The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1903-07-31
REACHING A CONCLUSION.

oS~oo anu Hhoiiy ASdSAOo 0hS ioi
lowing conclusions, which We
reprint and approve:
To begin with, all Of our pre-.
delictions. were in favor of the
primary system. Without takins
the trouble to 60 into the ques-
ton we took it for granted that
it was the fairest and freest from
evil influences. and altogether the
most satisfactory way to give the
people at large a chance to say
who shall or shall not occupy
places on the State ticket. but a
little study along these lines has
had the effect of making us. to
say the least, little skeptical,
if not quite an unbeliever.
As we see it the whole matter
revolves around a few questions,
chief among them being that of
how shall a voice in the selecting
of the candidates and how shall
peace and harmony be preserved
in the ranks of the party. If a
method can be found that will
satisfactorily answer these two
questions it ought to be, and, we
believe. will be adopted.
1t is important that we should
all be allowed say as to who
shall occupy the places of trust
and honor among us, but 1t is far
more important that we should
get along with each other. We
are citizeus and neighbors first,
then politicians. We live across
the street or over the creek from
each other, our properties join,
our families visit, we borrow and
never return, we hunt and fish
we vote the same ticket
md get drunk out of the same
bottle Christmas time, and there
ere we must get along with each
,ther, party or no party.
Now while the primary gives
Every man q chance to express his
preference, it is fact that it also
,auses more strife, hard feelings
md free fights than any other
method of choosing candidates
hat has ever been tried in this
State.
Some of us have not forgotten
he campaign of 1922, when it
vas war to the knife and the
,nife to the hilt. They had a
primary in the Seventh District
asst fall to nominate candidate
or Congress and they had a hot
ime. not only in the "old town."
tut all over the country. Neigh
'ors are at outs yet as the result
f it. They are having a primary
ampaign in Mississippi nova
that in many respects
5 reproach to the people of |
hat great State. Now we know
hat primary ought not to pro-
uce such evil effects, but the
ruth is that it does. We suppose
he reason for it lies in the fact
hat the campaign is usually long
nd thus men have time to argue
Ill they get mad and then plenty
f opportunities to fight. We
ave observed that in this parish
rimaries. where the campaigns
re usually short, such evil effects
0 not follow as a rule.
Another argument against the
Urinary IS that 1t cost too much.
man aspires for a place on
ne State ticket and the matter is
1T to primary he must make a
anvass of the State unless he
appens to be well known. Now
takes both time and money to
lake a canvass of the State and
MY those who can afford it can
nter the race under such circum-
,ances. This confines the place
honor and trust to the well-to-
0 alone, shutting out many of !,
ne very best men of the State.
fe must confess that we are not
lady to place any such !,
remium upon wealth; we are not (,
lady to say to the State that |
telligence. integrity and INDUS ,
y count for nothing but that
icy must get gain or there is no !
ace of honor and trust forl !,
EN-. It is no reproach to be ,
,or, though it may be horribly
convenient, and we believe that
g door of opportunity ought to I
open to every man who fits 5
mself for capable aud accepta- $
e service. :
In the third place we are not /
sure that the primary system is .
free from the undue and cor !
ptlng influences of the unscru-
llous politician. It cannot be
MED that it affords an excellent | I
'portunity for ballot box I