The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-09-16

Again, why permit the chairman to APP
point the Judge and clerk? That is Civ
ing him grsat deal of power; why not
let the assembled voters do that?
The proposed law takes very good
care of foreign" voters from other par
ties and in that respect is quite satisfac-
tory, and though we have never been
troubled much with that kind of coloniz-
alton in this state, we would be glad to
see that part of the proposed law made
into a statute if no more.
The method of notice in section seven.
is faulty IN that it only gives the num-
Der of days notice, but does not give
some limit as to the time when the cau-
Gus shall be held, and as we said before,
does not provide for any other method
of making the call if the chairman for
any reason, forgetful, neglectfui or will
full, fails.
1t should further provide that the dele
gates elected by legal caucus must be
accepted by the convention to which they
are elected. The great failure of the pro.
posed law is that while an attempt is
made to legalize caucuses, conventions
which are the creations of caucuses, are
ignored. There is an attempt in the
existing (Australian) election law to de-
fine convention, but it seems to us
that this is the place to do it, in connec-
ton with the cancuses, and with refer
ence to their legal regulations. A coun.
ty convention to elect delegates to state
convention is only sort of county cau-
Gus, but there is nothing in the proposed
law to regulate orlegalize county or state
conventions. According to the propos.
ed statute, convention is body with
out any definite legal status, composed
of delegates elected by caucuses under
strict legal regulations, which looks rath-
er absurd.
Again, this proposed law takes no
notice of mass caucuses or conventions;
some limits as to residence, citizenship
and even partlzanship ought to apply in
such gatherings, and there seems to be
no way of even starting caucuses or con-
ventions for new party in any locality
or old parties in new localities.
These are but some casual observa.
tions; many more might be discovered
by study of the theory and in the prac-
tice of these legal regulations. AS we
said in the beginning when the law be.
gines to specify and itemize, it must be
careful to provide for all emergencies or
it may only aggravate the evil il seeks to
correct.
The law of primary elections" as in
force in the eastern states, is not touch
ed upon in this law, nor yet the evils of
convention or "boss" rule. 1t is only a
law providing for the calling of caucuses
governed by certain appointed officers
and that only voters Of the party shall
participate. The primary election as
practised in the east and authorized bv
law, is carried on as nearly as possible
as general election, with polling Of
ficers and places, but only participated
in by the voters of one party, each party
holding its own primary election on its
own day. At this election sometimes
candidates for Office are voted for direct,
and in other cases, delegates from the
precinct are elected to state or county
conventions. Under such laws there are
no caucuses whatever, while some of the
intermediate county conventions are also
omitted. In conclusion, we may add,
that perfection in this matter is hard to
obtain. We know that in some states
under the primary law, that some of the
people affected are dissatisfied, while we
also know that many in North Dakota
are dissatified with the caucus system.
The primary system entails necessarily
large amount of red tape, and all who
have had occasion to drum up attend
ance on caucuses know how difficult it
often is 10 get enough together to do
business even under the present compar-
ative free and easy customs,
If all men were honest we would need
no law. and while law makes it perhaps
more difficult to be dishonest, yet it also
makes it little more difficult for the
honest. Even if at state convention if
the secret ballot was enforced, combina-
tions and trades would still be made, ev-
en- as they are often made at general ell
ections. 1t would only add another
element Of uncertainty Tor dishonesty
as to whether the goods promised would
be delivered, and we believe enough in
politicians honesty, that generally. if