Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-03-07

men; the county was infested with
several thousand unlicensed saloons
the mayor of the city of Scranton was
drunkard; vice ran rampant, laughed
and shook hands in glee with bribery
and corruption and the air was leaden
with rumors Of the foulest KIND OF
political knavery and jobbery. Now
all Is different. The Direct Primary
system was adopted by the republican
party Of this county in 1898. 1t was
first used for the selection Of a candl-
date for mayor of the city of Scranton.
There were four candidates for the nom
nation. The total number of votes cast
was over 5000. almost the entire repub-
lican vote of the city. The victor re-
ceiyed over 5000 votes and was the one
man above all others, whom the people
wanted and the Machine" did not.
Although the machine knitted
him at the polls he was elected. What
ever else may be said the office OF
mayor has since then been the product
of a government by the people. This
was but the beginning of a series OF
been going on ever since. only
recently fourteen councilmen were ar
rested and indicted for bribery, and
publicly resigned their offices rather
than stand trial. In their places there
have been nominated and elected, by
this system men of the very highest
type. BY means of this system we
have got rid of the drunken
MAYOR and the drunken dis
trict attorney and now have decent
men in these offices. We have displaced
the boodlers by the selection OF coun-
cilmen. some Of whom are men Of the
highest character and integrity. We
have elected a man for jury commits
sioner a most improbable office and
vet of the highest Importance to the
preservation of justice in the commun-
ity). man who would rank, for his in
telligence. integrity and ability, with
the best men Of this country; man OF
unimpeachable character concerning
whom not even those whom he most re-
lentlessly persecutes, say one word OF
reprOach. Such men would never have
thought of running for an office under
the delegate system. In the first place,
il would have been impossible the
second place, they valued their apu-
tation too highly.
I'm conclusion. would say that under
this system Of primaries we have GER
tainly government by the people.
At our last republican primaries over
IL 900 votes were cast which is within
900 votes of being the total republi-
can vote Of this county. Since the
adoption Of this system, the class OF
officC-holders has been steadily becOm-
ing better; interest in politics and gov
eminent has revived; civic clubs have
sprung up in different parts of the
city: public Onfessions of bribery and
corruption have been obtained from
many of the ofice-holders UNI
der the old "Machine;" the I'M
licensed saloons have been closed up;
the sale of liquor on Sunday has been
lessened; vice has been driven from
public places. and political jobbery has
been reduced to a minimum. There
has been a process of cleansing and
purifying. The air feels better and the
political atmosphere breathes clearer.
A man who now seeks an office must
pass muster before all the people. He
must not be a proud aristocrat, too
tony to recognize his acquaintance on
the street, neither can he be man of
questionable reputation. His merits
are discussed pro and con and his sue
cess depends largely on two things:
His integrity and popularity.
Necessarily imperfect as this system
is, being but the rules of a party or
ganization, it is as far ahead of the old
system as the governments of the pres
ent are ahead of the governments of
the middle ages. Perhaps the situa-
ton can be summed up in one SEN
tence: The delegate system is popular
with the machine politicians but the
Primary System is popular with the
people.
After six years of personal expert
ence and close attention to the work
ings and merits of both of the Delegate
and the Direct Primary Systems in this
county. | can truthfulIy state that the
Direct Primary System is productive of
a government not only of and for"
the people, but a government ''by" the
people and does result in the selection
of a more intelligent, more efficient and
more honest set of governing officials
by far than were ever obtained under
the Delegate System.
Sincerely yours.
Arthur Dunn.