The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-11-21

uDOn WHICH GQ6 ubul6 III C6C1 OAG0
was to be prin ted, with a space Oppo
site to be filled by the voter with the
name of the person he desired nomt
mated for that Office. This measure,
though warmly supported by q public
spirited minority, was killed in the
house of it's origin. This year, how
ever, the Minneapolis delegation came
Oristling with direct primary bills.
There were three separate measures,
each proving a slightly different means
of arriving at the same end, but all ap
plying the Australian system. The
best or most practicable features Of
these measures were combined, pre-.
sented to the House in q substitute,
and sent to the Senate by an almost
unanimous vote. In the Senate the
bill which had been drawn to apply to
the three counties containing the cities
of the first class, St Paul, Minneapolis,
and Duluth, was amended 90 as to ap-
ply on!y to Hennepln county, and in
that shape it finally became a law.
That the measure did not pass in it's
original form was due to the silent but
determined opposition of politicians of
the class that saw in such a system a
menace to it's supremacy.
The principal features Of this law
are: First, the application of the Aus
traIian system; second, the nomina-
ton of candidates for primaries by
petition; third, common primaries at
which voters Of all parties assemble to
choose by q plurality vote their party
candidates for the final election fourth,
the holding of these primaries on the
first day Of registration, which is fixed
at seven weeks before election day, at
the regular election booths, with the
regular judges and clerks acting as
ju1ges and clerks Of the primary. All
the safeguards thrown about the regu-
lar election are thrown about the pri.
mary election, down to the last detail.
To become a candidate for nominR-
tion ell that is necessary is to file with
the county auditor a petition and an
aft and pay q ten-dollar fee to
cover expenses. The petition must
contain not less than five per cent. of
the Total vote cast at the last election
for the candidate Of the party with
which the applicant ehliates." These
provisions are intended to check indis
criminate candidacy. The last day
for filing notices OF Candidature is
eleven days before the primaries. On
the tenth day the county auditor is re,
CURED to post sample ballots, one for
each Of the several parties. On pri
mary election day the vote goes to the
booth, registers just as he docs now,
the Minnesota law requiring fresh
repatriation at every election. and is
ask ed il he desires to voter at the pri
mary. II he ans wers in the aft cmative,
he is given one OF each of the party
tickets fastened together, retires to the
booth, marks the one he desires, pre-
sumably that of his own party, folds
them all together and deposits them all
together in the ballot box II he votes
more than n ticket, that containing
the largest number of Offices voted for
is alone counted. If the same number
of names is marked on each, both are
thrown out, thus preventing the nom
ination OF weak candidates by voters
OF the opposite party Toe vote ia
then counted and canvassed by the
official canvRssing board prescribed by
the statute governing regular elections
Those parsons receiving the highest
number Of votes of their party become
the candidates of that party for the
Offices for which they stood, and their
names are put upon the final ballot.
It will be seen that this method of
procedure will do way with the con
vention entirely that it leaves any
coterie or organization powerless to
prevent any candidate from presenting
himself for nomination, and p0werless
to prevent his nomination If q M ,rity
OF his party desires it.; that i6 will
thereby tend to encourage the candid
Rcy Of capable men too independent TO
truckle to the machine; and that, by
making the primary intelligib' g end
protecting it from fraud, it Ill encour.
age the attendance of those who under
the prevailing system know that it is
ordinarily useless to attend. Such are
the more important results expected
Of what is known as the Wallace law.
By utilizing n of the regular registra
tion days the law tends further to en-
courage primary voting, since, under
the Minnesota law, as before stated,
one must register to vote at the Gnal