The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-10-27
PRIMARY ELECTIONS.
The Hon. W. W. Stevens has Views on
the Subject.

of the Salem Democrat, II IN
eryiewei by the indianapolis ~en-
tinel. Mr.. Stevens j. being uTg,C
for the congressional nomination ~
the Third district. Tie l. devOtiEg
considerable thought at present L
The subject % primaries, and upon
he subject OF state primaries said:
For a good many years prImar,
elections have been he'd IN many
counties through the state 70 select
candidates for the various offices
ani it haS proven 10 be 20 success
ful where il has Deen tried that wt
would like TO zee the same plar
carried out in the selection OF Judi
cial and congressional candidates II
the several districts. and embrace
can liiates fnr i tite off rs a. well.
The primary l. practically the same
thing a. the town meeting system
Jefierson advocated and conmeni-
I'd - highly. We have carefully
watched it workings IN the past,
md believe it to be the faire-t and
best mode OF selecting candidate
that ha. ever been devised II give,
any man, rich or poor, high or low
~ equa' opportunity in the selec-
tion VI bis choice. And, moi only
that. il opens the Nay for able anc
deserving men 70 aspire 10 politica
hOnOrs. A. state conventions ar
now neld the average voter hear
and knows very little about pros
pee i've candidates until they arr
-amed by the delegate conventions
but il we have Z state primary al
will undertake to find ont the his
tory and inquire into the sterling
worth Of every man who l. a 'andl
date-whai he stands for. what h;
represents, and his views upon al
public questions. 1t will lend new
dignity to cIiiz -nshIp, by making
every voter feel that he j. factor
not only in election of public officers
but in selecting them as well. Witt
a state primary it will be impossible
for combinations OF powerful none,
ed interes to control nominations,
or force bad or weak candidates on
an unwilling people, and this fur
ther advantage accrues-tne candl-
late will bee placed above suspicion
of any sort OF fraud or trickery,
which will give dignity to Office and
make Office holders truly the ser
wants Of the people. to whom they
will be indebted Tor their positions.
One danger that threatens or RI
public today i the indiif -rrnce Of
the best people IN matters political
The stay-at- at-hOme vote excuses ltseli
fO- not participating IN party con
ventlons by asserting that good and
true men stand no snow Tor Office IN
the scramble with the willy poliii-
cian. and that all candidates are
nominated by scheming. combina-
tions and trIckery, and 20 they stay
cut. When they know that they
will have equal chance with any
and al otherS through the primary
system they will be- equally a en-
tnuSia-iic In contributing their vJts
toward the maintenance OF good
government. The plaE might be
objected to on the ground that tne
expense Of state primary election
would fall upon the candidates and
thereby defeat the very object tina,
ought 10 be attained, because many
able and worthy men could not
afford the expense. But we DO not
think this objection could he well
taken. for i would undoubtedly
cost the candidate less than does
the present system OF delega c con-
veniions. The state primary could
be held at the same time that coun-
ty primaries are held, without a ldi-
tiOnal COS; TO the county or district
candidates. in tact, whatt yer state
might contribute would
relieve county candidates OF that
much expense. 80 i. wouldn't in
crease the burden Of the candidate
for state Office, but would make it
easier on county candid tts