Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-02-28

"ouAu AOI IuIn out. because Ol lii'
convention treatment they had Away!
had in the past But l was agreeabl,
surprised to find after the vote wa:
polled, that sixty per cent. of the vote
of the country districts turned out K
the primaries, and those who tool
part asserted that for the first time il
| their lives, they felt that they hat
actually taken part in the nomination
Of county officers and with the same
weight per their population, as the
vote of the city
1t so happened that member of the
legislature on the republican ticket
from the country was defeated fol
nomination, but strange to say, if the
votes of the city alone could have
been counted, he would have beer
nominated over the city man running
against him. 1t was the vote of his
own associates in the country that
defeated him. This man afterward
tried to have the legislature redis
triCt the county so as to have the coun
try legislative district in itself. but
- AAGlS 4dAlCu bCNulSC tuC DCODlC III JllC
country protested against it and want
ed the district left as it was before
the primary.
Judging from the experience taught
by our first trial of the law it benefits
the country districts more than the
city, and it is the country people who
like it best, the result being that a
country member has put a bill into the
legislature making the law apply to
the whole state, and it has passed the
election committee unanimously. |
am convinced. that the argument used
as you say, against the passage of the
law in Wisconsin, is purely imaginary
and without weight.
One strong point urged here before
the bill was passed, was that the press
might undUly influence the primar-
les, as the newspapers would be given
strong power. There are several
answers to this: First, the newspapers
are certainly safer things than ring
politicians and their associates who
have controlled conventions. Then
too, newspapers can only influence
the public so long as their influence
is good. Let them fool the public
once and the best way to kill candi-
date politically, would be to have the
press favor his nomination. The fear
proved to be groundless in Hennepin
county.
Our law is a great success, pro-
nounced so by the very best men of all
parties, and no man in this state has
temerity enough to attack it's princi.
pies or it's workings. o. F. G. Day.
The following letter from Judge
Elliott OF The district court is self-ex-
planatory.
Minneapolis, Mimi, Feb. II, 1901
e. R. Stevens, Esq, Madison, Wis.
Dear Sir:-I have been asked to give
my opinion of the primary election
at the last general election.
| have no hesitation in saying that
the law as applied here was very sue.
cessful. | was a candidate for nom
ination the third time; and being thus
in the thick Of the fight was in a posi-
tion to observe the workings of the
law from the inside as we'll as the out,
side. Unless we assume the posi-
bility of perfection in machinery and
political methods, there can be very
little legitimate criticism of the law
as it worked with us. One thing is
certain; the people nominated the
men they wanted.
The law tends to eliminate certain
political agencies; but SO far as
know their elimination is highly sat
isfactory to all, save possibly the
"eliminees." One thing is certain the
people took a very active interest in
the nominations. The republican
party cast more votes at the primaries
than it did two years ago at the gen
eral election in this city. This certain
ly shows that the men nominated
were the choice of the party.
l think that law of this character
which can be worked successfully in
this county can be operated success
fully throughout the state. If such o
law were in force in the country dis
tTicts, it would be as successful and
as perfect an arrangement as poor
human nature under present condi-
lions can expect to reach. The feel
ing in this city is overwhelmingly in
favor of the law; and l am perfectly
safe in saying that there is no real op-
position to it, except from a few po-
litical managers and ward workers,
who find their employment gone.
Sincerely trusting that you may be
able to secure the enactment of sim.
liar law in your state, remain,
Very truly yours,
G. B. Elliott,
District Judge