The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1902-08-29
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ines are left TO manufacture
,atforms and set candidates there
on to perpetuate faction bosses III
control and power. The primary |
election law has demolished the |
convention method of making
nominations and of formulating
platforms, and has thrown each
candidate on his own resources t.
propose policies appropriate To
governmental conditions and &C
ceptable To the people. This
change from the old plan Of In
trigue and trickery TO the open
and democratic method of the pri-
mary, will prove a most potent
factor in purifying politics, de
veloping craftsmanship and stImu-
lating patriotism. The CONVEX
ton plans were so domineering
and oppressive and operated to
pledge support to policies and
men that the masses had so little 10
do with that revulsion to the
method has naturally and appro-
priately followed. A candidate
for state office, when he was made
the nominee, became puppct
the controlling element Of the
convention, and was so loaded with
obligations AS to bias his duties
and pledge the patronage OF his
office to his convention boosters.
The platform was ready made Tor
him and all he had TO do was TO
execute the will of his political
bosses. This has resulted In con-
centrating party power and office In
the hands Of a few schemers to the
exclusion of the masses. Under
the primary era of educative poll
tics which will be instituted IN
Mississippi next year, the old re-
gime will pass out, and the will OF
the voters will be expressed in their
choice Of officers who represent
the peoples idea of government IN
every department of the capitol
building. 1t is believed a new pros
perity, superinduced by, political
purity, will make its advent under
the salutary change and that states
manship and patriotic devotion to
the State will be rescued from that
obscurity to which convention
politics has consigned them. The
selection of officers is no longer In
the hands of intriguers but of the
people The candidates who lose
SIGHT of this truth will themselves
be lost sight of mt the polls. Ii
has been asserted before that the
campaign next year will be of poll
cies and platforms rather than of
men and the candidate who aspires
to direct the affairs of Mississippi
in 1904, if he has neither to Offer
suitable to governmental con
ditions and accepta BILE to the people.
had as well retire from the politi-
cal arena. He canno. win cam
paigning generalities on his per
sonal popularity nor on his clique
or combination alliances. The
people will select policy for the
next State administration them
selves and the statesman who pied |
ges that policy will be placed at
the head of affairs. Therefore the
time has arrived for candidates for |
State and legislative offices to an
nounce their platforms. 1t is
necessary thus early because the
primary method imposes the re
sponsibility of choosing the policy
of state government on the people
who demand time to consider and
select the best offered. 1t is fur
Their necessary, because the state
press must carry these platforms
to the people and discuss them as
they merit without fear or favor.
The campaign next year will be
Observation-Disclosures can be no
avoiding it, and the newspaper for
the first time in Mississippi will
become political primer.
Jasper county has voted special