The record-union., 1899-04-07
THE PRIMARY LAW TRIED.

The new primary election law had its
first trial at Stockton on Tuesday in
the preface of city election From all
accounts at hand it appears to have
worked well. It really amounted to
regular election, having all the ma
chinery and detail of such an election.
Under this law all party primaries are
held at one and the same time, and the
election is conducted by board of off,
cials chosen, not by party bosses and
the machine but under the law as in
cases of regular elections, the members
of all parties voting at the same polling
places and in the same booths.
The only serious objection raised at
Stockton excepting the claim that
there is. too much machinery about 1t,
which is a good thing for honest voters
is that there is no possibility of pre-
venting a Democrat from voting upon
Republican ballot, nor of estopping a
Republican from casting his ballot for
a list of Democratic delegates, or to
prevent a Populist from voting for the
candidates of any party he chooses
other than his own.
Why should there be any such restric-
ton? Who shall say that the man who
voted the Democratic ticket last year
q Republican this year? AT the very
worst, matters could not be so bad as
under the old system, when Democrats
We're employed in any number to stock
and run Republican caucuses and pri-
maries. and Republicans were engaged
to run the polls on Democratic primary
days
The reports of the Stockton expert
ment say that the new system brought
out "a large vote; that scores of men
went TO the polls and expressed them
selves by their ballots who had never
voted at previous primary election
Why? Because they well knew that
formerly things were cut and dried
own way. and that the vote of the ordi-
nary citizen counted no more than so
much waste paper. Under the new sys-
tenn, without having to submit to
tests as TO party fealty; with the Sc
erecy OF the ballot assured, and the
guarantees given that the will of the ma
jority of party men will be heard and
respected in the party; that stufing the
ballot box Is practically impossible. and
that fraudulent counting is simply out
q
that direction is certain Of exposure
by canvass of the ballots, those will
now take part in primary elections who
have heretofore refused to do so, and
who have been blamed roundly for fail
ure to do political duty.
The Stockton Independent" says of
the first test of the new primary law:
The primary held under the new pri-
mary law Monday resulted in the cast
ing of about 1,230 Republican ballots
IN this city What proportion of such
ballots We're voted by those who have
heretofore been known as Democrat
It is impossible to ascertain. 1t is not
believed, however. that enough Demo
Gratis voted for Republican delegates
TO AFFECT the result to any appreciable
extent
A secret primary conducted under le-
gal auspices. with penalties attached
Tor fraud and the various ballot out
RACES is novelty in politics. And
when We consider that this is the first
trial Of the new law, and that over
LOO Republicans expressed their un-
trammeled choice, and that 104 dele
gates We're chosen who, by their fitness
and prominence, fairly represent the
principles intentions and zeal of tbs
party, it cannot be said that this new
law has proven very unsatisfactory
Fewer mistakes were made than antici-
pated. and there was a notable absence
of confusion and excitement.
The Stockton Record" says ON this
subject:
The new Stratton law was given Its
initial test at the primaries yesterday
and the general result was satisfac-
tory. notwithstanding that the law
was new and untried. the carrying out
Of Its provisions gave rise to very lit
tie confusion, and that the law Is prac-
tica1 was abundantly justified by yes
tetday's experience.
In summarizing the advantages o1
the new primary system, the most I'm.
portaut feature Is the fact that it in