The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-03-22
FAIR PRInARIES.
And a Way to Stop Bribery at
Elections.
Communicated.

communicated.
1t will be cause for great regret if the
legislature adjourns without adopting an
effective primary election law and some
measure to prevent the wholesale bribery
which has been practiced in recent cleo
tons in this State. There may be diff
ferences of opinion as to the propriety or
justice of legislating against the illiterate
voters, but all are agreed that fraud and
bribery in elections ought 10 be stopped,
and why should not the legislature at least
attempt to stop or restrict these evils?
The present Jaw is as effective perhaps
as it could be made to prevent fraud at
the general elections, but there is full
play for fraud in the primaries, and both
general and primary elections are carried,
or may be, by bribery, so that it has come
to be quite common saying that which
ever side has the most money will carry
the election. If the illiterate voter is a
menace to good government, demanding
the action of the legislature, surely the
corrupt voter and the corrupt and corrupt
ing boss who carries primaries by fraud
and buys votes at both primary and gen.
eral elections, are greater evils. Without
fair primaries there is no government by
the people. For if the Republican nom
nations are made by fraud or by the die
tation of some boss, and the Democratic
nominations are made in the same way, no
matter how fair the general election may
be, the people have only choice between
men selected not by the voters of each
party, but by the boss or bosses of each
party.
Every reason in favor of providing for
fair general elections applies as strongly
to primaries, and this suggests the kind
of a primary law which should be passed.
The primaries should be conducted by
public officers, just as the general cleo
tions, at the expense of the public, the
candidates should be voted for directly,
and every which would be criminal
offence at a general election be GRIM
inal offence done at a primary.
The primaries ought to be taken out of
the hands of party committees, because
these committees will always belong to
one faction or wing of the party and will
always be tempted to so arrange the pri.
maries as to have the opposing wing or
faction at disadvantage, and however
fair. they may try to be the people will
not have confidence in the fairness of the
primaries as if they were held by public
officials. The primaries should be held at
the public expense, because ifthe expense
is put upon the candidates, many men
who are we'll qualified to fill the Offices
and most truly represent the people are
unable to stand for nomination Be-
sides the idea of the candidates paying
for nomination or election is false one
and leads to a mischievous conclusion.
If a man pays his..money for an Office he
is apt to think that it belongs to him, just
as horse would if he bought and paid
for it; but the office belongs to the peo
pie, and the man elected to fill the office
is but the agent ofthe people to attend tc
their business, and they should pay all
the expenses of their agent.
The people ought to vote directly fol
their nominees; the plan of delegates te
county and district conventions to make
nominations serves no purpose except
that of enabling bosses and wire-puller.
to make nominations which the people dc
not want.
Andrew Jackson, in his first annua
message, recommended ''such all amend
ment of the Constitution as may remove
all intermediate agency i'll the election o.
President and Vice President, and said
"Experience proves, that, in proportion
as agents to execute the will of the peo
pie are multiplied, there is danger of theil
wishes being frustrated Some may be
unfaithful; all are liable to err. So far
therefore, as the people can, with con.
yenience speak, it is safer for them to
express their own will"
If it be safer for the people to vote di.
rectly for the President of the United
States, surely they are competent to select
proper men to ruu for the legislature or
city council or other Office.
In reference to bribery, it seems to me
that if large fine were put upon the
man who brides or furnishes money for
that purpose, and the man who is bribed
were offered immunity from all punish
ment and half the fine to convict the
bribegiver. it would go a great ways
toward breaking up the practice. The
man who will sell his vote for money will
tell on the one who buys for money, if
safe from punishment himself