Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-13
DANGER m PRIMARY SYSTEM.

In an editorial on the primary con-
est which provided Des Moines with us
atest political scandal the Cedar Rap
DIS Republican finds cause for criticism
the primary system, and thinks the
oes Moines Illustration ought not TO pc
pst on the state. While in theory the
primary system is perfect, in practice
voted upon as soon as the primaries
ire called the debauchery of the cleo
prate begins. This is especially true IN
at,es Money becomes the all import
mt factor. Estimates OF the ailouhe
ment at the congressional primaries IN
Des Mcines varies, but the lowest esti-
nate is appalling. The vilest elements
# society were everywhere in evidence.
rhey hung back and voted late. feaus
n eo to whoever would pay the most
money. and many of them undoubtedly
oolS pay from both sides The fespoh-
nbility for this state of affairs was foe
,onfined to the partisans of any one
candidate One side was a Geep III lily
mud as the other was In the mlfe.
att REQUIRES no gift OF prophecy TO see
what will be the inevitable outcome oi
uch practice. 1t means, in the iirs'
place. that no candidate unable by MIN
,elf or thru his friends to put up
arge sum of money can hope 10 WIN a'
primary outside country precincts. II
naans. In the second place. that there
V;,l he in every large city an element
hat will be openly and without shame
for sale at every primary electloh W
No b;chest bidder, and that this class
will constantly increase In numbers
Universal distrust among decent peo-
nile for such procedure will not operate
10 get rid of the .niquity for these vehai
yoters having had their appehtes TOT
hrihe money whetted will see to II thae
w. system which enriches them con-
tnues, A primary election law 'ha'
nroduces such fruit as was last Week
yornered in the capital city is thing TO
be Stunned"
r. &c noticeable that the practical pol
,t,cian can always find fault with the
rr,n,arv system and speak of 1T as an
evil to be Stunned. But had the con-
.an+ion system been in use during the
po,k county campaign there Is every
reason to believe that the same money
the same methods and the same Vehai
yota would have been used to pack the
rrec;nct caucuses. The Des Mtones
performance was stencil in the nos
tr,ls of all decent people, but experience
9th gravel train gangs of hoaters
from Omaha at the Council BUNS eau
.c,,ses some time ago leave us no reason
- ba,iaye that the bad doors from FOLK
.,.a,,,a hove been in any way lessened
mr. at all changed in flavor hao sohie
ether nominating system been in use.
As we ATTEMPT to show in discussing
Marshalltowns primary experience lhe
urinary election is nothing more thah
an election by ballot. 1t may not De 80
well regulated and safeguarded by law
as a general election, but every one Oh
the faults found with 1T and all OF the
objections to 1t will apply with cqual
force to our American institution OF
election by ballot in general elections.
Corruption exists usually where men
are corrupt. Laws may in measure
thwart their corruptness, but a free e8-
preston of a voter thru his ballot is the
fairest and in the end the most sue
cessful method of expressing the ma
tority will of the body polite that has
vet been devised by man.