The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-04-17
Primary Elections.

The Detroit papers, in their frantic
endeavors to create sentiment in favor
of the Colby bill, each day publish ex-
tracts from state papers that favor the
measure, but studiously avoid quoting
any of the many influential journals
that oppose the Colby bill. The Free
Press is particularly active in this re
gard, and it's course is contrary to Its
usual fairness in the discussion of pub
lie questions that are not partisan IN
their nature.
The True Northerner is not opposed
to any method thatIt is convinced would
add to the purity of the nominating
machinery of the political parties, but
we do not believe the Colby bill would
have such an effect.
We do not blape the cities for favor
ing it, as it would give them practical
control of the political machinery of all
parties, both in the making of nomina-
tions, the formation of platforms and
the direction of campaigns.
A few of the features of the bill that
are extremely Objectionable are as fol
lows:
All state officers are to be nominated
by direct vote. From the very nature of
the case, it would be impossible for the
great mass of voters to know of the
merits or dement's of the respective can
didates because of lack of personal ac-
quaintance, and they could not express
their choice more positively than by
delegates in convention. The nomina-
tions would usually be made by a plural
ity instead of majority vote, so that
the factor OF second choice would be en-
tirely eliminated, and the candidates
who had the backing of Wayne county
would usually win, those who could
unite Wayne and Kent would almost in
variably do so. Think back over the
list of men whom Wayne has presented
for high official position, and see if the
change would have been a desirable one.
The members of the state central com
mittees would all be chosen on the gen
eral ballots of the parties, without re-
gard to location 1t would be possible
for the big cities to secure the greater
part of the organization of the parties,
and they would doubtless usurp the
majority of the committees in all i'm
portant campaigns.
On primary party ballot in Van
Buren, county, there would be over 50
places to be filled. There would always
doubtless be an average Of at least three
aspirants for each place, and probably
much more than that, SO that from 30
to perhaps as high as 1000 names would
appear on a primary ballot in this
county (many more in county like
Wayne) and in Van Euren over 50
names to be crossed If the voter eX-
pressed his choice for every position. 10
the recent election, with only 80 names
on the ballots, and many voters deposit
ing straight tickets, and tickets with but
one or two splits" on them, it was lively
work to get 200 votes into the boxes.
Think of voting half as many primary
ballots in a republican primary, with 10
to % times as many names on the ticket.
and 80 crosses on each ticket! The
primary election ballot would be almost
as long as the voter himself.
The True Northerner believes in pri-
mary election reform, but does not be-
lieve in the Colby bill. The name "pri-
mary" as applied to this bill is mis-
homer Ii is primaries, conventions and
party organizations, all dominated and
controlled by the great centers of popu-
lation.
If the Legislature will enact a real
primary" election law, supersedng the
caucuses, which are the real primaries at
present, and stop there, leaving the con-
vention system as it is, delegates and
local officers only being chosen at the
primaries, a real reform will be accom-
plished and the people will have reason
to be thankful to the members of that
august body. -