincing a few hundred profess
sional delegates that they would vote
for a certain candidate without leaving
any tracks by which the money could
be traced. I venture to say that under
the convention system Truman II: New
berry Frank l.. Smith and william ..
Ware would all have been elected to the
United States Senate and that their
right to a seat would not have been
questioned, or, If any question had been
raised, it would have been impossible TO
secure the evidence upon which they
might be unSeated.
It is important also for the voters
to remember that the question Is not
whether more money is expended under
the primary system than under the con-
vention system, but whether the powers
OF wealth control one system more easily
than another and with less possibility
of detection. AS Prof. Merriam has well
said:
There Is little evidence to indicate,
and none to demonstrate, that the use
of wealth is more effective in direct
primaries than in the election of dele
gates in the control of the convention.
1t cannot be forgotten that conventions
have often been controlled by small
groups Of men, representing wealth and
privilege, in times past. The old-time
convention was by no means an assem-
bly, of high-minded and idealistic gen.
tlemen, calmly considering what were
the soundeSt policies of State, and who
were the wisest and most capable men
to formulate and execute them. Not
merely was bribery and corruption RAM
pant in many cases, but the representa-
tiveS of corrupting interests were on the
floor of the convention and sometimes
presiding over the affairs"
Sees Corruption Less.
1t is possible that the amount of
money expended in the primaries may
be greater than would be the case under
the convention system but there can be
no question that its corrupting tnflu-
ences are much less marked.
The direct primary is not perfect. It
is capable of being controlled by the
excessive use Of money; 1t does not
always elect the bsst qualified candi-
dates and 1t is sometimes as completely
controlled by bosses and machines as
was the old-time caucus or convention.
This is true of the primary in the same
sense that it IS true that all human
institutions are imperfect. So far as
it is true, however. it is primarily the
fault of the people themselves. With
the direct primary the people in the
long run get the kind of government
they deserve. If they are Indifferent
they git inefficient or corrupt govern
ment. If they are alert and intelligent
they will get reasonably good govern
ment. That is all that can be ex-
pected of any political machinery.
The late Chief Justice Edward D.
White OF the Supreme Court in his opin-
ion in the Newberry case, holding that
Congress had the right to regulate and
control expenditures IN primary cleo
tons, said
THE large number of States which
at this day have by law established
senatorial primaries shows the develop
ment OF the movement which originated
so long ago under the circumstances
just stated They serve to indicate the
tenacity of the conviction that the rela-
ton OF the primary to the election is
so intimate that the influence OF the
former is largely determanative of the
latter. Under these conditions I
sf1nd 1t impossible to say that the
admitted power of Congress to control
and regulate the election of Senators
does not embrace, as appropriate to the
power, the authority to regulate the
primary held under State authority.
Can any other conclusion be
upheld eXcspt upon the theory that the
phantoms Of attenuated and unfounded
doubts concerning the meaning of the
Constitution which have long persisted.
may now be revived for the purpose of
oepriving Congress Of the right TO exert
a power essential to its existence"
Power Against Bosses.
Most important of all, the direct pri-
mary gives the people the power at any
time to break control of a corrupt boss
or party machine. 1t may be ignored
by the voters as long as they are salts
fed, but it is always at hand when it
is needed to check corruption or
tyranny.
The direct primary, imperfect though
it may be, is in fact one of the great
cornerstones of democracy and an es-
sential factor in preservation of gov
eminent Of, by and for the people.
Besides, the primary election laws
lend themselves to improvement.
Chances to correct many of the harm
ful practices found accompanying pri-
maries present themselves, whereas the
convention, law unto itself, could not
readily be reached by law. We ought
to devote ourselves intellectually
to the cause Of lessening the influence
of money in the conduct of primary
elections. Where States show no in
clination to let the primary reflect a
true voice OF the people, then 1t be-
comes the duty of the Federal govern
ment to write such law as will hold in
primary elections involving the candi-
dacieS Of men for places in the Fed
eral Government. Though 1t is often
maintained that the Federal Govern
ment has no right to interfere with pri-
mary elections in the States, there Is
amble authority for the strong belief
that the courts would hold that such
right did exist.
But If there were no hope, no chance
for any remedying of such ills as ac-
company the primary, I would still
maintain that as between the primary
and convention system, the primary
deserves the favor over the old, long
tried, and corrupt-proyen convention
system.
1 am ready to admit that in several
States the viii to win elections prompts
huge expenditures of money which in
turn invites wholesale corruption. Let
it be admitted that money buys the
votes Of men in primaries; that it
causes duty OF citizenship TO be sub
merged by prices available for vote;
that 1t causes men to abandon genuine
interest in candidates and issues and
to direct their efforts TO causes dia-
metrically opposed to their own honest
convictions. Let's concede that lavish
expenditures make possible the deter
mination of elections by paid workers