Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-01-03

ness! 1t Will De that
last summer the method of selecting a
candidate for Congress was suddenly
and radically changed in this district.
The old convention plan was side
tracked, and a primary made to take
I.plish this result were a Washington
typewriter and a friendly pocket filled
with proxies from committeeman who
suspected not the impending change.
At least that was the initial condition.
The resulting inality was not more
c~reditable to some of the participants,
though successful in the end aimed at.
The rank and file of the party were not
consulted, the protector and benefi-
ciary of the new method no doubt con-
sidering their province only to obey.
"Theirs not to ask the reason why,
Theirs but to do and die''-
or, at any rate, to abide by. OF course,
there are unreasonable '.kickers" in
all organizations, and some of these
felt that where the people give the
people ought to direct as to the man
ner of giving. Old-fashioned, and not
up-to-date, of course, but they are. 1t
is not the REGISTERS purpose to de-
fend or condemn them, but merely to
state the fact. But the ''kickers," as
''kickers" often do, only kicked against
the pricks and had protesting toes for
their pains. Well, to make an uuprof-
liable story short, the primary won,
and by placing the prize beyond the
financial reach of several of the would
be candidates, eliminated them from
the race-saving to them much valua-
BILE time and the expenditure of the
little ready cash they could command.
Not all of US can boast of SIS, 900, ETC.,
a year. All this aside, however. It's
Bro. Bells .'fggers" hat stand salt
emily put for discussion i. this elabor-
ate lucubration. Hear him:
THE primary idea was adopted and
Mr.. Robb vas re-nominated and the
Democratic party suffered a wreckage
of fifteen hundred and eightyJour Uotes
increased majority oUer 1898. The
common, ordinary Democrat, not &C.
quainted with politics. will be likely
to infer that his party can stand con-
siderable of this kind of ruination."
Now, that's what we call knock-down
argument, but unfortunately, as here
tofore intimated, it is of the Republi-
can tariff logic brand, and therefore
not warranted to not fade nor shrink
in the washing. Let the REGISTER fig
ger a little in the whole-truth, Demo-
cratic way: The year 1898 was an Off
year in politics; 1900 was a Presiden-
tial year. Comparisons in returns are
always made-when made honestly
off-year with off-year, and Presidential
year with Presidential year. This for
the reason that the full vote is called out
only in the latter, because of the great
err interests supposed to be at stake.
The vote for Mr.. Robb in 1898 was
20, COL; in 1896, %. 310-or 1909 more
in the Presidential than the loft" year.
II Mr.. r. has only 1884 more majority
this year than be had in 1898, he still
lacks over q hundred votes of the
majority cast for him in 1896. The
REGISTER more justly charge the
to the primary than Bro. Bell can
credit it with an increased vote as COM
pared with an off-year. But this is
not all. Bro. Bell talks only of ssma-
~jorities." Now several things enter
into the making of majorities. A ma
jority for q year may be doubled in
a succeeding election without the ad-
dition Of a single vote to the column
of the successful candidate. The COM
mon enemy may have a scratching"
fit upon them or sulk in their tents
and refuse to come out. Everyone
that stays at home adds another to the
majority on the other side. But per-
haps Bro. Bell may hold that a Demo-
cratic primary not only increases Dem
majorities by bringing out a
fuller Democratic vote, but also by in
Republicans to go a-ishing on
day. For great is the power
Of the primary-when the right mar is
at the head of it.