The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-06-13
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

The popular vote plan for making nom-
nations In LOrain county should be
adopted, and the quicker the better.
There Is no sense nor prOpriety in longer
following our present system Of making
nominations The lack Of uniformity In
the conduct Of our caucusses now being
directed without the aid Of law makes
the excuse for a change obvious. At
present every caucus is law unto itself,
and the rules adopted for this most i'm
portant work are often unjust and ludi-
crOus. At one Of the caucuses week
ago two sets Of delegates were voted for.
The ticket receiving most votes was head
ed by the names Of a candidate for sher-
III and commissioner, candidates for
treasurer, recorder, infirmary director
and coroner not being mentioned. The
other ticket gave the names Of the dele
gates without mentioning candidates.
The first ticket received the most votes
and one Of its supporters moved that as
the latter ticket did not express its
choice for candidates it be thrown out
and the motion prevailed. By this action
the thirtysix men who voted the latter
ticket were disfranchised and manifest
piece Of injustice was perpetrated.
1t is such performances as this that
disgust electors and keep from the polls
many Of the best men whose presence is
needed to secure good government. Our
present method is loose, and through its
workings the people are often misrepre-
sented by their delegates who fail to fol-
low their instructions, or, il not in
structed, vote in the convention contrary
to the wishes of their constituents. The
caucus plan makes room for dishonesty
and corruption. Candidates who after the
caucuses and before the convention are
able to figure clear majority Of the del
egates composing the convention are
often cheated out Of the nomination. Our
system admits Of bribery, manipulation
and other reprehensible practices which
should be provided against and by the
popular vote plan is precluded. Another
advantage of the primary election is in
the fact that the polls are kept open for
several hours during the day, allowing
abundant opportunity for the feeble and
infrm to make their selection Of candi-
dates, electors who would not join the
rush OF an evening caucus. From the
standpoint Of fairness and justice the
arguments are nearly all on one side,
especially since our Australian ballot
system was adopted. That it gives n
fuller, freer, fairer expression of the pop
ular wish cannot be cOntradicted.
The machine politicians are circum-
scribed in their operations when illegal
voting Is reduced to minimum, and
county conventions cease to be field for
political trickery; and a plan which
works we'll in CUyahCga county will
work well IN Lorain county. The Leader,
Of June Sd, has the following, which
speaks for itself:
There can no longer be any doubt
about the sentiment Of the republican
party Of CuyahOga county regarding the
popular vote plan Of making nOmina-
lions. The adoption Of Colonel Smith
nights resolution at the county cOnven-
lion yesterday, declaring in favor Of the
of that plan, settles the mat
er beyond dispute. Not single vote
was cast against the resolution.
''The Leader believes that this action |
will meet the approval Of a majority Of |
.he voters in the party. Frequent at |
em9ts to secure return 10 the cOnven-
Ion plan have been made within the last |
wo or three years, but they have, in the |
main, been prompted by personal inter
st and have amounted To nothing. The |
'Oters are coming to realize that nOmina- |
ions cannot represent the party when |
hey are made by delegates with whose |
election the mass Of the voters have had |
lothing TO do.
''The old convention plan was failure.
The popular vote plan has come TO stay,
md the Leader is glad of it."-Elyria
The Enterprise joins the Republican
nd Leader and asks for the change. The
proceedings at caucus are just as essen
ial as are those at the election, and
hOuld be conducted in a legal form in
rder to protect the interests OF the pcO-
lie. Let the Old-time plan pass out of
xistence with the present year and let
s commence on the new plan for 1895.
THE NEW JURY LAW