The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-30
THE TAXPAYERS MUST
PAY THE BILLS.
John E. Richards Says it De-
stroyS independence of
Political Parties.
CUMBERSOME AND DANGEROUS.
When an Election Is Held There
VIII Be an Army of Cam
didates.

lie primary ELECTION law tQdI was passed
by the last Legislature and which super
sedes the one under which political
parties have been operating in the past, is
one that before it goes into operation will
cause an unusual amount Of discussion
among those who are interested in politics.
THAT law" said John Z. Richards, a
prominent attorney OF this City, who has
had great deal Of experience in political
matters in this State, yesterday, destroys
the independence and efficiency OF party
organization; il is cumbersome, danger
Gus and expensive, and it does not remedy
the evils it is intended it should.
I'm the first place, it adds another gen.
eral election, for it provides that on the I'd
day of July, 1886, and every two years
thereafter, there shall be q general primary
election Tor the election of delegates to the
State and various local and district con-
ventlons.
THAT OF course means heavy expense
10 the taxpayers OF the State, for the ex-
penses OF such an election have to be
borne py the several counties-and as far
as / am able to Judge, the expenses will be
as great as on the occasion OF a general
election for officials. That is one serious
objection TO the law, and it forces the gen.
eral public 70 pay for that which III the
past was paid by each party organization.
When that was done the expenses were
not very heavy, for the parties did what
they could to keep them down. But under
this new law Democrats viii have TO pay
for expenses that were formerly met by
the Republicans, the Republicans will do
the same in regard TO Democ and IN
fact the taxpayers will be forced to pay,
and no doubt heavily, for that which here
tofore was paid great or small by the sew
ri ~ r.fa d1rn
before the people.
"The law provides that all political par
tiesIor organizations OF electors-you see il
Is no longer optional, but compulsory-de-
string 10 hold a convention or conventions
must present a petition to the Board OF
Election Commissioners OF the county or
city and county thirty days before the day
fixed for the primary election, and il must
set forth the name by which such organi-
Zation or party Is known or desires 70 be
known, and that IL intends 10 elect dele
gates TO hold convention for the purpose
Of nominating candidates 70 be voted for
al the next ensuing general election which
viii be held in November following. The
petition must also designate the time
when such convention or conventions are
70 be held.
The Law does not state when the con-
ventions are 10 be held, but as it is either
the delegates 70 the conventions or the
candidates viii be the sufferers. There"
said Mr.. Richards, counting on his fingers,
sis July, August, September and October
four months. If the conyent tons do not
meet until thirty DAYS before the general
election the delegates will be harassed to
death almost by candidates and their
friends, who will want them to pledge
themselves 10 do certain things in the con-
ventiOn. Ii the conventions meet imme-
diately after the declaration of the result
OF the primary election and make nomina-
hon ha a III for oil arNcfr hr1o
months will be torn to pieces by those who
Will want them TO make promises. 1t ls
terrible when man is a candidate for two
or three weeks before the people, but what
viii it be when he is before the people for
three months? / have always been OF the
opinion that it is best TO hold convention
as soon as possible after the delegates have
been chosen.
"Under this law, one man, as DR.. O'Don-
nell, for instance, will be permitted to
name set of candidates to be voted for.
The law does not say whether a conven-
ton shall consist of one or more delegates,
but if hereafter the doctor wants to place a
ticket in the field and secure place under
the Australian ballot system he will have
to file petition to elect delegates.
There is TO telling what doors to fraud
may be opened by this new law said Mr..
Richards, reading sections a and 5,
which direct how election officers shall be
chosen TO serve at the primary election.
"The Election Commissioners must select
in January preceding general election,
from the local assessment roll the names
of not less than thirty electors residing in
each election precinct of the county in as
nearly an equal proportion as possible
from the political parties then existing,
and then the names must be written on
slips of paper, then sealed and kept under
lock and key until twenty days before the
primary election.
oil ha 1;o1a cd
in paper of general circulation and writ
ten in a book open to public inspection.
Then twenty days before the election the
slips must be taken from the envelopes,
put in box and shaken and drawn-a sort
of lottery. The elector whose name is first
drawn is to be inspector and the second
and third shall be the judges, then the
next two shall be clerks of election. Then
it provides that if the names of those
drawn for judges or clerks shall both
belong to the same political party, the last
name for judge and the last for clerk shall
be laid aside and new ones drawn, and this
to be continued until all the names are
drawn from the box, and if there is no
choice then the Commissioners must select
and deposit more names in the box and
draw therefrom until the officers are
chosen.
Under this section if the Commissioners
are of the dominant party they can select
just such individuals as they know will
serve the interests of their party, and they
can manipulate the election to suit them
selves and perpetuate themselves in office.
Not only can they do this but they can
select the most ignorant and incompetent
men in the precinct to conduct the cleo
ton.
"The fact that five election officers must
be chosen from each voting precinct
brings up the subject of expense, which is
a very serious consideration. The expense
for these will be the same as at the general
election to follow in November, and if you
stop to consider you will realize what an
amount that will be; the taxpayers who
have to foot the bills will realize that
"Tben there is the cumbersomeness of the
election. There must be on the second
Tuesday OF July an election for delegates
to conventions of all parties or organiza-
tons that wish to nominate candidates.
Say for instance that we have the Republic
can party, the Democrat, the Prohibition
and the Populist.
"There are four parties. Each will NOM
mate delegates to the State convention,
railroad district convention, equalization
district convention, Congressional district
ta+a ca