Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-04-24
PRIMARY ELECTION PLAN.
Gard from @. j. Faulkner.Jr

kind permission to use your columns
to reply to some of the objections ur-
ged by Mr.. r. S. Eichelberger, in
the Statesman of the 22d inst, to the
adoption of the primary election sys-
tenn by the Democratic party. With
out stopping to comment upon the
absurd position assumed by Mr.. E.,
that a secretary of a committee has
the discretionary power to exclude
written resolutions acted upon by
said committee-a matter that the
public can have no interest in what
ever. / shall briefly endeavor to an
swer the objections which he urges
to the system itself.
He thinks the system "cumbrous, !"
and that it would be impossible to
obtain fifty-six responsible gentle
mer out of 1900 Democratic voters,
to act as commissioner and clerks
of election, without pay or reward.
Such an aspersion upon the fealty
and devotion Of the members of that
party, requires no answer from me.
There has been no period within my
recollection, when surrounded by
the clouds of defeat, or when bask-
ing in the genial rays of victory, that
true, tried and impart ial members of
the party could not be found, ready
and willing, to make any sacrifices
thai would advance the interests of
the party, and produce harmony in
it's ranks.
He suggests, that the primary cleo
tion system would give decided adj
vantage to towns like Martinsburg
If this objection is valid, the CON-
mittee, in rejecting the plan, acted
wisely. One of the grounds of dissat-
isfaction in our party is, that Mar
tinsburg, by reason of its $50 demo-
cratic votes, exercises an improper
influence in the nomination of can
didates. Let us examine and see
whether the primary election plan
will rot meet this objection from the
country.
Under the convention system, fifty
men attending primary convention
in Martinsburg, controlled by one
sentiment, would be a majority of
said convention. That majority
would send delegates to the county
convention instructed to cast the $50
votes for a particular candidate.
How different under the primary
election system. Each member of
the party, within the limits of the
town, would have nine hours within
which to deposit his ballot for each
of the several candidates to be nom-
mated, and the minority, as well as
the majority candidate, would be
credited with the votes cast for him.
Again, Martinsburg would be enti-
tied to only the number of votes cast
in that particular election, and not
to the $50 cast within the limits of
the district in the general election
of 1876.
The elective system first divides
the vote of the town, and destroys
that preponderating influence which
its large vote has given it; and Sec
ondly, the number of votes actually
cast in any particular election is the
measure of its strength. The assign
ment of one or two delegates by the
district convention, to each of the
several wards, is a mere form, as
each delegate holding his authority
from the district convention, repre-.
sents not the ward, but the district !;
and if all but one fail to attend the
county convention, that one would
cast the entire vote of the district
under the convention plan.
Mr.. e.. urges as further objec-
tion to the elective system, that it
would result in the nomination of
candidates who had failed to receive
a majority of all the votes cast. The
fact asserted is true, but is it an OBJ
jection-and If valid objection, does
it not apply with equal force to our
mode of electing officers, from Gov
ernor down to Constable ? To illus
traie: if the Democratic, Republican
and Greenback parties should nomi-
nate candidates for State and county
offices this fall, would not the nomi-
nees of that party receiving the high
est number of votes, be declared
elected, although the combined votes
cast for the nominees of the other
two parties would be a majority of
all the votes polled Under the con-
vention system, the members of the
party express their sentiments In the
appointment of delegates as to but
one of the offices to be filled; the
others receive their nomination upon
the gire and take principle, at the
hands of few delegates assembled
in the county convention, and yet
1900 voters of the party are called
upon, through party fealty, to give
them a united support. ~ a
Mr.. Editors, consistency is a jew.
eln which Mr.. +. has endeav0red to.
pluck from me, in the ingenious ar
ticle which he has written. Heasks
"If the committee has the power to
eEf t