The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-17
ONE EXPLANATION OF THE PRI-
MARY


Commenting on the fact that the
Democrats of Louisina are about to
adopt the primary system of making
nominations for state offices, the
Springfield (Mass) Republican says
that the system prevails almost ex-
cMsively in the South, and was adopted
in order to arrest the dry rot that had
made its appearance in Southern poll
tics. 1t says that after the adoption
of constitutional amendments elimi-
mating the negro vote the whites ceased
to take an interest in elections, and
that the number of those who quail
fed to vote was only small percen-
tage of the voting population.
We do not know whether or not this
is the reason the Democrats of Louis
lana are going to adopt the primary
system. but, we are certain that it
isn't the reason it was adopted in this
state,
Here in Georgia the negro is as free
to vote as he ever was, and does vote,
especially at national elections. The
primary was adopted by the Demo-
Gratis to insure the success of the Demo
cratic ticket. It was assumed that the
result of primary would be acquiesc-
ed in by Democrats all over the state,
and that it would prevent factions
in the party. 1t is true that at the
regular election the Democratic vote
isn't as large as it would be if there
had not been a primary, but
it would be larger, in all
probability, in the event of OPP
position. Since the decline of
Populism the real campaign of course
has been that for the nominations, and
they have been lively enough to pre-
vent the politics of the state from be-
coming afflicted with the dry rot. 1t
is true, of course, as the Springfield
Republican says, that in the primary
the eloquent talker, the candidate
who has the knack of getting into
the good graces of the people, stands
the best chance of getting the nomi-
nation, but so he does in making the
campaign for delegates to the state
convention where the delegates are
chosen at mass meetings and local
conventions of the party. Still, those
who have watched the primary sys-
tenn carefully are aware that the voters
do a good deal of thinking. The
thoughtful men-the men who have
interests at stake-are not carried
away by the snowy qualities of a
candidate. They look for a man who
gives promise of rendering good serv-
ice in the Office he seeks In this
state the men capable of making the
most noise on the stump or of doing
the greatest amount of hand shaking
haven't always been the winners by
any means.
1t may be that the Democrats of Mis-
sissippi adopted the primary system
for the reason suggested by the SPRING
field Republican, and that the same
reason is influencing the Democrats
of Louisiana. In both states the negro
is no longer a powerful factor in poll
tics. In both states there was ire
mendous falling off in the number of
votes east and political campaigns lost
most of their interest. Now, however
there appears to be an awakening
The recent campaign in Mississippi
was lively enough to satisfy anybody
-s-o-~--
The mint at Philadelphia has coined
and shipped during the past five years
1900 000393 one-cent copper pieces. |
The coinage Of these pieces has now
been suspended, because there is no
demand for more Of them. Why
wouldn't il be good plan. by the
way. to get Congress 10 pass an act
fixing the value Of each one Of those
copper coins al ten cents7 That would
create a whole lot Of new wealth az
one sWoop without It's costing any
body anything
Afagistrate Crane ~ New York is a
confirmed cyBie who ought 90 take
something for biz liver He declares that
be- does not believe one one hundredth