The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-07

i I, Theoretically the law IL all right.
in , ,ra.s,.s 20 De seen how II viii work
49, ~ asacuct- IL appears to be somewhat
.,tuiinpersome in certain particulars but
fra,,, question can only be determined
a at1fn observation y.s Of its workings. The
once u Is In use Il can be amended from
liine to time as Its weaknesses are dis
SSosered, Just as the Australian system n
Ling continually remodeled.
The scheme meets my apnrovai h.
sause unuer II the evils attendant upou
cue nominating convention, as Il is now
ends. will be avoided and the nomir,at gmn
MI, NIL pe made BY the people themselves.
,Inere VIII still be room for some com
nm, n,nations, but not to such an extent as
am always In favor OF any move that
cohtempiates the selection OF public Of
an AMI = ~ the people and for that reason
py direct vote. To certain extent the
eyils 81 the system or having the choice
o. senator's In the hands of the legislature
system Of nominating candidates for or
nee by conventions The solution for
e ts evii Is the same. place the power in
ssY,a amus OF tns people, where It belongs.
esntion, usually have no regard for the
WISHES OF their constituents The average
oe e,esa,e makes the fight to get into the
..uunVenlon with Just one object in view
me hope OF being able to put himself If,
position to secure some Of the pntron.
aEe available In the event of Victory
MS patronage Is the price OF his vote.
~ long as men go into conventions with
TINS object In view there will be no fair
reprs,sentation of the wishes Of the
II believe that the direct primary il a
good law and were ] member Of the
legislature 4 should certainly vote FOR n
the me on,y opposition TO Il viii be that OF
, me politicians who make a living out OF
politics and will naturally struggle TO
nave .,, their ,, means q livelihood, The
measure VIII De fougS by these men and
but | fail TO see why anyone else should
be opposed to It,"
J. w. elise: 1.-THE direct primary an.
pears TO me to round out the work OF
same safeguards around the primary as
the Australian system provides for the
general election, u provides for the
tests for the nominations as is now the
Jeaiously guarded right of the voters
On election day, The two. systems. when
ultimately reach, viii place politics upon
a much higher plane than at present.
The primary election law Is reform
1hss should aSs BE put through win
the people, instead of leaving them 10 the
mercies Of the ward politicians as at
II have carefully read the entire Mime
sofa law. and the suppression II has made
upon me rs most favorable. It's test in
that state has been confined 70 the city
biltty Of extendinE II to the country pre-
cfncts In general. The need for Il IL In
the city. where practically all OF the
country everybody knows everybody else.
the primaries are clean and the dele
gates elected usually represent the senti-
ments OF the community. In a large
county like King. Il u.s. OF course, advisa-
BILE to extend the law to the entire coun-
y. But In county like Island. where
little necessity for Il ~ This asr questions stie1s
however. II one for the legislature to In
vestiaate and decide.
The tendency to create deeper in
terest In politics and a greater respect
for the nominees should be one OF the
mos valuable features of the direct pri-
mary As primaries are az present held,
~ per cent. OF the members OF the party.
The. average member OF the party takes
no, interest In the primaries. unless he
has been interested In the contest through
friendship. He feels that his vote will
not affect the result and stays away.
The result IL that he feels a correspond
ing lack OF interest on election day. The
direct primary should bring out large
percentage OF the rank and file Of the
party and cause corresponding increase
in the interest OF election day. The in
ierest in politics will probably become
more general than at present
DR. a. " Calhoun: II hope TO see the
adoption OF the direct primary 10y this
state. because under present methods II
ia q very rare occurrence for a political
party TO honor man because OF his
are the product OF a shrewd system Of
swapping votes. Anything that VIII tend
to do away with this system Will tend
the urinary election law n strip In the
right direction.
Probably the greatest result 10 come
Ing nominations By The people direct
would be the securing of better class 81
men for the public Offices. There are
nfficeS they are emlncntly qualified to
fili because they refuse 90 participate In
the scramble OF politics and viii take no
securing anything from convention II
tn a very common experiences 60 go 70
a man. who appears % De admirably
qualified for some public position, and
his name to be used because he viii
have nothing to do with the political con-
ventions as they are now conducted
Suppose | induce my choice 20 allow
me to propose his name and ! get UP In
the convention and nominate him for an
office. say the legislature Tbs nominal
ton ~ no more than suggested when
ia, ward heeieFs come 60 me and say,
How many votes viii YOU give our man
AZ We will support youfST THUS nominal
lions are made The question of merit
srlfatn enters into the matter
The knowledge OF these conditions pre-
cents many men from allowing their
ayssa to 20 before conventions.
such men when they DO enter the con-
test, seldom receive nomination because
they refuse 20 take part tn the trAutng,
without watch there Is little hope o. sue
cess.
ss.rhe direct primary appears TO me 70
10 4 great IMPROVEMENT over the presN nj
svsfetn' / do not believe that the Mime
sofa law IL perfect and i would praoa-
hlx require some alterations, buS X Is
thesn Alterations can be determined A
.,tat xsill show where the law Il weak.
ma II can then be corrected 70 meet the
ysSttlrementS OF this state The AUS
MAN ballot was ia very imperfect form
Sx,en adopted, but Il worked fevoiz-
No. An our elections. and zach year Is
hsi..,r ahxnnced nearer and nearer 90 per-