The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-13

ing for my opinion as to the advisability of holding State and county primaries. l. have to say: As member of the State Executive Committee. who will be called on to settle this question, I do not feel at this time as if I ought to express my opinion. When the committee shall meet and consider the matter. will doubtless have something to say on the question. but I prefer to reserve dis cussion, of it until that time Thanking you for courtesy of writing me. am W. H.. Sanford. 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. oppose the primary plan for the nomination of candidates for State offices 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 advocate. 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 ricksters. and self-constituted bosses. Reasonable men. will not finally uphold this radical spirit Conservatism has done too much tor mankipd to be dashed asunder by 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 CT. A State primary is new issue in Alabama. The two last State conventions took, no step in that direction. If there was any well-defned movement at those times to do away with the tinle- honored method of nominating candidates. the righteous advocate thereof failed to show hn fNrx~- rrRA over to suddenly arise and ripen 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 peo- pie have considered and passed upon this new issue. and draw the sword for the beads of those who may oppose them, as fs intimated in a few-editorials? The will of the people was we'll heeoed in these last conventions. There was no harangue over the method of making nominations. but with striking unanimity the papers and the people were alert on the question of selecting the best men to do the work at hand, and the results were most grati- flying. Why turn from the tried to the untried under these cir circumstances2 Why Is not extreme advocacy of change more indicative of snap judgment and manipa- lation than Is the desire to adhere to the plan which has so recently worked wellf Fulsome prophesv that a political mill lennium Is at hand on the primary route is ephemeral, misleading to the masses ana IHdkcS d IuuCh ONcEW3MH piCtuIC. The new constitution-good as 1t is-can- not regenerate mankind. The trades made in conventions. which seem to be the most disturbing cause at present. would not necessarily be overcome by primary.
 There are single-shot and other pri- mery methods whereby candidasss, living in densely- populated localities, can ad- vance their own political fortunes by aid ing other candidates similarly situated. Immaterial and false issues can easily be injected into primary election. and with the whole State as field, such is- or sprung at time when 1t would be impossible to meet or refute them. These things would naturally occur Tn localities where only one candidate might ofter was well known. It is highly imaginary to believe that all the people VIII ever know personally or be able to correctly estimate the true worth of all men who offer themselves for State omces. me primary plan will not prevent the voter from acting upon the suggestions or a friend or upon false issue when ne Is uninformed as he often must be. as to fulness with which the issue. has been presented. State officers nominated on varying and vote-getting issues would rob the party of much of its effectiveness and weaken party organization, while the tn- dividual voter would not gain the satis; 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 popu- lation or the present constitutional im- pedimentS. . , .,.,
 One of the real issues is the taking away from certain counties in the State- under the new Consututlon-the pontcai power and influence they have neretoiore
 of n should it be done, and that, too, by committee breaking party precedent, This vital question cannot be ignored or sidetracked by talk of pacifying the en- there remains a single detail of the plan unsatisfactory If this new and seri- ous question must be dealt with, It should be done by convention of the whole party, as its solution by the State Com mittee would be nothing less than snap judgment in the light of our political history, and that such action would not finally settle the question must be ap- parent 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 elec- ton days and where they are not easily canvassed by candidates for state ofnces.
 
 They do not even turn out well to coun- ty primaries.
 Some counties in the State might be relieved 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 platfo rm and began the work for the amendment of the new Constitution, making pledges rather hard to carry out. This was confessedly the most impor- tant undertaking of the party since the days of reconstruction. and the work has not been finished. The statutes have not been adjusted to the new instru- ment, and the registration of voters has not been completed. Shall we stop in the midst of this great undertaking which now promises so much, lose sight of the unfinished work, divide over the mere question of an experimental method of nominating candidates for office, and leave the enactment of needful statutes and the unfinished registration to take their chances with the general scramble l of playing for position, or shall we raise | the old victorious battle cry of look | well to the men sent forward and press | on till we have finished the work and | realized one real achievement? Those | having nothing to lose can experiment.
 Tipton Mullins.