Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-01-16

form, which Gov. Stone helped to
make, declared in favor of the election
of United States Senator by popular
yote-which viii require a constitu-
tional amendment. While that
amendment is being adopted, the best
possible substitute for 1t is to nomi-
nate Senators in general primary cleo
tions-against which no man has ever
yet urged a valid objection.
That | have always been in favor of
making all nominations in the State
great and small-by primary elections,
is a matter well known by all who
cared to know my opinions.
cLARK's THREE REASONS FOR DEsIR-
ING GENERAL PRIMARY.
l favor a general primary for the
nomination Of Senator Vests successor
for three reasons
l. Because it is right, fair, proper
and cheap.
2. Because it is the surest way Of
securing Democratic victory:
3. And, to be perfectly frank, be-
cause / believe my chances Of going to
the Senate are better with that plan
than with any other.
Now, 1t is possible that | may be
mistaken about all three Of these pro
p~ositions. but | believe them 10 be
true.
50 believing, In October ! wrote to
MI. Chairman Seibert as polite a let
ter as ] knew how to write, asking
him to call the committee together
and grant a general primary for Sena-
torlal purposes. Two months later, on
December 10, he wrote me that he had
polled the committee by letterand the
result was: 3 for, "A against and 4
non-committal.
! Early this month | wrote a letter,
not only to Hon. Frank Walsh, but to
every member Of the committee, ex-
eept Mr.. Seibert, who, as ! understand
il, hasnota vote, asking them whether,
If l would present the committee with
petitions signed by 100, 600 Democrats,
asking for a primary, they would grant
it. To date l have received only SIX
, ANSWERS, three favorable and three IN
favorable, unless a majority Of Dem
ocrats Of their own districts indicate a
desire for a general primary.
SIMPLY APPEALED FROM THE COMMIT
TEE TO THE PEOPLE.
While these things have been hap
+. opening Ihaye had petitions circulated
: as best / could in every township in
the State and have made something
d like a dozen speeches advocating the
b general primary-in non Of which
was a word Of criticism or unkindnes;
uttered about Gov. Stone or any otheI
1 Democrat / simply appealed from
the COMMITTEES to the great bodyof the
people, as ! had a right to do.
1 submit that, 10 all these things, J
have pursued Democratic methods anc
Q have acted for what ] deemed the best
interests Of the Democracy Of Mis-
I souri,, and that / have not rendered
: myself amenable TO a lecture from
Gov. Stone or anybody else.
1t it preposterous to say that, be
Q cause a thing has always been done II
z acertain way, II must always be don't
in that way; that no progress al b
? made, no reforms wrought, and thai
anybody who advocates a new or bet
ter plan is a kicker or an enemy o
the Democratic party.
Even Gov. Stone has PROGRESSED
somewhat in the last three months
|. So far as 1 eau ascertain from his las
public letter, he is now willing TO bay'
"a general primary under certain anS
numerous conditions; butin bis speech
at the great meeting at Macon, and II
many subsequent speeches, be fought
my proposition, tooth and nail, mad
at Macon, for a general primary, anS
4 advocated a plan Of county primarie
which would practically disfranchisI
t, every Democrat living in Republican
counties for Senatorial purposes.
lcANNoT BIZ CALLED USTRIED Az
I'll DANGEROUS PLAN.
I'll In my Judgment, il Gov. Stone hat
Joined me in a request to the commit
tee in October for a general primary,i
would have been certainly ordered.
Il A plan that has worked like q charm
e lin South Carolina, Mississippi ans
Arkansas, and which has been adopt
led In Minnesota and Wisconsin, car
mot be called an untried plan or on
calculated TO wreck and disorganiz'
the party.
A majority Of counties 10 Missouri
have primaries and they work well
Prlmaries have been ordered for Con
gressmen In the First, Second, Eighth
Ninth and Fourteenth districts ans
0 the signs are that they viii be ordeFes
IN two or three others.
As 70 the cost, ] demonstrated b
facts and figures some time ago TIA
the primary is the cheapest possibi
plan. l believe as firmly as am liv
e ing that each Senatorial candidate car
y hnd a Judge and clerk al each pollinl
place Who will cheerfully serve with
out pay. That's what a promInen'
Democrat that / never saw suggests
70 me In a letter.
A primary reduces wire pulling
|. manipulation and the use Of Doodle Z
The minimum. IL would put an EN-
10. bassism. With 3 primary N
boes1 would be in the defunct class 0
lOtheIlo for their occupation woad b
u g0ne.
william Joel's insinuation that
have aligned myself sith the enemie
q the Democratic party Il noi OIL