The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-23
STAND FOR THE PRECINCT
PLAN

The meeting of the Democratic county
central committee this afternoon prom
ises to be largely attended by the MEM
bers, and 1t is to be hoped in the inter-
ests of the party in this county that the
promise will be realized. If the attend
ance is as full as 1t should be. the at
tempt that is to be made to substitute
in the city the Republican plan of ward
primaries for the Democratic plan of
precinct primaries will suffer the over
whelming defeat It deserves.
The proposition suggested by some of
the advocates of ward primaries to COM
promise the matter by electing precinct
delegates through primaries held by
wards. the friends of precinct primaries
should not waste time in considering.
The latter have no need to compromise;
II they are strong enough to defeat the
ward idea in part they are strong enough
to defeat it in its entirety They should
stand unyieldingly for the precinct plan
complete--for the election Of precinct
delegates at precinct primaries. The
latter is most assuredly point not to
be conceded. 1t is even more important
than the selection Of delegates by pre-
cincts, although both propositions in all
consistency and sense should so hand in
hand. 1t is the ward election that is
to be avoided; for 1t Is the ward cleo
ton that fails to bring out the rank and
file Of the party and permits, in the ma
ture Of the situation presented. the re-
peater, the migratory voter. the ring
ers in" and the "rung in in short de
push" and de gang" of all parties and
no party to get IN their scoundrelly
work. It is notorious that the senti-
ment of the bulk-of nine-tenths of the
members of the Los Angeles county
Democracy who have axes to grind
that depend for the grinding on the
adoption of ward primaries for this
city. are against that method of electing
delegates to the next county conven-
ton. 1t is the duty Of the committee to
reflect the will of its constituency and
it can only do that by declaring for the
selection Of precinct delegates through
the medium of precinct primaries.
The reasons for precinct primaries are
simple, but unanswerable. The Herald
has given them literally Of late. 1t Will
do no harm to repeat them IN part as
set forth In a recent issue.
The precinct plan Is essentially the
most Democratic. II is closest to the
people. In the degree that representa-
ton is localized the will Of the masses
finds opportunity for expression. The
DELEGATES that are elected by precincts
in Los Angeles will more nearly reflect
the sentiment of the entire Democracy
Of the city than the delegates that are
elected by wards. The doctrines and
traditions of the Democratic party are
in favor Of the smallest political sub
divisions consistent with considerations
Of convenience. The precinct primary
appeals to the interest Of the individual
Democrat as the ward primary cannot
because tho former is less remote than
the latter. He can vote more intelli-
gently, with more expediency and less
inconvenience at the precinct than at
the ward. 1t Is not only possible but al
together probable that the average
Democratic voter will know every man
who is voted for as delegate from his
precinct, but while it is not impossible
it is altogether improbable that the
same Democratic voter will know more
than a small minority Of the candidates
voted for when the election is by wards.
The precinct plan has always been pop
ular with the masses, the ward plan has
been the resort of the BOSSES"
TIT rONEEpEES CONCI lICION