The record-union., 1894-06-23
TUE PROPOSED PRIMARY REFORM

THE PROPOSED PRIMARY REFORM.
A Los Angeles correspondent thinks
the RECORD UNIONS adverse criticism Of
the postal primary plan not justified.
Perhaps we have not understood it
clearly. From the fugitive articles upon
it IN the region of its birth, Los Angeles,
we had gained the idea that postal cards
were to be used. But synopsis of the
plan cerrects this idea, and points out
that the primary voting is to be done in
sealed letters.
The party voters are in these letters to
express their choice for delegates to nom
mating conventions. and their preference
for candidates to be nominated. There is
specification in detail as to notices, penal
ties, presentation and registration of can
didates. classification of electors by par
ties, etc.; also for challenging voters, ap-
payiGg party tests and preventing fraud
andEepesting.
The baai0ts are to be mailed by the
County Cierlz Or otheE designated official
who will consent to act, with a postpaid
return envelope addressed, ia which the
voter is to inclose, seal and mail his bal
lot. the size, character, color and other
details of which are specifically set forth.
Instructions how to prepare and mail
HIS baafot are sent to each elector. The
sealed ballets are to be kept in a locked
box, until the time for their counting ar
rives, when the canvass is to be made un-
der safeguards against fraud and msnip-
ulation. Provision is made also for call
selected, and for the nomination of can
didates by representatives of the ex-
pressed wish of the party voters.
All such primaries are, of course, TO be
without expense to city or county,
though officers of the law are to be asked
to use their positions to forward the
scheme. All nominations are to be made
from among the candidates listed and
published as such prior to the primary
meeting, and if majority of mail pref
erencep votes go to any candidate he
must be declared the nominee by the
convention.
It may work, but we are not as yet con-
vinced that it will. The two objections
to it most prominent, as we view the
matter, are: that 1t removes the response
bility that we should feel of personal at
tendance in the open at party primary
gatherings; that it reveals the choice of
the voter, and thus defeats to an extent
the secresy of the ballot, which is the chief
assurance of independence on the part of
the voter.
Granted that it will bring out larger
vote compared with the usual vote at
primaries; that it precludes, as far as may
be the stufing of the primary ballot-box,
yet we do not feel assured that it will Sc
cure the expression of the actual wish
and will of the voter, because he must
sign his ballot and reveal to some enc
how he has voted. The consciousness Of
this will operate powerfully upon voters
who realize that there are those who can
punish them for voting against certain
interests, dominant rings. eliQuss and
bosses.
Again.. how is it TO be ascertained that
all the party voters have been addressed
by the mail system, and by what means
is zone not heretofore recognized as party
voter but who chooses to unite with q
party to be reached? Probably through
the system Of party registration. While
conceding that this would be fuller than
attendance at caucuses and primary polls,
we can see that it is beset with difficulties
also.
Granted that the primary system as we
have ii is very much of q fares, since the
caucus that puts up the primary ticket is,
as rule, wholly farce, and rarely rep
resentative of the independent party vote
of the ward or precinct. But will the
postal plan better that condition2 Is it
the specific for the ills of the present sys-
temf
We should be glad to be convinced
that is, but we cannot find In the out
line of the plan furnished Us reason TO
Justify such belief. It is, we understand,
to be tried in Los Angeles, a citizens
committee of one hundred havingl ap-
proved 1t. The trial viii be the best evil
denos of its worth or weakness. Ger
tainly there is crying need for reforma-
tion Of the present system. under which