The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-09-17
THE PRIMARY ELECTION SYSTEM

The Boston Herald welcomes the
new primary election law in Massa-
chusetts. The Herald does not give
the hackneyed reasons for approving
OF the change, but suggests a novel
and very plausible one of its own. The
Herald say so many states both north
and south have overwhelming party
maorities that the people are losing
interest in the general elections. They
know that the result is a foregone
conclusion and they can hardly be
persuaded to go to the polls. This Is
an unfortunate state of affairs, but it
cannot be avoided. Into such states
the primary election is coming and is
transferring the debate and aroused
public interest of politics, from cleo
tions to nominating contests, the re-
suit being in every way beneficial.
The Herald refers especially to po-
litical conditions in the southern
states. For years it has been uniu-
portant whether anybody has gone 10
the polls or o As often as not
there has peer but one candidate, and
one ballot has been all that has been
needed to elect. But the primary cleo
ton system, spreading from South
Carolina until now all the southern
states have it. has worked a revolu-
ton in southern politics and stimu-
lated a popular interest in public af-
fairs not surpassed anywhere. In the
recent contest in Mississippi the bitter
campaign between Major Vardamln
and his opponent brought out at both
the first and second primaries a vote
that surprised the state. and sc com
pletely has the nominating election
supplanted the official election, that
Major Vardaman was elected governor
as much when he was nominated as
President Roosevelt will be elected
president when the polls close in No
vmber, although an electoral college is
still to meet and ballot for him.
Elections are o neglected in tn.
north as they are in the south, but
the Herald believes that there is not
the live interest in public affairs IA
the north. among the masses Of pco-
pie that there should be IL issues were
presented to them in such a way that
the result was not a foregone conel1-
sion. This the primary election ac-
complishes. No matter how definitely
IT is known who will be elected after
he is nominated. there can be no as
surance that any one man will he
nominated, and that encourages every
voter to have a hand in the pralirl-
nary contest. Men and what they
represent are ~canvassed with create.
spirit at the nominating election than
at the fiscal election. The individual
voter is no more effective factor in
the one than in the other. and tine
Herald contends that "the more You
interest him in public affairs and the
more you incite him to take part IN
them, is to make him a better citi-
zen, for. %supposing a voters purpose
to be good. as we are gratitied 10 be-
lieve is true of the great bulk Of Am-
erican voters, his usefulness is pro-
portioned to his activity as a citizen"
There can be no doubt that the IN
certainties attending a contest for a
popular nomination. when primaries
are held. tend to arouse interest.
Every voter is an important factor,
and feels that he is an important FAC
tor. There are no foreordained re-
The Herald may be right In
Its belief that the eheif service 3f the