The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-21
The Primary Elections.

The reward offered by the League for essays
on reform in the primary meetings has
attracted public attention to the subject, and
called forth an expression of opinion from most
of our journals, and also from some of our
public men. We have received the following
sensible communication from a well-known
citizen, and as the subject is one which should
meet universal attention, we lay his views
before our readers, doubling, however, the
practcability of some of his suggestions. The
idea of changing the time of holding the cleo
tions meets our warmest approval.
To the Editor Of the EUehing Ielegraph.-
have read with much interest the remarks
in your issue of Friday last, in reference to the
reforms needed at our primary elecIlons; and
though am not of the opinion that the method
adopted by the Union League Will accomplish
much, still am satisfied, even in the face OF
tn, fact that our primary meetings are in the
main under the control Of unscrupulous poll
titians, and "have continued to grow from bad
to worse" that the evil has its remedy and per-
sstent effort made upon well matured plan to
secure the desired end will be successful. Under
the present system, attendance upon the pri-
mary meetings so earnestly urged by the press
is useless. A packed room filled with political
trimmerS, whose only apparent means OF sup
port is what they can make out of candi.
Voter from any fair expression OF his
opinions or means OF carrying them
by any means in their power, acting upon the
belief that dishonesty in politics Is no sin,
setting aside all principle, to carry their
point, deem IL TO be put fair game TO buy, sell,
or deraud at primary election. With such a
party, and with such surroundings the right
minded tax payer can of course have but little
influence, and all his efforts TO prevent fraud
are Of no avail The experience OF the many
men who have, In obedience TO the injunctions
OF the press, attended the primary meetings Ia
their respective wards, clearly proves the above
statement; and they, disgu with the system,
and disheartened with useless and unsuccessful
efforts, have given up all attempts at reform,
ana nave, IN despair, left their wards to the
mercy OF the political rings that rule them,
| who, unmolested, and with full possession OF
| the held, control the nominations, select their
own Candidates, and force the very voters
| they have thus excluded to vote for
! tnen, under the party whip aud by party
tyranny, How can this evil be remedied? First
| let the President Of the Ward Executive Com
| mittee, or some other satisfactory person, APP
point three well-knOwn and respectable citl-
zens whose duty IL shd be- one week before
the most important OF all primary elections,
that OF Judge and lnsI ectors, TO make q care
| fully prepared register OF all the Republican
voters of the ward not of voters of recent con-
version or OF a doubtful character but OF those
| election This work can be rendered compare
| Giyely easy by use OF the window books and the
| aid OF Weli-p posted persons residing in the DIFF
| ferent precincts Let the election Tor Judge
| and INSPECTORS be held at the usual places for
| holding the general elections, ana let the vote
| be cast through a window at the polls and not,
| as Is now the custom, in the upper story
| OF some low tavern, or in the crowded ana
packed room Of ward association Vhls