The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-12-31
CONVENTION OR REFERENDUM

ANNU oSAoSJ, WiitSo q iCttSi CCiEHS.u-
ing the enrolment of the Old Guard
OF Populism. "This is a good idea,"
he says; lit reminds me of the old
greenback days" He then refers to
the "Streeter" or Cincinnati plan of
making nominations, and says:
IT don't think much of his plan
Of organization and | think that
all the talk about primaries ETC.,
is visionary. There are no pri-
maries as yet Of the new party, or
of the greenbackers, or of the
populists in New Jersey. The pri-
maries which we have here are le-
gal institutions which are for the
two old parties. They are made
by and for them and we can't have
anything to do with them. If we
should ever get control of the
government, then perhaps we can
make some primaries that would
be Of some use.
II enclose dollar, which will
help pay postage in getting the
Old Guard together. If you can
get Mr. Streeter to abandon his
Cincinnati plan of organization
and start in to get the Old Guard
of New Jersey together, so that
we can have meeting and see one
another, will cooperate with
him."
The Cincinnati plan simply contem-
plates dispensing with nominating
conventions and placing the power OF
making nominations directly in the
hands Of the electors themselves. The
peoples party claims to favor ina
jority rule"-the referendum, initia-
tive and imperative mandate-in GOV
eminent affairs, but SO far has not be-
lieved sufficiently in the principle to
adopt it as part of its own Iarty
government. This is certainly an in
consistent attitude, and, while it may
seem like an innovation, Mr. Street
ers plan is based upon the correct
pr;nciple-that IS, if Jeffersonian den-
ocracy is correct. However, if the
Hamiltonian idea of protecting the
people against themselves be the cor
rect one, then direct legislation and
direct nominations are both wrong
and we should abandon both.
Now, many things which seem the
oretically right are found in practice
to be difficult of performance. Our
whole theory of government is re
publican"--or that of representative
democracy. Naturally, political par
ties, in their own government, have
followed the prevailing mode. A pure
democracy-like the old town meet
ing. for example-was deemed impos-
sible in country as large as the
United States; but the perfection OF
the optional referendum, the initiative
and the imperative mandate has
shown a way to attain a pure DEM
ocracy without resorting to a town
meeting, viva voce votes, or show OF
hands. In this age of postofflces, ru-
raj delivery, telephones, telegraphs,
and rapid transportation, the United
state is not larger than a few coun-
tries were seventy-five years ago.
Can nominating conventions be dis
pensed with, Is the question. 1t is
pretty generally conceded that the
delegate convention system is bad.
IL gives undue influence to those sec
tions able to have full delegation
present, and undue influence to the
members present from poorly repre-
scented sections The true principle Is
that every member of the party ought
to have voice directly in selecting
the candidates for which he may cast
his vote In the fall. But the question
is. whether this is practicable? AS
The Independent views II, 1t can be
made so, regardless OF what partic-
ular kind of primary" laws may be
unon the statute books OF any state.