Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-05-31

is taken from the columns of the st.
Peter Journal, and WHICH requires Meth
er comment nor explanation:
"POLITICAL NOTICE.
awe, the undersigned publishers in
Nicollet county, hereby agree that no per-
sonal political announcements shall be
cept for compensation, and have agreed
to the following schedule of charges for
the publication of such notices:
candidates for Congress. $1,000
candidates for sheriff. county
treasurer, auditor, register, at
torney, judge of probate, super
intendent Of schools. clerk Of
court, senator and representative 500
"Other county officers not named
above $50
mo notice to exceed fifty lines. An
invidious personalities excluded.
There will be absolutely no departure
from the above rule. which will be rig
idly adhered to by all publishers without
"EssLER & JOHNSON, for the Her
-FICHTHoRN & LoEHL, for the
Tribune.
''H. c. MILLER, Tor the Free Press
q; s. VANDIVER, for the Journal,
"The above notice means exactly what
it says. In the past the newspaper has
been the vehicle for free political trans
portation. In this county it will be so
no more. The papers art still willing to
serve their respective political parties
when the candidates of those parties
have been named, but there must be a
limit to the extent of gratuitous personal
service. and that limit is fixed by the
above agreement. The individual seek
ing personal preferment is doing it as a
business proposition. and will receive
courteous but business-like considera-
ten"
ProbiematicaI In the Country.
As yet the operation of the law in the
country districts is entirely problemat-
ical as the trial is yet to come. The
members of the Legislature whose inter-
views are printed show what the senti-
ment is in their districts 1t is their
opinion that there is no popular demand
for such a law. Several members stat
ed without reservation that had q bill
been introduced at the special session to
repeal the law SO far as its applii-
ton TO lie state at large is concerned
it would have been passed. Senator
Young, who is a candidate for Congress
in his district and 4 legislator of many
years standing, said that in his opinion
the people were taking little or no inter-
est in the matter. Among city MEM
bers the general opinion is that some law
is necessary for the larger cities, but few
of those interviewed believed the law
now in force served as a corrective agent
to remedy the evils of corrupt or inef-
fcient city government.
Violates Secrecy of Ballot.
AS an incident of the controversy now
on in the St Paul newspapers over the
frauds committed at the primaries, held
in that city in March, the point is raised
that the Minnesota law violates the Sc
of+ ballot Nv 1;rio no ,-ota
to select the ballot he will vote and make
request for the same of the inspectors.
As each voter registers and calls for his
ballot he is recorded by party designa-
ton. On the other hand, should this pro-
vision be eliminated by amendment and
each voter be allowed to take all of the
ballots into the booth for the purpose of
marking one, the right of party manage
ment and government by members of the
party would be destroyed, and members
of another party could not only partici-
pate in the nomination of party candi-
dates, but could aid in electing party
committees.
1t is clear also from the experience
with the application of the principle of
direct nominations in Minnesota. as de-
tailed in a number of the interviews
gathered during the investigation by the
Sentinel representative, that the objec-
ton raised by the opponents of the Ste
N6uS DTlIudIy SltCllOD VII W lHe cAGCl
that it would operate to build up the per-
sonal machine at the expense of the par
ty organization was valid. AS a matter
Of fact, but three men out of the scores
in the two cities interview upon the sub
ject were, in favor of extending the Min
nesota law to cover all state, county and
legislative offices.
Party Organization I'm possible.
The statement was general that under
the operations of the law where it is now
in force it is practically impossible to
keep up party organization. No pro-
vision is made for the meeting of party
delegates charged with the duty of pro-
mitigating a platform which shall express
the principles for which the party stands.
No provision is made for the gathering
for consultation and exchange of ideas by
representative men Of the several parties.
With the disorganization of the party
and the decay of the representative form
of party government, the individual
comes to the front and substitutes his
personal views for those Of a majority
of the party to which he processes to be-