The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-12
HOLDS TO THE OLD
TIME CUSTOM.

Clanton, April 10, 1902.
Editor of the Age-Herald:
Your request for an expression from
me in regard to primaries came to hand
yesterday. l oppose the primary plan for
the nomination of candidates for state Of
fees to be voted for at the next general
election. SO far, in the discussion of this
matter, not much reference has been
made to some of the real questions in
volved. A spirit of Utopian prophesy, ac-
centuated by generalities, seems to be
the prevailing passion of the primary adj
Vocate.
The infatuation has grown so rapidly
in the minds of some that they are about
to rashly classify all who oppose their
gushing as enemies of the people, ring
rule tricksters, and self-constituted
bosses. Reasonable men will not finally
uphold this radical spirit. Conservatism
has done too much for mankind to be
dashed asunder by a stroke of the pen.
If the Democratic party has suffered
from digressions from the beaten path
the desire to handle new questions with
more consideration should only be strong
err A state primary is a new issue In Ala
bama. The two last state conventions
took no step In that direction. If there
was any well-defined movement at those
times to do away with the time-honored
method of nominating candidates, the
righteous advocate thereof failed to show
his head. The great question was left
over to suddenly arise and r1pen in thirty
days at the hands of a few newspapers
Can 1t be that In so short a time and so
long a time before election that the people
have considered and passed upon this new
issue, and drawn the sword for the heads
OF those who may oppose them, as is init
mated in few editorials? The will of the
people was well needed in these last con-
Ventfons. There was no harangue over
the method of making nominations but
with striking unanimity the papers ana
the people were alert on the question of
selecting the best men to do the work at
hand and the results were most crafty
Ing. Why turn from the tried to the I'M
tried under these circumstances? Why Is
not extreme advocacy Of change more in
dicative of snap Judgment and manipula-
ton than is the desire to adhere to the
plan Which has SO recently worked we'll.
Fulsome prophesy that political millen-
mum is at hand on the primary route Is
epEemeral, misleading to the masses anu
makes much overdrawn picture. The
new constitution-good as 1t is-cannot
regenerate mankind The trades made in
conventions, which seem to be the most
disturbing cause at present, would not
necessarily be overcome by a primary
There are single-shot and other primary
methods whereby candidates, living In
densely-populated localities, can advance
their own political fortunes by aiding
other candidates similarly situated I'm
material and false issues can easily be in
1ected into primary election and with
the whole state as field, such issues
can, to large extent, be concealed or
sprung at a time when II would be i'm
possible to meet or refute them. These
things would naturally occur in localities
where only one candidate might offer for
office or where only one candidate was
well known. 1t is highly imaginary to
believe that all the people will ever know
personally or be able to correctly esti-
mate the true worth of all men who offer
themselves for state offices. The primary
plan will not prevent the voter from act
ing upon the suggestions of friend or
upon a false issue when he is unin-
formed he often must be, as to the
man for whom he votes, or the truthful
ness with which the issue has been pre-
scented. State officers nomina ted on vary
ing and vote-getting issues would rob the
party of much of its effectiveness and
weaken party organization, while the in
dividual voter would not gain the salts
faction of knowing the man he had voted
for. The extreme to which the primary
idea naturally tends is that each voter
shall have his exact numerical strength
represented in the law-making or legisla-
tive branches of the state and federal
governments without reference to popula-
ton or the present constitutional impede
ments.
One of the real issues is the taking
away from certain counties in the state
under the new constitution-the political
power and influence they have heret ofore
enjoyed in the conventions of the party.
Should it be done, and that, too, by
q
This vital question cannot be ignored or
side-tracked by talk of pacifying the
enemy, who will pot be pacifed as long
as there remains a single detail of the
plan unsatisfactory. II this new and seri-
Gus question must be dealt with, 1t should
be done by a convention of the whole par
ty, as it's solution by the state committee
would be nothing less than snap judg-
ment in the light Of our political history,
and that such action would not finally
settle the question must be apparent to
any thinking man.
Again. much Of the power and Influence
lost by these counties would be trans
ferred by the primary plan to cities and
large towns, where great opportunity Tor
manipulation exists. People who live In
the county remote from telegraphs, tele-
phones railroads and free hacks on cleo
ton days, and where they are not easily
would not turn out to primary elections.
They do not even turn out well to county
primaries.
Some counties in the state might be re-
lieved from a convention system which
seems to be locally unmanageable by the
adoption of a general primary system.
but these counties could advocate a state
primary with better grace If they would
first give us the example of beginning
at home and prove their faith by their
works. The good points Of the plan are
more easily shown In county elections
where candidates and issues are under
stood.
The last state convention adopted a
platform and began the work for the
amendment of the new constitution. maxi
ing pledges rather hard to carry out. This
was confessedly the most important I'M
dertaking of the party since the days of
reconstruction, and the work has not
been finished. The statutes have not been
adjusted to the new instrument, and the
registration of voters has not been COM
pleted. Shall we stop in the midst of this
great undertaking which now promises so
much, lose sight of the diminished work,
divide over the mere question of an ex-
perimental method of nominating candi-
dates for office, and leave the enactment
OF needfui statutes and the unfinished