Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-01-28
Argument or Primary.

W NlE(aLCA0N- ~ ktA
mary elections and some OF them
have gone to the extent Of offering
their columns to parties who feel
an interest in that subject. | for
one believe the question Of vital
Importance to the Democratic par
ty, and it should be honestly aud
fairly dealt with.
In the numerous articles / have
seen in the papers not u of them
has contained a syllable against
county primaries for county nom
nations, but when some of the
rank and file of the party in an
humble way suggests that they
would like to have a voice in Sc
lecting men to fill the more i'm
portant Offices of the State they
are at once denounced by the po-
litical bosses and a few of our news
papers as disorganizers of the party,
soreheads, disrupters. green eyed
outfit and other vile names too nu-
merous to mention. | would like
to know under what code of ethics
it has become such a crime to ask
for a State, district or county pri-
mary election for the purpose of
selecting the nominees Of the Dem
%ocratic party, from governor down
to constable, thereby giving every
Democrat in our county a chance
to honestly express himself for the
man of his choice.
/ want to say. just here, that a.
man who is aspiring to political
honors and is unwilling or afraid
to be passed upon by his own
party at a regularly installed pri-
mary election, to my mind is a
very dangerous proposition, and
will go further and say that l
think a man who will accept, ask
for personally or demand thru his
friends the franchise of a Demo-
cratic constituency to barter off
for personal ambition is even more
dangerous if possible.
We all understand that party or
geEization is essential to party
success, aud that organization
should be made TO foster aud up
hold party principles and not for
the promotion Of personal ambi-
ton Or personal gain.
State, congressional, district, ju-
dicial, senatorial and county com
mittees are necessary to complete
the machinery of Organization and
are but the servants Of the party
they represent. so we eau but con-
clude that whenever these commit
tees or thee members who com
pose them undertake officially to
destroy the ambition Of one Dem
ocrat for the purpose of holding
up or promoting the ambition of
another, they are dishonoring the
principles of the party they stand
for and are not worthy of party
confidence.
Equal and exact justice to alp
is Thomas jefferson Democracy.
Every citizen in this county, State
and nation should be proud and
jealous of his political rights and
should guard and protect them if
be hopes to preserve them. II
was said by a very wise man
many years ago that the condition
upon which God hath given liber-
ty to man is eternal vigilance.
Nor should we be unmindful of
the good old Democratic doctrine
that principle comes before men,
and any newspaper or individual
who advocates DISTINGUISHING the
Democrats of our county by send
ing a delegation unrestricted to
the State convention for the pur-
pose of trading in any way that
will assist most in promoting the
ambition Of one man certainly places
men before principles, thereby,
b~esmirching the cardinal doctrine
of our party.
/ am for a primary all along the
line. for ii is honest and just, and
being honest and just it is there
fore Democratic.
G.. F. CLARK.