The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-10-19
REASONS AGAINST
A PRIMARY.
Gov. Stephens Takes Strong
Grounds for Opposition.


Thought of the proposition, no" be-
inc 50 extensively discussed through
out the state. to nominate state
candidates in 1900 at a general pri-
mary. He opposes the plan and
yves out the following authorized
statement embOdying his reasons
therefor
..InaSmuch - am Il candidate for
nOthing and DO not propose 10 at
tempt to dictate the party's future
policies or its nominees. | can express
myself. / hope at this time upon the
subject OF the mode OF selecting our
next state candidates. Just now
receiving SO much consideration,
without inviting the charge OF self
interest or improper motives.
Nv love for my party and my in
terest in its success alone prompt me
TO oppose the primary plan OF select
ing state candidates.
doubt its legality The Missouri
statutes recognize only the conven-
ton plan OF selecting state candi-
dates The last legislature enacted
laws directing separate conventions
for the purpose of nominating candi-
dates for Judges and state officers.
Must we have separate primaries?
There is no law III the Missouri
statutes regulating IL primary. where
363, 900 democratic voters would he
expected to participate. Without
special laws governing n primary,
the doors would be thrown open to
countless frauds. and impOsitiOns OF
all kinds would be practiced upon
the party by INSCRIPTIONS political
schemers. Irregularities and crook
edness would he discovered i'll many
of the counties in the state as well as
in the cities, and it matteLs not how
great might be the majority of any
OF the candidates, many of the voters
would more than likely be dissatis-
fed with some OF them. and damage
would ensue to the party.
What might be beneficial to party
interests in Monroe and Galloway
counties might not be beneficial in
Cooper and Cole counties. 1t is best,
in my Judgment, to leave the mode
'of expressing Il countys choice to
the local committees. Local self
government is demOcra tie. and all
good democrats believe in home rule.
The county committees can now
have primaries in their various coun-
ties, and allow the democrats to vote
direct for the candidates from gov
ernor down ii they see fit-the candi-
dates receiving the highest number
OF votes to be considered the choice
of the county, and oreceiye the vote
of it's delegates in the state conven-
ton. Audrain county, for many
wears has practiced this method OF
selecting delegates to the state CON
ventions. The time required IN
ranvassing he county and the extra
ordinary heavy expense to the candi-
dates are serious objections to it.
The expense to the candidate would
be SO great that only men OF wealth
could afford TO ask for nominations
on the state ticket Men ofmoderate
means would be barred from office
holding in Missouri after the primary
plan was adopted, as the fight be
tween the rich and the poor candi-
dates would be an unequal one
- \ poor man, unable to meet
assessments. made upon him by the
various committees of the state. and
could not even get his name on the
tickets He might be the choice of
the party but under the primary
method he would not be iii it. =
Under the theory that we
Rad better let well enough alone, We
should not. under the existing fortu-
nate condition OF affairs in the state
experiment, or tamper with sacred
things. do not know of any demo
cratic state which has attempted to
name its candidate for state office 10y
the general primary plan, Let u few
republican states try it first
Ii adopted. fear that he political
40 Il
able to dictate to our nominees more
easily than il could be done III Il con
vention, whore everything is done in
the open The cities would poll more
shan the full democratic vote Rains
throughout the state would reduce,
materially thecomtrv vote. Twenty
I've thousand republicans could lie
-ANrrNWel, by he nrnfessional nnliti-