Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-07-10
SUMMsRYIELD, La, July list, ISIS.

as to open your columns to your subscribers
for the discussion of questions of public
interest, have decided to say few words
to the readers Of the GUARDIAN on the
much-vexed question Is to the comparative
merits Of the different plans proposed for
the nomination of candidates for the ensu-
ing election. II seems that we are divided
in opinion in regard to the proper or best
plan Of making nominations. Some want
primary election; some want two primary
elections; some want q hurdle race, every |
body to run who wants an Office, the feet |
ost aspiraut to carry of the honors; while !
quite q number Of Others prefer to abide |
by the time honorcd custom of the Demo- |
cratic party, and indeed of sll parties-a
nomination by 4 convention Of delegates. |
With this latter class l an compelled to
stand, since can see nothing to justify us
in departure from onr party nsages. No
party has ever been successful-no party
can be so-without concert Of action, and
united partizan organization which can,
40 to speak, be kept well in hand; and that
party, or the smallest detachment Of it,
which breaks its ranks even temporarily
to skirmsh on the outskirts i'll % primary
election, courts disaster. 1t seems to me
the bitter experience Of past defeats should
bc sufficient to deter us from further mis-
takes Of this kind.
ia IaA he .,fN ha a
vocatcs Of the primary election system, or
of free race to all corners, tina, this is .
little private matter Of our own here in
this parish; that we can have . primary
election, accommodate every candidate and
ell his friends, and then If the Republicans
set up party organization in our parish
and put forth a ticket return to ranks,
perfect our organization, and win the day
at last. This is the same old cry Of disor-
| ganizers. Fcftow-citizens, you ought to be
organizing every day, as if the hardest
campaign the party ever had was before
it-as, indeed, may I've the case. You have
sort Of organization in this parish, an
Executive Committee believe Of good and
true men; but what ward in it has its sub
committee, Ut any other means Of commu-
nicatiug readily with youi The Republi.
cans propose TO set mp against you the
ablest man they have in this race for the
congressional honors in this district, and it
10 not at all improbable that they will set
up parish ticket too at the eleventh hour,
when they see you wasting your energies
in these side issues.
A primary election is desired by some on
the ground that it is the fairest way Of
making nominations. The fairest for whoml
Possibly for few aspirants for Office; bu,
why jeoparsiile the interests Of a great par
/ ty for their benefit 1t is argued again
that in = primary election we stand bet
ter chance to nominate the choice Of the
people. Now il each ward in this parish
should send delegates to a convention, in
structed aud pledged to the voters Of the
ward which sends them to support certain
. men Of their choice in nomination, l., fo
, one, cannot see why or how the wishes o
the people can be frustrated. But, say,
some one, perhaps the voters u ward eau
not agree among themselves as to who the!
prefer for certain positions without pri
y mary election, caucus, or something Of tina
kind. If that be the case, then and Their
4 is the tine and place to make those mntua
4 concessions cheerfully, which you mus
: make after having gone through the form
ality Of . primary election. There is N
such thing as devising q plan which vii
meet the individual wishes Of each vote
!, or every candidate; and it is too much I
j., say that q convention Of representatiY
men of our own selection from each var
q can fail to present US . ticket worthy q
our support.
o Have the advocates Of . primary elcctio
q taken into consideration the loss Of tim
n which that system Of nomination propose
/ to entail on the working voter Of this pa
ish in voting 80 early and often, to a
e nothing Of being button hoied by myriad
- Of anxioua candidates from now until Il
h final struggle is Overt We have had f.
D. too much Of that already. While the ba
4. Not is the highest prerogative Of freema
II the constant exercise Of it may become irl
n some, and we must realize that it is n
only privilege, but duty that should
il performed with due attention to that CO
10 dinai principle which underlies al tn
ve politics as we'll as patriotism-"the gree
T. est good to the greatest number
There is no objection that can raj
against departing from pest party prc<
dents and setting up such an innovs tion
H. marty tactics a. the proposed primary eli