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

derant influence of the cities over the rural
, | districts. The bill cannot be judged By
what mas occurred IN the operation OF
primary election laws elsewhere, because II
| Is unique.
Oconto County Reporter: What an ex-
cellent example of the unselfShresS of our
city politicians is their denunclatioh Of the
primary election bill because it will place
100 much power in the hands of the cities.
Burlington Free Press: Wisconsin GER
tainly does not want TO take 4 backward
step when it comes TO being progressive ana
abreast with the times. 1t certainly looks
as If such would be the case, however,
should our legislators defeat the primary
election bill. III Minnesota, where the Law
mas been tried, it seems to give general sat
IsIactlon. The consensus Oh opinion Is that
the primary election, like the Australian
ballot, is a move in the right direction. 1t
permits the voter to be unhandicapped in
his choice of men and leaves him free from
the manipulation of ward heelers.
Wausau Central Wisconsin (Rep1: A few
Soou people may be deluded into opposing
the proposed law, but the vast majority an
prove IL heartily. 1t should be perfected, ii
It needs perfecting, and then promptly
passed
Amigo Republican: The mass of the peo
pie declared for the law in me past eIec.
ton and will hold their representatives &C,
countable for carrying out their wishes at
| Madison this winter
Badger Banner: The party is indisputably
| pledged to the substitution of primary
| elections Tor caucuses and conventions, and
| IL cannot with Impunlty put TO naught that
| pleuge without showing i mighty good
| reason why.
Cashton Record: 1t is said that the law
| II passed will make an extra expense to the
| STATE. we nave not inquired up the extra
| cost but We don't believe the actual cost
| Wlu be as large as unuer the present law,
| Iot Whlle at present the bills are paid by
| the candidates and those who expect TO be-
come candidates in the future who ex-
| pect TO make 1t back when they get in of
| nee, and amounts TO many thousands of dol
| lafS eacn campaign for caucuSeS and CON
| VenuonS, under the new law it will be paid
| oy every property holder in the state and
| VIII not tend to so much corruptness in Of
| nee. Ii we can have cleaner politics let us
| do so even if it costs us ten cents a wear
| more Tor taxes. Let the law be passed the
| party pledges redeemed and a fair trial be
| given 1t.
| lake Mills Leader: If the people are to
| pe branded as populists because they claim
| Tue right TO choose their own candidates.
uninolested by and freed from the old
| tfIckS OF caucus and convention it IS time
| 10 know who thus rates them and to de-
| .Ianu OF their accuserS some decent reason
| LOT such rating These continued aSser-
| lions as~to what will be the failure of n
| lhlng not yet tested, cannot be rated as ar
| guments, for nothing is argument that has
| not measurably standing on evidence, and
| the evidences relative to the primary cleo
| ton law plan are all, or nearly all, III it's
| favor, 1t is enough to say that large ma
| jority of the people are tired of the old
| tricky way, and believe the new PROPOSE
| ton will be much better, hence it should
| be tried, and thoroughly tried, then if it
| proves to be failure let it be dropped and
| some other plan adopted.
Madison State: To those who make poll
| tics q profession the proposed primary cleo
! tion law is as gall and wormWood, and it
| is amusing to these gentry wailing and
! weeping because such a law will place the
| farmer at such disadvantage and that the
| rural section will lose the political rights.
| 1t seems strange that the farmers will
| persist in refusing to see it this way despite
| the efforts of these political bosses and
| friends to convince them to the contrary.
Cedarburg News: There seems to be a
| wide diversity of opinion among republican
| mary Election bill. Many of the leaders are
| for its passage while number of others
| are seeking its defeat. AS the party really
| pledged itself to the enactment of a similar
| law it would seem in bad taste and smack
of poor politics if the pledge was not car
ried out. However, some politicians think
/ that the 100000 majority in this state can
| not very well be wiped out, but they viii
find themselves miStaI ken. The people now
adays are not so hidcbound but that they
will resent any dupliclty of the kind now
| being attempted by some of the politicians.
| The lesson which the republican party re-
ceived in 1890 and 1892 should not be for
gotten so soon. The objection to the pro-
posed Primary Election law is not well
founded and the people who oppose it do
so in most cases for Interior reasons.
Marinette Eagle: There is opposition to
the bill from some of the federal office
holders and it is charged that there is
ganiZed opposition from that quarter This
is unfortunate, for no measure of merit be-
fore the legislature ought to be prejudced
by such charges or such opposition. Hold
ing office under the general government
does not disqualify a man from Judging Of
state matters of policy, but active work
line of state legislation invariably works
against the ideas advocated by the federal
employees when it is once thoroughly be-
HeVed That they are organized along the
same line.
Union Grove Enterprise: While perhaps
the. Primary Election bill is not all that
may be desired, yet it is a step in the right
direction, and if it becomes a law it will do
away with much of the corruption that
now exists in the packing of caucuSes by
means Of Doodle and other unfair measures
which are used by INSCRIPTIONS men to
get into office. Give the whole people a
voice in the nomination Of their officers and
we guarantee the character of many Off
Gals will be much improved, and a man to
| get the nomination for office will have to
have something more than a pull til the
ward heeers, in order to gain posi- lions Of
| trust and honor. We trust the representa-
| tives from Racine county VIII give the
| measure their hearty support and that it
may become q law.
Washburn Times: What the people want
| they should have. If the result is not adj
yantageous to purer politics the people
| themselves will find it out soon enough,
| and Will demand a return to the Old syS-
tenn. Let us have the new order of things.
and find whether it is what it is cracked
| up to be, and if it is not, there will be no
dlfcuIty in repeating the Primary Election
matter at the next legislative session. 1t
| is an experiment, and if it will do what it's
promoters expect Of it, it is well worth
having.
| Waupaca Post: The suggestion made by
| orally would not get out to attend the eau
| cuses, is offset by the fact that caucus day
| IS MADE registration day, as well as Il legal
| holiday. Men who desire to vote at the
| coming election will have to register, and
When they can do so on the same day the
caucuses are held, they will be very apt TO
| take hand in the nomination of the can
diuates Tor whom they viii vote at the
| election; The holding open of the primary
| from b IN the morning untiI9 at night in
| cues, ana from in the morning until at
hlght In the towns, will give every one an
| opportunity to vote The Hill has
| occasloned a great deal Of comment around
Ihe state As rule the politicians those
VINO are active and instrumental in parcel