Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-09-20
PRIMARIES.

pOlls Will Oe open, anu Ine Young Will
have been commenced. We may, there
fore, say, that it is with no special refer
ence to or intended bearing upon the re-
suit of to-day that we submit such COM
ments as we append. Only this it be-
ing primary day, and the attention of the
people being immediately and forcibly di.
rec,ed to the system. as practically carried
out, we think it q good opportunity to
speak Of this mode of preliminary can
vassing. Is it altogether satisfactory Z
Could it be improved
A oldier-correspondent Of the Chicago
Republican,, under date Of August 18th,
thus writes:
The writer in your paper "Many SOL
diers,' asks what process will secure a
turnout Of the people at the primary cleo.
tons. The problem is, with q portion OF
the existing party machinery, to secure a
full popular expression at the primary
elections. Is this practicable and expe-
dent? I answer that it is entirely prac-
ticable, and that it can and ought to be done
simply by adopting the plan Of voting for
candidates directly, instead Of voting for
delegates to nominate candidates. In
other words, abolish Conventions, and
make the primary elections the means Of
every voters choice for his preferred can
didate for each Office. This can be &C.
complished in the simplest manner. Place
the names Of all candidates for each Office
on the ticket, and let the voter indicate
his choice by erasing all but the pre-
terred name for each office. His
ticket then, throughout, becomes his W
individual voice, and tells direct and
equally with that Of any other voter. The
County Central Committee can appoint
the judges, and, upon the returns Of each
precinct being forwarded to it, can certify
the result, and the majority Of votes for
each particular office constitutes a nomi-
nation. This plan Of nomination. by bal
lot, is used, and with the best results, in
many parts of Indiana, and experience
shows that almost the entire mass Of the
party turns out to vote-that q primary
| election in the party is almost equivalent
10 q regular election. OF course, when
each voter knows that his own choice is
to tell directly on the result equally with
the voice Of every other person, and that
no bought or corrupt delegate is to barter
him away, he will come to the polls and
vote. The mass Of the party will vote.
No man can secure a nomination without
the Endorsement of a majority Of the party.
II the Republican and our other city Re-
publican journals will urge and enforce
this sort of primary elections, and the
County Committee adopt il, there can be
no cause Of complaint On the part OF the
soldiers, and Of the masses of the party.
Il will relieve the nominating system of
its odious features, and bring il, as nearly
as is practicable, into full and complete
harmony with the theory and workings Of
our democratic institutions.
There would perhaps be the same or as
great opportunity for log-rolling and
combining" under the proposed plan, as
by the existing one; but the majority Of
voters at the Primaries, as thus arranged,
would undoubtedly express their FIRST
choice and decided preference at the nom-
mating polls.
We notice that the principal Union
journals Of the East are discussing the
propriety of a change from the present
method to some such system Of Primary
candidacy favor as has been quoted from
a Chicago soldiers letter. The events Of
this day may induce many Of our people
to reflect seriously on the propriety Of
making such a change in Storey county
Union elections as is indicated by the
programme given above and because it i:
likely 10 beget or foster or direct though
on this very important matter, we max,
the extract and these accompanying re-
marks at this time. When the State Con,
vention shall have met and nominated anC
adjourned, we have some comments K
make in this connection, and by the re-
cord of this canvass, which we do no
deem it expedient to offer at this time
They will be based upon a recital Of fact,
which we have known for some time, anc
the conclusions will advocate the practice
the Chicago writer suggests. Meanwhile
we ask our readers to note how affairs pc.
litical are now managed" at the "Prima,
ries."