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Show TAFT TALKS OF PRIMARY New Haven. Conn . May 17 Statewide State-wide prlmarH-s are ' extreme measures j lor political reform," and a national primary for the election of a president presi-dent and other national officers "almost beyond thought," to former President William H. Taft, who delivered de-livered another lecture yesterday at i Yale on "Some Problems of Modern j Government. ' Professor Taft said the primary was a means of electing good local officials, but the state and national conventions "give an opportunity for more mature deliberation than is pos- j sible at the polls." "A vital objection to the slate-wide slate-wide primary,' said Mr. Taft. is the gTeat advantage that men of wealth and great ambition have over merely good men. Such men are willing to spend money to obtain advertising and votes, while the well qualified men are unwilling or hae not the means to spend " Taking up the subject of bo66es, 1 Mr Taft said "they have some redeeming re-deeming qualities," and laughingly referred re-ferred to himself as having had the reputation of being one "The only reason why the governor of Tammany hall In New York has, been tolerable Is because leaders In New York have thought for public opinion. It is characteristic of all bosses that they entertain a healthy fear of defeat at the polls " Professor Taft would dismiss chiefs of all federal offices except postof-fices, postof-fices, and would elevate the chief deputies in those offices with a raise of from 16 to 20 per cent In salary, If ho had his way He said "The chief deputies know their business that 16 why the are there ! and the heads of the offices, who 1 are appointed and confirmed by th senate, might learn eventually but i it would take a long time. "As long as all federal appolnt- ments except those of fourth-i lafiE j postmasters have to be confirmed by ; the senate, heads of these offices ;ip goinK to be too busy playing ponn -to learn their business. Application ! civil service rules to officers who have io be confirmed by the senate is impossible." |