, 1874-10-20

ssatom, originating in Fennhylvania, whereby
nominations aro mado by direct votou OF tho
people at primary meetings. Th!a system ia
now fu vogue III this city for tho nomination Of
Aldermen. This plnn unfortunately dopcuds
upon tho honesty and fairnoss Of tim inan-
ageta OF the primary meetings, and upon the
absence Of fraud in tho way OF voting. II tho
naanagora Of the primary moot'ng cali count any
person elected whom tlley may favor. or II tho
candidates can ruu from wnrd to ward Al n1Hny
men aa they think proper, and have them vote
as often as required, then that system becomes
as corrupt az any other. Experience las shown
that thoso evils aro Inherent in any systcm Of
primary oloottoua, aud that they arc succeasfu1
because tue vory oass Of persons most Interest,"
Cd iu lbs choice Of good officers cannot bo in-
duced to attond primary meetings. And thiB
raisca tho other and important question: Cun ally
syetem bo dovisod that will induce tho great body
Of tho members Of each political party to attond
these primary nseotings2 Ono year ago 40, ,o00por-
aofa voted at the election in Novombor thore woro
probably 1900 to $1,000 otlor voters who did
not vote. 1t tho primary moetinge this year to
eoloct delegates to nominate candidates for Con-
grosa, county officers, and numbers Of tho
Legislature, thero wero not over 8.0oo votca
pollod in all, and Of thoao onc-hasf wore confess
cd!y ropeatcrs aud fraudulent. 1t wae a1ao no.
torious that tho najoritv Of tho mon who vo:cd
at the election Of tho dclegatos for the opposi-
L.. 4 Ala nnxtton for
tho Republican Conventions. Ihcre is force
Of 1900 to 1000 men In this city who arc pro-
fcssional voters at primary meetings. aud who
aro hired regularly every year 10 nominato ccr-
tain candidates. Tho Opposition party had Tho
courage TO arbitrarily purge their tickets OF tho
most disreputablo aud incompetent mon who
wero forced on them. but tho Republicans have
not yet robukcd tho corruption OF tLcIr cau-
cuHes. Whether they will do 10 or not, remains
to be Hoon.
correspondent suggests plan by which the
direct voting syatom Of nomination Gnu bo rcn-
dorod safe. II is. that primary meetings DO held
aa now, at which all persona entitled to vote.
giving their name and residence, with pledge
H04R0A2
iuatcd, would veto ditcclly for tho candidate of
his choice for each office; also that poraons un-
able or unwilling to attend tho primary moeting
may voto by sondiug, In writing or III a printed
form, declaration Of their names. places Of
residence, and their intention to vote for tho
persons nominated with this declaration such
ticket as they might incloso would bo deposited
in tho boz. By this plan, 10 thinks, tho full
vote Of tho party would DO brought out at the
primary meetings, and nominations be taken out
Of tho hands Of those who now manage tho
business corrupt1y. This plan has the recon-
mendntion that it dspeneeb with tho delegate
conventions, which are as corrupt as the
primary meetings. Tho recent Republican
Convention was composed largely OF persons
elected With reference to Sheriff, aud what a
string Of soleotloua wnB mado for other ofllceH !
It is alleged that, In another Convention to
nominate candidate for Congress. the delegates
from several wards wero bought and paid for on
the morning Of tho Convention BY candidate
Booking the nomination.
The Legislature Of New York, 1t is claimed,
has found remedy for tho frauds Of the caucns
system. and that remedy is to protect primary
meetings against fraudulent voting In the same
mauneE regular elections are protected. by legal
ponaltlos- 4 resolution suggesting the enact
lnent Of such law by tho Legislature of Illi-
nois was adopted by tho Kcpublicau County
Convention. Perhaps this may be cftcacious tG
some oxtont in preventing some Of tho abuyat
now generally pracsiced. Nevertheless such :
law caunot compel the multitude Of respectable
poraopB to attend Buch elections. nor dotu
tho comparatively small minority from control
ling such meetings as At present. II uaay bi sai
! up tie business OF moving gangs OF hired me,
from ono primary meeting to another, but 1t ca:a
| not prevent the voting at the primary meotiu Il
| Of uaou who do not belong to the party holdi o.
! it. These evils arc boyond tho reach Of Inn
! In tho meantime. the politicians will hold OIL t,
ths caucus system, With all is evils. 10 bynl
1t up will be- to destroy thor successful couAro
Of parties. Neverthelcss 1t ia 10 bo hoped that
II tho System ia to continue, the law mag b
| made so far applicable, that tho more glarin
abuses can be broken up or severely punished.
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THE DRESB-REFQRN MOVEMENT.