Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-21

rfestThe Convention System the
Best Plan to secure Good Men for
Ofice-The Duty of the Country
Press.
To the Union and American:
MEMPHIS, March IL, IS74.-"How
to do it" seems now to be the question
discussed by the Democratic and Con-
sentative papers of the State. That is,
how shall our candidates be presented
before the people? In your issue of
the 14th you rather favor the primary
election system. / do not intend to
fiatter you when say this is the first
suggestion, IN political matters, made
IN your journal for a year past with
which, as q Democrat and Tennessee
an, cannot fully agree-my belief
that you are always right on political
questions must not be taken as iattery
because you and may both be wrong.
We agree generally and we agree
heartily In this, that we regard this
question Of show to do it" as a most
important one Just now, and question
on which all earnest Democrats should
speak and act.
Primary elections viii not do-an
the safe guards you can throw around
them viii not protect us
from the most unmitigated
frauds. The negroes are yet under
the control of the very worst people in
our State They vote together. They
can all easily be persuaded to vote at
our primary elections and to swear al
legiance to our party. They Will be
certain to vote as directed, and be GER
tain to be directed to vote for our
weakest and worst candidate. In this
way the Radical party viii control our
primary elections and nominate the
worst men we have for Office, so that
they may be easily beaten. The system
7ciu not do. If You would be thorough
" convinced on this subject, study the
history of the Democratic party IN
New York and California, where ''pri-
maries" have fourished for the past
fifteen years.
The convention system has been
abused shamefully. Yet it has never
been reasonably supplanted, nor has
better system been suggested. 1t is
within the province of the
press to cleanse it Of
abuses. In each county, let the local
paper discharge its duty faithfully,
and we will have honest and true con-
ventions In every county in the State.
To allow Tom, Dick and Harry to de-
nounce the system as "odioUs," Sin
famous" and ''rascally," without call
ing them to a proper account, is a
wrong Of which the press of the State
has been guilty for the past year. The
people want little independent, hon
est Journalism on this subject, all over
the State. Here and there we have a
paper which speaks out. The UNION
AND AMERICAN is one of them. And
here and there our people are organized
and vote correctly. When the press of
the State, by their conductand actions,
invite A and B and G, and all
the way down the alphabet to
z, to announce themselves as can
didates for Office, because, fOrsooth,
the paper gets five or ten dollars
or an Il. o. O." for the announcement,
We cannot and must not expect to elect
good men to Office. This is precisely
the rule that governs the Radical par
ty Of the State. In that compact or
ganization Mr.. Smith announces him
self as a candidate for County Court
Clerk. He and all his friends call and
see the editor at once to the tune of -
dollars-weH, whatever the stealage of
the Office can stand. The compact is
closed, and Mr.. Smith and the editor
make that nomination. Then the
party is called together 1t is a con-
vention, or a mass meeting, or a ''pri-
mary" Generally it is a convention.
The body is composed OF men who have
been manipulated by Mr. Smith and the
editor and their friends, and in this
way, as l said before, Mr. Smith
and the editor make the nomination.
Our press ought not to follow this ex-
ample. A convention ought to make
our nominations, and these Nominations
ought always to be made in the interest
of the people and for the public good.
We ought to discountenance these
selfnominations l sometimes think it
would not be bad rule for the Demo-
cratic party to adopt, that they will not
nominate any man who announces him.
self as candidate. Certainly he is the
poorest judge as to his qualifications.
1t is my honest conviction that if the
press of the State will circumference
in a general way this thing of personal
announcements we will get better Off
GERS all over the State. In any event
let me enter my most earnest
protest against the primary system.
Let us have conventions and see to 1t
that there are no abuses in them. In
Shelby county We are quietly waiting
the action of our county committee.
That body will meet early in April and
give us the rule for our future guild
ance. If they decide on the primary
system, we are beaten terribly. II the
convention plan is adopted, and we can
get a fair convention, we viii carry the
county without trouble. The nomina-
ton of good men is all We want to en-
sure success.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
We have a Board of Health now of
the very frstcalibre. 1t is SO organized
and empowered too thatwe will have our
city thoroughly cleansed and put to
rights before summer.
st. Patrick's day was celebrated qui-
city and with much zeal and earnest
ness by henatives of the Green Isle IN
our city.
Your readers VIII have been advised
Of the decision of our Chancery Court
to-day as TO past due taxes. We now
expect to see old scores settled up, and
IN this way our present rates Of taxes
will be diminished. BRICKBAT.