The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-03-20
Primary Elections.

The caucus and convention system
was at first simple and convenient way
of determining who were the choice OF
the party as nominees for the various
offices within the gift of the people. But
il finally dawned upon thinking men
that the people were not choosing the
nominees for office; that this was no
longer "a government of the people 10y
the people," but a government OF the
people by the politician. But 1t was not
till the campaign of three years ago
that the people realized the depths OF
degradation to which the caucus system
had brought us. Not till then did they
see that it was sapping the very founda-
ton upon which popular government
rests.
1t was an open secret that money had
at times been used To secure nomlna-
tons, but in that campaign two proml-
nent citizens shamelessly sought to
stihe the voice of the people and secure
the nomination for governor 10y the Law
ish use of money in packing caucuses.
Then in wrath and indignation the
people rose in their might and declared
they would teach the politicians that a
public office was a sacred trust that must
not be bought with money nor gained 10y
dishonesty andintrigue, and In great
wave of popular sentiment they demand
ed that the debauched and prostituted
caucus system that had brought this
shame and disgrace upon the state
should be abolished and that candidates
for Office should be chosen by direct vote OF
each citizen for the man of his choice In
recognition of this demand both politi-
cal parties last fall put plank in their
platforms favoring primary election
law along those lines. Gov. Bliss was
elected on that platform and his first
recommendation to the legislature in his
message was for the passage OF such
law. Our legislators elected on the same
pledpe. introduced bills for such a law.
The roseate dawn of the day of political
reform and purity seemed breaking and
the sky aglow with hope and promise
of good government when from its midst
burst thunderbolt launched by the re-
publican convention at Hartford in
structing our representatives TO vote
against any primary election law affect
ing Van Buren, county and other rural
communities of the state. Ye gods! what
CONSERVATION must have struck the
party throughout the state. Sincere,
guileless, grand old party, they thought
they we're bowling smoothly along the
highway of public opinion in close touch
with its most advanced sentiment till
Van Buren, stepped out of the under
brush and held them up with the as
founding ultimatum that her represen-
tatives must oppose any primary cleo
ton law affecting Van Buren, county or
other rural communities of the state.
The procession must have moved on,
however. for when the state convention
met, it passed enthusiastically resolu-
ton favoring primary election law.
Dear old Van Buren,, let us get the
microscope and see "where you are at. "
The reasons assigned at the conven-
ton for opposing the law are reported
TO have been that some of the smaller
rural towns would suffer injustice by it,
and Mr.. o. w. Rowland, in an article
in your paper enlarges upon the idea and
wants to know what chance candidate
from Hamilton or Athena would have II
opposed by one from South Haven or
paw Paw. In answer we would say,
candidate from Hamilton would ex