The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-21
UNIrOnM DAY For PRIMARIES.

A government of the people and by the
people implies one which is governed by
officers elected by the people, uninnuenccd
by any one and unbiased by anything us
near rs this state of things can be attained
That perfection is this respect is not posi-
bic we all know. because. as we had Occa-
sion 10 say few days since, everyone eX-
ercises mole or less influence on others.
This kind of infln 'nce, or that eXercd nv
the news papers, by speeches, by personal
solicitation must he expected. 50 that the
real point TO bc r,a :hed is to prevent one
community from being influenced in their
political action by the acts of another In
order to secure tbs, in part, the presidential
election is held on the same day through
out the Union. AS further step in this
direction, we recently called attention to
the propriety OF having the several state
elections take place on the same day on
which the presidential election takes place
once in four years. There is still further
step which can be taken, but one which
cannot be regulated by law. We mean
that OF having caucuses called on uniform
day, whether they be for the election of
delegates to county, district or state con-
ventions. We would go still further in the
case OF a presidential election We would
have the primary meetings held in every
town, ward, city or parish, as the case may
be, on the same day; and then the several
state conventions, for the election of dele
gates to the national nominating conven-
ton, held on given, uniform day there
after. This, OF course, can only be accom-
plished by common consent. 1t is beyond
tie reach OF legislation and, perhaps, impos-
sible of accomplishment, but we believe
that its results would be beneficial. In
this country, at least, all elections are in
effect, made in the caucus. 1t is held TO
be treason to ''bolt" regular nomination,
and however odious, unprincipled and I'M
ut candidate may be, men enough cannot
he found with sufficient moral courage to
bolt and, by their votes, aid in electing
proper man. We have known instances
where caucus of twenty men have made
nomination that nine hundred voters felt
bound to support because it was the "rer,l-
lar nomination." The difficulty is not
with one party alone but is inherent in
our politics. Until the divine right to
"bolt' is acknowledged and acted upon. it
can truly be said that all our elections are
made by the caucus-the regular election
beng mere form. To purify our poll
Tics, therefore, and to obtain the best men
Tor Office, we must begin at the root-at
the primary meeting and the nominating
convention. The first step is to obtain the
uninfiuenced expression of the will of the
people. To do this as nearly as possible,
we must prevent one set of men drumming
a dozen different caucuses," on as MANY
different days prevent outside influence
save that which comes openly from the
pen or the stump; do away with the
effect produced by the action of another
community or state. We ought not TO
wait to see what some one else has done
before acting, but we should do our own
thinking as well as acting. As we have said
it may be impossible to procure uniform
action in all these matters, but we can in
our own county, district and state. There
are many arguments that could be adj
duced in favor of such course, and we
shall return to the subject another day,
contenting eurself now with merely stating
that 1t has been tried and works admirably
in the second congressional district of this