the Anti-Gambling bill - and insist that the Legislature go on record
for or against it.

Instead, they endeavored to satisfy everybody, apparently attempted to
come to a compromise understanding with the machine, or at least to
please machine leaders. Their theory seemed to be that if the measure
were not made too effective, the machine would not seriously oppose its
passage, thus insuring a glorious and at the same time, easy victory.

However unwarranted this assumption from appearances may be, such
hidebound machine men as Wolfe and Leavitt were consulted and flattered,
apparently with the idea that although they had been abused like
pickpockets on previous occasions, they could be won over to the Direct
Primary cause.

The stupidity of this policy was shown at the end of the session, when
Wolfe and Leavitt dictated the terms under which the Direct Primary bill
should pass. Had the supporters of the Anti-Gambling bill pursued the
same policy, and treated the machine leaders as possible friends instead
of recognized enemies, Wolfe, Leavitt and the other machine leaders
would unquestionably have dictated the provisions of the Anti-Gambling
bill, and have forced that compromise which Wolfe in his speech on the
Walker-Otis bill regretted so bitterly had not been made.

The purpose of the Direct Primary is primarily to take away from the
political bosses the monopoly which the convention system gives them in
naming candidates for office, and to place such nomination in the hands
of The People. To this end, under the Direct Primary laws that have of
recent years been adopted, the boss-controlled convention is done away
with, and the candidate for office nominated by the direct vote of The