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

Many persons will never take the trouble
to read the law in detail Some are likely
to get their impressions of it from misrepfe-
sensations or mistaken conceptions of it by
others.
Reports come from Madison that efforts
will be made to kill the law by amend
ments, but the principle involved cannot be
changed by any amendment. That principle
IS direct nominations by the peOple-the
right of every voter to vote for the candi-
date of his choice. Details may be changed.
but this principle which Governor La Fol
lette has stood for so conspicuously and
which the republican state convention en-
dOrSed so empbatiCGlly cannot be changed.
Lither it is right or it is wrong. There is
no half way compromise. In q dozen other
states laws ECIy similar are under dis
CuSSiOn III tie legislatures now in session.
Everywhere the faults of the caucus sys-
TEN are admitted and everywhere men are
seeking the remedy for them i'll a system Of
primary nominations.
Oshkosh Northwestern.
The public expense attached to primary
elections was argued by Mr.. Monahan as an
objection to the proposed law: SO long as
the people are to have the privilege of Sc
lecting directly their nominees, they can
afford to pay what it cost to exercise thar
privilege. AS we'll might the extra expense
of the Australian ballot system be urged as
an objection to that system, whereas unGer
the old plan political parties and candidates
furnished the tickets and ShOuldered most
of the expense, and were glad to do it for
the advantage the system gave them as as
pirantS for Office. What is done by the
whole people and enjoyed by the whole PEG
pie should be paid for by the whole people
By this means it becomes less expensive in
stead of more expensive for the candidates
for Office and hence does not make money
such a necessary element in the choice of
our public officers. Moreover. it is fair to
assume, also. that the primary election
method would cost less on the whole than
the present caucus and convention system.
The main difference would be that the
whole people instead Of q few people would
foot the bills. And where few people foot
the bills they always expect to reap CORE
spending benefits or they would not foot
the bills and this very circumstance leads
among those who have the means with
which to foot the bills No argument on
the expense account will stan1 against the
primary election law proposition.
AS to the minority rule, there could not
possibly be a more giaring example of the
minority rule than is eXemplified in the
caucus and convention system.
But there is little use of celebrating on
these points. They are we'll understood by
the people, who have expressly voted in
favor of the primary election plan in elect
ing a governor that stood for the plan as the
living issue of the campaign. In spite Of
all opposition. the legislature is going to
pass the bill in the best form that present
light on the subject will permit.
Burnett, County Journal: We have not
seen a single argument against the (pri-
mary electiOn) bill that when applied to
Burnett county politicians does not fall fiat
Burnett county is certainly out in the coun-
try and yet Burnett wants Il good primary
election law. We believe it is our pr0tec.
ton against the cities and those parts of
the state which are always trying to rub it
into the backwoods districts.
Madison Journal: One of the best com
mentS We have seen on the proposed pri-
mary election bill is that while better men
may not be chosen, at least the people will
get the men they want. Under the caucus
system, in many counties an oligarchy made
up of a very few men rules in local politics.
at times determining results in affairs of
the state as well.
Mpnasha Evening Breeze: IF anything
were needed to establish the wisdom Of the
Stevens primary elections bill in placing the
responsibility of making n party platform
on the nominees for office, the present at
tempt, on the part of some Of the officials,
federal and state, to dodge the issues OF the
republican state convention as defined in its
platform last fall would seem to furnish
the need The purpose of the clause is to
fix responsibility and stop the frauds per.
petrated by conventions.
Appleton Post: The members feel that
the people by an immense majority en-
dOrsed the movement for some reform in
the manner of making nominations, and
say they shall vote for the BILL to which
there is not as much opposition as there
was some years ago TO JIle INTRODUCTION VI
the Australian ballot Nobody but men who
want to run things object to seeing the
people run things themselves.
PREVENTS TOO MANY CANDIDATES.
Milwaukee News Gnd): 1t provides fol
nominations by direct vote Of the people
and does away with the party caucus and
convention. In this respect the measure
will receive the unqualified endorsement Of
those who favor direct nominations. The
criticism, made by the opponents of 4
! ,iTf1l oil .tT laT +lnnf nTfn
will be to abolish party organization is
shown to have been entirely unfOunded.
The bill provides that a candidate must Sc
cure the signature to q petition Of at Least
2 per cent. of the voters Of the party with
which he may he affiliated to entitIe his
name to he voted on at the primaries. This
provision it is expected will prevent null
tiplicity Of candidates.
Waukesha Freeman: There is one thing
about the proposed primary election law
| that every one can commend: This is that
| it is so written that it does not require a
| learned lawyer to interpret the meaning OF
the various sections The present law no
one on earth could interpret with any de.
| gree of assurance that the Interpretation
was correct. If the primary election meas
ure becomes law people who can read and
understand the English language fairly
WELL will be able to carry out its require
Inents.
Milwaukee Sentinel RepJ: How would
| the primary election law work in MiIwa17-
| kee: Let Us see. Suppose there are three
| or four candidates for mayor, and a SINH
! lar number for city comptroller. CITY treas
| urer and city attorney. The voter wOuI,I
| 90 to the election booth and at the same
| time that he registers a ballot would be
given him containing the names of all the
! candidates. He would vote directly for the
candidate Of his choice for each office. by
| marking 4 cross after the name Of each
| candidate he desired to vote for Ore trim
| 10 the election booth is all that is neces-
sary. a moments time is enough.
| Evening Wisconsin (Rep): It is evident
| that careful attention has been paid to the
| different objections urged against the pro-
| posed law and a sedulous effort has been
| made to obyiate them in the framing of the
hlll. 1t is sought to overcome the
danger of nominations dictated by the or
posite party, and the danger Of prepon-