Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-08-17

Cou&EfS8cG "a kstkA*EztA &esOC1ateS 70
secure united l0n Ap5h matters Of
rarty capcerh friei aly arbitration
q whieh &c nsinofity 6nsents to be
bOuad By Id award b the msjOriE
ty.
In former times members Of one po-
litical organization met together in
clique or caucus and agreed upon the
candidates to compose the party tick
ct. In The course Of years these eau
eRsss lin size. but at-au times
those who took part in them consid-
cred themselves as bound in honor by
their decisions and -hewasjustly'des-
pissed as a renegade and an unscrupu-
lous self-seeking trickster who failed
to abide by the decisions Of his party
caucus. Then the little caucus grew
into district meeting. at which, the
voice Of the party was taken riSa Voec,
and subsequently, voting was done in
hats. As these methods in turn were
abCssd and -ths necessity was recog-
nized Of making party expressions fair
and honest, II they were to be binding
upon members, something better than
the boisterous district meeting and
the unreliable collection Of tickets in
hats had to be devised, and hence, af-
ter the war, when the Democratic
party came into power in this State
the primary election system was adop-
ted in as close imitation Of legal
election as could be provided. The
idea aud object was to enable the
great majority Of the party to indi-
cate its preferences. to get the clear
est expressions Of the popular will,
and to make the party candidates the
representatives of the controlling SEN
timent Ofthe organization. Up to that
time the old caucus abuses prevailed.
and it was not until 1870 that the
primary election came into vogue
Then it was that the ballot-box took
the place Of the hat, judges and clerks
supervised the voting in the place of
the tellers. the registry list was sub
stituted for the promiscuous crowd,
and an opportunity was afforded ev-
cry man in the party to peacefully
and quietly express his preference.
OF course, even such a system was
capable Of abuse. and like preceding
systems was abused. It's first weak
ness was in disappointment of judges
and clerks to conduct the primary
These were chosen in district meet
ing, but the best elements Of the par
ty hardly ever attended such meet
ings on such occasions and hence men
were chosen election officers in whom
the mass did not have confidence.
And dishonest men manipulated
the registry list for primary pur-
poses. and judges and clerks were ap-
pointed at times who were unfit FOR
such trusts. Recognising this fact,
and recognizing also the further and
unquestionable fact, that every hon
orable man who takes part in a pri-
mary is in honor bound to abide the
result Of it, unless that result was OBJ
viOusly obtained by gross abuses Of
power and plainly dishonest devices,
the Democratic party has hedged is
primary elections with regulations to
secure if possible the fairsst result
and to deserve for them the conf
dence Of the people.
With this object in view it there
fore adopted last winter anew regis
try law. and registration has been
provided that 10 beyond question,
even by the most expert fault-fnder.
And, further. it enacted q primary
election law legalizing this method OF
selecting candidates. the provisions Of
which it appears the Democratic par
ty is the only organization sincere
enough to adopt. With such improve
ments it is hoped and believed that
the primaries this fall viii not only
be above Fsproach. but will commend
the party anew TO the confidence and
respect of all classes Of the communi-
ty.