St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-25
PRIMARY kI4MUrION LAW.

PRIMARY ELECTION LAW.
At two sessions Of our state legis-
lature etforts to pass laws regulating
primary election have failed. This was
due, not to the fact that the law was
thought unnecessary. or that its utility
was not admitted. but because OF the
persistent opposition of the mere poll
ticianS In the Legislature, who saw in
tho proposed law the destruction OF
their opportunities. In the session of
1891 an excellent law was defeated,
these gentry, of both political parties,
promptly and ferociouSly jumping upon
it. They were aided 10y the inditfer-
ence of the members from the country,
where The contests at the primary are
never, or seldom, the points OF vantage
to the office seekers they are in the more
densely populated centers. Recent
events in some of the congressional con-
tests, however, have tended TO impress
upon the minds of people in the couE.
try the necessity of such a law, and the
probabilities are that the coming session
of the legislature Will see another bil!
introduced, and we hope to see it pass.
The most striking testimony OF the
efficacy and benefit of the pri-
mary election law is that given
in the contest in the Ashland
district of Kentucky. In no congress
sional district in the nation has there
been so strong al excitement as in the
contest between MIR. Breckenridge and
his opponents, The character Of the
men, the circumstances attending the
efforts of Mr.. Breckinridge to obtain a
denomination, the deep interest taken
in the contest all over the nation, the
enlistment in the struggle o: the womcn
of the district, the high key on which
feeling was pitched. the bitter aiilmoslty
INDUCED in during the campaign-all
wrought the feelings of the Democrats
of that district to the highest tension.
Prior to the holding of the primary
election a~pprehensions were felt that
bloodshed must necessarily result from
the excited feeling and a%niu0sities
engendered. Under such conditions as
these, even if the excitement did not
reach the point of Notwithstanding, one
might reasonably expect that every
artilice known 10 politicians would be
used sat the primaries to secure votes
favorable to the different contestants.
Much to the surprise and pleased dis
appointment of everybody, the primary
elections of the entire district passed
off quietly and orderly. 1t is true that
Mr.. Breckenridge at first claimed that
there had been fraud used in some of
the precincts. but subsequent investi-
gatio MS d%isproved his assertion, and the
election was conceded to have been
honestly conducted.
The primary elections in that district
were held under a law passed by the
last session of the Kentucky Legislature.
and known as the Carroll primary cleo
ton law. The Courier-Journal, com
menting upon the working of the law,
Says: at needed no viudicatiOn as to
its efficiency in securing an orderly,
honest primary election. Without the
Carroll law it would have scarcely been
possible in the Ashland district, closing
a campaign of such unusual personal
bitterness. for a primary to De held
without a great mount of disorder and
corruption, and possibly many serious
personal encounters" In that state, as
in own, the primaries are the ma
chinery of the parties, and under the
control of the committees of the parties.
The politicians gave grudging submiS-
sion to the law there and brought one
or two actions to overthrow it. They
only resulted in the unfolding of the
law. The Kentucky act was based ON
the theory that the primary elections Of
political parties, are matters that affect
all OF the people, and not only the cam
didates or the party itself. The test of
the law in the primary elections in that
district was so thorough and its benefits
So clearly proven that we commend the
act to the attention of the committee of
the next legislature having these mat
tiers in charge as a model on which
they can build an act which will remove
the primary elections Of u state from
control of the ward heelerS.