The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-10-04
A FARCE AND
A FRAUD.
Sul I'll CAROLINA PAPERS
CONDEMN THE PRLMA-
kY.SYSTEM.
ILLEGAL VOTERS VOTED LIKE sHstP.

tampaisn Of Education a HuubuK in the
Palmetto .tate--rhe Primary q Mi,era-
ule. Filthy Scramble by Designing Pol
,tlcian,.
charlotte Observer.
il IL no wonder that good many
ur tho decent people OF South Caro-
INA are suffering with nausea on
account OF the primary elect lon
5, stem In effect In that State. Mr..
August kohn, the Colum bia CORES
pOndent Of the Charleston News &
Courier, who toured about half the
State with the candidates In the re.
cent campaign, writes thus to his
paper;
There can be no question about
the disgust and dissatisfaction with
the primary system as at present
in effect in this State. There will
have to be radical changes in the
system or 1t will go to pieces. IL it
IS kept up as at present 1t ought to
go into disrepute and oblivion. 1t
~ humbug and a farce TO have
Candidates 60 around the State
abusing each other and not discus
sing issues. During the last cam
paign the speakers consumed seven
long and weary hours, day after
day, and there was but one song,
self or liquor. The campaigns have
been thought to be instituted for
discussion Of political and indus
trial issues, and not for abuse and
the discussion Of ones self. Day af-
ter day the candidates generally
made the same 81 eeches, many OF
them did not 80 much as change the
dotting OF an "I," or the crossing Of
a." and yet it 10 urged that this
is IL campaign OF education. 1t is
not so."
IL Is observed that this view OF
the question has a good deal OF sup
port in the press Of South Caroli-
ma. The Rock Hill Herald, for in
stance, copying and commenting
upon the above question, says:
The primary election Is sure to
10 II the ignorant, irresponsible vO-
ter cannot be elm n ated. 1t Is well
known In this county that in the
recent election u number Of men
had their names put on the club
rolls and voted in the primary wbC
were not even citizens Uf the cUun-
81 hn
Gently from North Carolina. They
were voted like so many sheep. L
voters who really have an interest,"
In the affairs of the county or Stat'
are to submit to the results OF th'
primary, that election must be pu
ritied. There must be some pro
lection thrown around the ballo'
else the party election will degen
crate even more into a mise liable
filthy scramble in which OE'J de
signing politicians will enter. N
self respecting man cares to hav
himself plastered by slime throw
at HIM by NANCY ce-hunter
and have to be a competitor an
control votes by appealing to tn
Ignorance and prejudice OF the vo
ers. Until a change comes-unles
the primary is protected again'
the unworthy voter-we may n
hone for better. 1t will conttnt
to be, as The News and Courier
correspondent says 1t ts now, tn
substantial, good business me
such "a ought to be elected to OF
ces OF this State, are not comi'
out"
All this has particular interest
North Carolina at this time wheI
primary for the choice OF Unit
States Senator is on hand. 1t 1s
be hoped that conditions here W
not drop to the South Carolina IL
el, but the primary here Is but
experiment and we shall see WI
wa shall see. It was tinkered w
in a small way four years ago, W
disastrous consequences, and
outcome will be fortunate II In
train of the one now on hand tn
are not left lot OF tarnished re-
tations, strife and heart-burn1l
and a disrupted party. The
mary, the leaving OF everything
the direct vote of the people,
initiative and referendum OF
small scale-we are 80 much W
in matters OF government than
fathers were-is beautiful the
but The Observer has alv
thought Of ito quote an exf
sion OF Old Bill Allen, OF Oh
that IL Is 80 id barren Ideally