The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-25
PRIMARY ELECTIONS.

Gradually, with tentative steps, leg
islation is approaching the point in our
system of disagreement where the
theory of self-rule breaks down in
practice, and a. government by the peo-
pie becomes a government by an ire
sponsible and rarely capable few. The
time when the managing, manipulating
few. having secured control of the ma
chinery for making nominations,
fought with their fellows in opposing
parties for the votes needed to give
control Of the whole, passed when the
Australian ballot was adopted The
citizen received the opportunity to
make his choice, usually one of evils.
between opposing sets of candidates.
in whose nomination he had no poten-
tial voice. In the cities this is always
true, and even in the country districts
the same is practically true The sys-
tenn of caucuses and conventions gives
opportunity for management and con-
troll by the few who either have apti-
tude for partisan management or find
their profit in it, Or both; opportunities
they fully utilize.
1t is the fashion to rail at voters
who neglect the primaries and to
charge them with the responsibility for
whatever of bad government ensues.
Why do they not go? Because ex-
perience has taught them that it is a
useless effort, unless where public Opin-
ion is undergoing one of it's occasional
spasms of Indignation and revolt. If
the ordinary citizen go to the primary
OF his party he is confronted with a
ticket, rarely more than one. contain
ing the names of candidates for dele
gates, that have been prepared bv the
managing few of the city. They have
met chosen their delegates from the
various precincts or wards, appointad
the persons to receive the ballots. and
the caucus has only to ratifv their
selection. If there be an opposition,
1t VIII be swamped by additional bal
lots from the pockets of the Judges. -
The citizen, after one or two such ex-
periences, abjures this portion Of his
civic duties in disgust. The practical
question in our partisan work is who
can get control of the machine; thew
will run the primaries, and then all
things are theirs.
Clearly the next reforming step leads
from the Australian ballot booth to the
same control of the primaries. for the
same end, with the same methods.
Ihere Is no insuperable difficulty in the
way. There is NO reason why the
same judges and clerks who oficiate
when the final ballots are cast should
not meet prior to election day and re-
celVe the various ballots, made I'D nv
the voters Of the several parties, ex-
pressing their choice for candidates If
their respective parties, the results to
be tabulated, certified and returned n
the auditors as final returns now are
candidates might be required to pre-
sent petitions signed by numbers OF
voters proportionate 10 the office or dis
tr1ct, in order to antitle them to have
their names printed upon their Marty
primary election ballot. The one re-.
ceiving a plurality for any Office would
be placed on the final ballot. as the
party candidate for that office. The
same registration lists would be used
to decide the right to vote as now
The voter would ask for and receive
the ballot containing the list of his
party's candidates He would have had
his prior opportunity to be heard in
making that list. Adopting for the
primary our election method would nre.
vent that familiar trick of our man.
ayers, where opposed, packing can
cuses with mercenaries drawn from
other parties
The legal machinery of elections mus
move another step nearer the voter
and interpose Its guard between hi:
rights and the boss with his irrespon.
sible machine, if we are to preserve
anything approaching actual seIf-goy
eminent. The boss exists because the
primary gives him opportunity, ant
there is n, such thing as government
~ the people where the boss rules
This is the next great reform to bt
fought for. and fought fer it n1u4t be