The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1901-02-08
a GOOD THING.

get upon the bench or into the legisla-
ture, who was not the absolute choice OF
a majority Of his party and of a majority
of all the voters of the county, state or
district, demanding his services, and
that, too, without fear or favor. No man
could get an Office unless upon his mer-
its. No man would hold an elective
position of honor or trust without being
the free choice OF the majority Of the tax
payers he is TO serve. Who, then, is
opposed to a primary election law?
Every voter in the state who desires to-
become public servant upon his merits
or who desires public servants only who
are chosen on their merits -should favor
to the utmost such a law. Petitions con-
tanning 40, 600 names Of voters urging its
passage should be filed within the next
two weeks. The majority Of both houses
OF the legislature will 5e glad to pass
such law the mvment the people de-
mand it. Fargo Call.
If each of the assertions made in the
above article were true, there would be
no opposition by anybody to primary
election law. 1t would indeed be a
panacea for all political ills, not to say
for all human irailties. But unfortunate
:ly not a single one of the statements are
true. In the first place the primary law
as proposed, and any other method
would require several elections, does
not require majority vote to nominate,
and in this therefore is even weaker than
the caucus or convention method which
requires a majority. So far as our ex-
perience, in politics goes it is often the
case that a candidate can more easily
fool the crowd thanhe can convention
as to his qualifications. We believe the
whole people are just as likely to make
mistakes as convention.
Primary election law is no new thing.
It has been tried for many years in some
of the eastern states. We have talked
with many people who have lived in.
those states and under primary laws, and
they say that they get no better results
with primary law than with conventions,
that the same or other evils attend prim-
ary elections as in conventions. That
primary elections are run by bosses"
just as much as conventions are.
AS we have said before, there is one
principle in American elections that all
these tinkerers and reformers seem to
ignore, to-wit: that the voter on election
day has the right and privilege of voting
for anybody for any Office he pleases, all
caucus, convention or primary law can
didates The contrary Notwithstanding.
In order that primary or other nomi-
nations by bodies be made illegal stand
ing then only such nominees as are made
In this manner should be voted for.
That is the way it is done in Canada and.
other places where the Australian system
is used. And there, ifthere is only one
nomination there is no other election;
the nomination is sufficient. But so far
as we can see and hear, Canadian Off
cials are neither better or worse than
those selected by the convention and
caucus method over here.
This is necessarily a representative,
republican in distinction from a demo-
cratic, form of government. So far as we
know there is only one purely demo ocratic
form Of government in our system, the
annual town meeting. Very few people
can or will keep themselves SO we'll in
formed In civil government as to be able
% select candidates with intelligence.
We don't believe there are twenty men!
il North Dakota who can from memory
recite the Offices and candidates printed
on the ballot at the last election without
reference g q printed list. and fewer yet
who could make y list Of the candidates
who were looking for Office before the
conventio ions; and vet The primary law
supposes that ordinary voter shall
make "a intel Rsit choice Of hundreds
q candidates t0Es scores q Offices of|
whom and 81 v 4, lls lhe naturally knows
but little or moth md which hs hasl
bnt little Tins al 4 u nellnalion toIlearn|
shout