The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-02-15
Some Primary Election Objections.

Some of the reformers, who are so zeal
ously strenuous for a sweeping and far
reaching primary election law, complain
because the conservatives do not give
reasons for their opposition to such an
enactment. Of course, reasons have
been given time and again, but it may
be we'll to epitomize once more, in face of
the bill now pending in the legislature.
Among salient objections are:
FIRST The law will double election
expenses to tax payers of the state, and
triple them to individual candidates
with no compromising benefit. The last
general election cost Milwaukee county
nearly $37 900 in taxes, and other coun-
ties of the state in proportion. Two
elections in place of one will soon, weaken
both, and also double this enormous out
lay. Then contemplate the individu al
expense occasioned by three or four
months of hustling for votes before the
primaries, and the after scramble by the
victorious nominees to insure a final
election. The poor of the rank and file,
and the self-respecting of all classes will
simply not be in it. The pace is too
long, too hot and too expensive.
SECOND--The machinery is too cum
bersome for ordinary nominating pur-
poses; but especially so-as happens full
ly half the time, when good officers are,
by common consent to be nominated
without opposition as an endorsement of
worthy records made. Instance the last
state convention, when Governor La
Toilette was nominated by reclamation;
all the other state officers were punched
and put upon the ticket by unanimous
acclaim. Most of the members of con-
gress and very many of the county Off
GERS over the state were nominated by
popular desire in the same way. The
complex machinery of the state primary
law does not adjust itself to any such
unanimity of purpose among the people,
but is as unvarying and unyielding as
the tides of the sea.
THIRD-While the law proposes to
protect party lines, it in fact leaves the
voter free to help any candidate upon
the ticket be pleases. For instance, take
this Tenth congressional district. 1t is
so strongly republican that no democrat
cares a rap who his nominee may be, but
Doug as county or Dunn county, for in
stance, may be most anxious to secure
their local man as the republican nomi-
nee. What is to prevent any or every
democrat in those counties from putting
a sticker upon his ticket, bearing the
name of the republican nominee, and so
on for any other candidate whom local
interest may favor above party consider
atoms?
FOURTH The unique feature" of
making primary election day legal hol
iday, will only accenuate the tremendous
power of the populous cities over the
rural districts. Farmers and people in
small towns pay little attention to legal
holidays, while the great cities take to
them readily. This will only add to the
facility of getting a great vote in the me-
tropolises, with no compromising advan
tages in the country.
FIFTH committee of seventy to go
from all parts Of the state to the city of
Madison, at their own expense, to canvas
the vote, is too unwieldy a body for the
work in hand, and if it Is just to pay the
home election board $500 day for Off
ciating at the primary election, it is I'M
just to demand that county committee
men do the greater and more extensive
service for nothing unless it be pre-
sumed that they are to find adequate re-
turn in prestige and political dominance
in some other way, which is contrary to
the alleged spirit of the proposed reform.
SIXTH 1t will tend to disrupt political
parties, array the country against the
city, places complete embargo upon
the man Of moderate means from enter
ing the arena of political endeavor
against the rich, the cheeky and the po-
tential; as the new process, in fact, re-
verses the ideal theory of the place seek
ing the man and sets the man HI bent
in quest OF the place.
SEVENTH This new method makes
office filling the prime essential, and par
ty principles secondary consideration.
1t presumes that representatives of the
people cannot be trusted to select men,
and thereupon proceeds to give to
handful Of representatives the larger
power of formulating the platform for
the whole people. 1t also places the OK
ahead of the cart, in that the new law
contemplates nominating candidates first
and then let them enunciate their own
political principles afterward. The log
ical order has always been the reverse.
EIGHTH one set Of men can be
nominated under the new system as I'M
der the old. The rejected hearts will
ache then just as they have ached in all
the past. The only consolation the new
system will give the defeated ohes over
the old way, will be the paltry comfort
that there may possibly be no Party
Boss on earth against whom the van
pushed candidates can point the finger
of scorn and say villain, you did it!
That is, admitting that the new system
will actually kill that demoniac function
AIRY, the party boss
NINTH While admitting there are
genuine evils in the caucus and conven-
ton system, the DIRECTORS to state pri-
mary election plan, contend that the new
system will only make the abuse more
glaring and that a remedy can be. found
in much simpler, cheaper, aud more
effective way. 1t is not wise nor neces-
sary to xiii the elephant merely to decide
who shah t4l1e turns in riding him, or in
an attempt to prove that he can be kept
agood deal better without keeper than
with one. Hudson Star and Times.
SECRETARY of State Froelich has made
IAN estimate or statement based on what
data he has that the anti. mass law has