POLITICAL BOSSES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 830, 31 May 1910, Page 5

POLITICAL BOSSES.

TO DESTROY THEIR POWER. ACTION BY GOVERNOR. HUGHES. By Telesraph—Pres3 Association— OoDyrieit , (Rec. May 30, 10.30 p.m.) Now York, May 30. Governor Hughes is calling an extra session of the New York Legislature to pass a law for destroying the power of political bosses. "DIRECT PRIMARIES." The Washington correspondent of "The Times" writes: ' Of all tho "reform movements" in what may be called local, ns opnosed to Federal, government which have sprung; up in the United States in recent years, the movement for Direct Primary elections is probably - umung the most important. None at any rate lms attracted so much attention, and none has been more successful. The Direct Primary strikes directly at the foundation of tho power of the party "boss," nt his control of tho choice of candidates for public office. Briefly defined, the Direct Primary is u preliminary flection held within each party for the selection of candidates to be voted for or again by all parties at the final ejection. This system is now tho rule in many of the western States, and it may be that it may before long bo established iu one of the most conservative, and politically tho most important, of the States of the ea6t. All through his tenure of office Mr. Hughes, Governor of New York State, has fought for the Direct Primary. So far lie has been unmiccossfu!; but he has now entered the fight ouco again with perhaps brighter prospects than before. The last session of the New York Legislature closed in May with the "machine" standing triumphant over the Bill embodying Sir. Husthes's proposals. As a sop to .public sentiment tho Republican leaders' consented to the appointment of a committee of inquiry on tho subject; and thin commission, upou which sat no single friend of the Bill, spent tho summer months visiting a dozen States where Direct Primaries are in force. "When the Legislature met last month it was confronted by a renewed demand from the Governor for legislation to reform the machinery whereby candidates for public office in'tho Stato are chosen. Since then havo come unpleasant disclosures connected with the investigation into tho conduct of the newly-elected Republican leader of the Senate. Mr. Allds. Tho party, "machine" feels itself discredited, but apparently it is not yet ready to yield in tho matter of Direct Primaries. Its committee of inquiry has just issued a report to show that no such reform ,is needed in the State. Whether tho "machine" will stand by that report and endure the Governor's second assault remains to be seen.