The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-08-04
Party Nominations for COun-
fy Officers.


Party Nominations for Couu-
1y Officers.
EDITORS NEws.-The custom of nomI-
mating county tickets is . new one in Lyon
county. We run eight or ten years
without it, with good success.
1t was re-started by the seReform
partyI' against the wishes of the Repub-
lican voters, and in both 1878 and 1874,
the republicans protested against any
party nominations for county officers, and
only made them because t'the reformers''
led of. The result was of course the
victory of the republican candidates. But
now that the reform party here has given
up the attempt to run tickets, and there
is no opposition to the republican party,
why should the party keep it up? 1t resor-
ted to it only as temporary matter, and
this seems as good year as 1t can have to
re-adopt the tlme-honored method of not
making party nominations for county
officers. Nobody can explain why the
county committee took upon itself to or
der nominations this year. There was
no public sentiment in favor of doing so,
and no necessity for it. 1t is fair TO sup
pose that it was done at the instance of
some parties who wanted office. and
thought they could do better at thinly at
tended primary meetings or by combina-
tions III a convention, than they could at
the polls before all the people. But few
personal interests should not be allowed
to establish custom that's generally ac-
knOwledged to be damaging to the pubic
INF 10 nf lsn
publican party losing its majority in Ly-
on county. 1t can. because ii did year af-
ter year, send delegates to the state and
other conventions, and fall into line in
voting for state and national officers, and
yet leave mere county Offices free to be
run for by any body who wanted them.
and the people free to choose between all
the different candidates. That is the
fairest and best way, and secures the
best choice. No county in the state had
any better officers than Lyon county I'M
der her old system of free canvasses. No
great principles are invoved. 1t is
mere question of personal judgment and
preferences, and almost every voter wants
to vote for some certain man for one office,
and another man for another office, and
no one can vote the ticket he wants to if
party nominations are made. don't see
the necessity, or the use, or the sense, OF
any more party nominations tn Lyon
county for county officers. In a county
pretty nearly balanced between two par
ties, party nominations have TO be made
| carefully and good men put up; but here,
| where one party is about all there is, the
rule is that anyb BODY who can get the
nomination can get the election, and The
voters either have to submit to poor nom
| inaions or else to bolt part OF their tick
ct, and this boiling tickets is "a bad habit
| to get into, and leads to boiling in regard
to national tickets. It is well not to keep
up an unnecessary practice which is very
| apt to give good cause for dissatisfaction
l hope, sirs, that this year the republic
can party will be as liberal minded as il
used to be, and that its convention Oh
Saturday will say to the people that they
may vote for who they choose for county
| officers, and let the best man win. The
| candidates out are all good men. Either
MIR. Cunningham or MIR. Kellogg would
| make u competent and faithful Probat'
Judge. Why not let them both go OF
their merits before the people, and lie
the people directly elect whichever the!
prefer. Mr.. Sedgwick and Mr.. Forde ar
deserving young men and good lawyers
| Why not let them both run on their mer
It's, and let the people choose between
| them? There is another lawyer that | re
gard as better qualified than either. ant
who would make strong candidate, bu
he would probably stand no chance be
fore the convention, although he is goo
republican. Mr.. Friedrich and Mr.. Skin
ner are good men, and both need tn
office they seek. Why not let the one &c
it that has the most friends ut the polls
MIR. Wharton is a good man, and Miss Sic
cum fine young woman, and Why no
let the people vote just as they please OIL
them for school superintendent? There
may be others who would be candidates
Why not give evrey body chance? 1 cam
see and many others can't see why the
good old practice should not now be
Ire-established. l vote the republican
ticket, but for county offices know tn
convention can't get up as good tlcke
for me as can for myself, and most O
the voters think SO to There is wild
spread sentiment in ] ;v0r OF the conVen
ton not making county nominations. 1
is particularly strong ont il the country
This is the year TO SEE Il precedent in thi
matter. II we make nominations TO
county officers this year we may or vii
count on the practice being kept up
And eventually 1t Is bound to result il
rings and frau anu bring discredit up
on the party. One reason the republican
partv keeps so strong in Lyon county i
: because 1t has lett the county offices fire.
for thu peopl" TO fill, and has never ha(
to Shoutde: waatever short comm gs an,
OF them have been troubled with. Their
never has been a case where party in a
Overwhelmingly majority carried o
party tickets without becoming more o.
less corrupt in consequence. But as Ions
as Lyon county adheres to its good oil
fashioned practice Of free canvass 70
county offices, it will do the best thing
,, can to secure honost and ca pAble officers
because they are elected by republican
votes, but in such way as to leave eac
voter free to make his own choice in II
=. gard to any office, and the people are hor
e est. 1t remains, then. for the conVentIo
of Saturday to take a broad and sagaciou
view Of this matter, and not permit til
lutte personal interests of candidates TO
this or that Office to interfere with tn
e Ire-establi shment now of our former Gus
e tom. If the convention passes a resolu
tion that 1t is not wise nor expedient Il
m axe nominations for county offices in
D Lyon county, its action would be hearth.
8 rati fed by the masses of the party, an
1 any candidate who fears to trust hi
: claims to the untrammeled decision of tn
people at the polls in November, IS no