The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-01
is OF PRIME IMPORTANCE
To Legalize Them Now Along With
the Passage Of Amendment.
HOW PRIMARIES WORK IN MEcKLENBuRG
There is Danger to the Party in North Carolina
If the Senatorial Contest is Not Sub
mitted TO Primary.

To the Editor: The question of prl-
maries is so important at the present
that it's discussion is more than Tune
lv. So that no apology is needed 1or
the presentation of subject that is
in the public mind.
Many of us forget that this IS not
pure democracy in which every man
has a direct voice in the government;
and of necessity cannot be because the
territory is too extended and the pop
pIation too numerous. But the
founders of our government made it
as near a democracy as they could
without making the machinery OF
government cumbersome and unwild-
w; and so they provided that the cit
zens should choose certain men of WIS
dom and virtue. and who held the
views of those who voted for them;
and that these men should represent
the citizens in the actual work OF
government Therefore we have in
every State in the Union a representa-
tive government, and the NATIONAL
Government is itself of the same char
acter.
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENTS.
These representatives whom we
elect to the various executive and adj
ministrative Offices, and to the State
Legislatures and the National Con-
gress perform the actual work OF
government. The only act of govern
lnent really performed by the voter IS
when lie casts his vote and takes part
in the selection of his representatives.
But. besides being a representative
government in form and theory; this
government is in Fact government
by political parties. The population IS
SO numerous. the eXpanse of country
so broad. and the power of organlza-
ton so well recognized, that men of
the same ideas. holding somewhat the
same opinions on public policies have
deemed it necessary to band them
selves together in political parties,
which set forth definite creeds and
use the entire power of the vast Or
ganization to elect all the candidates
who may be nominated by the parts
of the great machine.
GOVERNMENT BY PARTIES.
Though any citizen may be a candi-
date for any office to which he may
aspire and there is no legal bar 10
his election, as matter of fact it is
so seldom that a man who is not the
nominee of one of the great political
parties is elected to office, that the
exceptions only prove the rule. When
one comes to vote he has the choice
of voting for the regularly nominated
candidate of the two leading political
parties. or he may vote for some one
else and virtually throw his vote away.
1t will thus be seen that unless a
man takes part in the nomination of
the candidates for whom he has 10
vote. he has only the choice between
two candidates which have been nam
ed by other men. In order to take full
part in the selection of his represen-
tatives the citizen must take part in
their nomination as well as their elec
ton.
SELECTION OF CANDIDATES.
One of the principal evils of politi-
cal machines where they secure full
ascendancy is that they name the
candidates without allowing the peo-
pie voice in the selection: and that
the choice of the machine is more like
~ to be the political heelers and men
of spoil, than the men who have the
best interests of the people at heart.
1t is the history of all machines, of
whatever party or wherever located,
that they become corrupt and oppres-
sive, and in time revolution is re-
qrlired to overthrow them. 1t has
been so in every State where such a
machine has been created; it would
he so in North Carolina if such a ma
chine We're created here
>-r1
Where the people are allowed to
choose their own candidates. the ma
chine is important. and can work lit
tie harm: because when the machine
becomes corrupt the people can nom
mate other candidates and shear il of
its power
The voice of the people in the NOM
nation of candidates is therefore of
only less Importance. than the right
of election. And it should be so ac
counted.
The Democratic party has always
been the party Of the people. and has
always held that the citizen should
he allowed the largest possible meas
ure OF participation in government.
The party should therefore allow the
people to choose the candidates for
whom they are expected to vote
REST METHOD OF NOMINATING.
Therefore it will be acknowledged