Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1877-07-06
Primary Election.

Onlcers and mem OeFB OF the Leglala-
ture, there is but one way TO determine
with justice to the candidates, and to
the Democratic voters, The choice
Of the people, and that Is by
taking the Democratic vote Of the
county, not In Convention, but in Pri-
mary Election. This mode Of selecting
men to fill the different offices Is the
only one which secures to the people
that is the majority of them, the nom.
ination of their candidates. In Con-
vention it is otherwise. In almost
every instance the meR who have the
majOrity-the support of the people,
and who would get that support in q
Primary Election, are defeated by the
tricks Of a convention. A Convention,
while it proposes to be an immediate
representation Of the people, is, in fact,
but a representation of itself, and, con-
trolled as 1t is by a few who have the
means to shape the vote of the one or
two delegates that determine the
choice OF candidates, it almost invaria.
bly, selects men who do not represent
the majority,
Take now a Convention TO select a
candidate for Sheriff. Four compe.
tent men are out for the office. Is it
possible for a Convention Of a few
men TO select the man who will rep.
resent the popular wish OF the LOCO
Democratic voters of the county? In
other words, can forty men in Conven-
ton, each having different interests TO
subserve, do justice to the 1000 men
whom they represent, and justice to
those candidates that represent the ma.
jority vote Of these 1000 men? We
say not. The only way to get at q fair
and honest expression Of the will Of
the Democratic voters of the county, Is
by the mesns pointed out.
Let these 1900 voters determine the
selection of candidates by the polling
Of 900 votes, and not by the vote Of
a few men in Convention. Should q
Convention meet, in this instance, the
delegates will be selected almost
wholly with reference to their
wishes in regard to the candidates
for Sheriff. They will be known as the
supporters Of the different candidates
for Sheriff. The other Offices and the
Representatives 10 the Legislature will
all be subordinated TO this county
Office. This should never be. Then
these Conventions are easily corrupted /;
poor men do not stand an equal show
in them with the rich men. 1t is folly
TO suppose thatrich men will not use
money to secure a very rich Office If 1t
can be thus secured. And this should
not be. No matter how poor one ofour
candidates is, iii the duty OF the party
to see that he has as fair a show as It Is
possible for men to give him. At the
same time let US give the rich candi-
dates fair play also. The way 10 do
this Is by a Primary Election SO guard.
ed that there can be no fraud, no bril-
bling, and no bull.dozing. 1t is folly
to say this cannot be done, for it can be
done. An Executive Committee can
ajopt rules for such an election, and
appoint men, some of whom shall be
friends OF all the different candidates,
so that there can be no injus-
tlce and no failure In the matter.
While there are objections TO both the
Convention and Primary Election plan,
the objections TO the latter are far less
serious than 10 the former. By the
Primary Election, each and every can
didate will have to stand on his own
deserts and popularity, and there will
be 10 Objectionable mixing up Of the
different positions. But the reason we
now offer Is absolutely incontroverti-
Bile. Conventions can be broken up, or
split up, while this cannot be done with
a Primary Election. We have evidence
ofthis fact, In the Ward Conventions
even, we have witnessed grea. trouble,
and men have been shot In them, and
bullies are sometimes more effective
than the best citizen in the county. The
Democratic party must remedy this
evil. Men do not wish to 60 to these
meetings and sit until midnight Listen
ing at the twsddle ali I foolishness Of
men that nothing will satisfy, but to
secure the full commands of their
boss, The vast majority of citizens
wish to go quietly and decide
who shall be their candidates.
They do not wish 10 risk their lives in
the performance OF this duty, nor dc
they wish to be talked to death by the
DAFtisans of this man or that man aboul