Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-10-08
ELECTION REFORMS.

6AACAAON hstsL O6hAo.
This is the campaign year. th
s5Esdriennial period having arrive,
when it becomes the duty Of the plail
citizen to rally at frequent interval
and be talked TO by the professiona
politician.
Partisan politics occupy more oI
hess Of the popular thought though moi
apparently bringing that intensity OF
excitement, reerimination and angry
feeling which has prevailed during
many similar campaigns in the past.
The Sentry has no concern with
party politics, but there are questions
relating TO purity Of elections and
good government which are Of inter
est 10 every citizen and Of which this
IS an appropriate time to speak with
the hope of promoting permanent re-
form.
Much has been done in promoting a
higher grade of politics aud more
honest elections within the past two
decades. The introduction of the
Australian ballot was a long step in
tho right direction. Voting by rua-
chinery, already applied in many To-
calities widely separated from each
other, Is progressing with apparent
success as the experiment finds favor.
II finally found to be practicable this
will be n marked Improvement even
ON the Australian system. Laws con
trolling primary elections where they
have been tried seem to work another
and perhaps the best reform In the
line Of taking politics out Of the hands
of the bosses and placing it where il
belongs, in the hands Of the voting
citizens.
Some other propositions along the
line of election improvements are of
timely interest and worthy of earnest
consideration, even though the result
should prove that they are impraetic.
able and inadmissible One strange
proposition was considered at re.
cent session of the Mississippi legisla.
ture which, II adopted, would certainly
be novelty in our political life. This
project aims at the extinction Of the
political "hired man, b." the abolition
of the professional spell binder, the
ward heeler, and the other workers
whose activities heretofore have been
so conspicuous on the political stage.
We have of late been looking to
Mississippi as trial place for queer
experiments ia electoral and political
laws This state led the way in legal
izing negro disfranchisement. Il un.
dertook to discourage political aetiv.
ity 10y 50 amending its laws as 10 have
elections aud legislative sessions only
once IN -four years. IL put into opera.
tion a system under which nomina
tions for state officers, congressman
and United States senators we're made
AT primaries, open Co members of the
dominant party only.
These innovations we're sensational
and radical but the proposition before
referred 10, which proposes TO bar
from the arena Of politics every per.
former who works FOR pay, distances
aud eelipses them all.
The idea lying back Of the proposed
seems 10 be that election.
eeripg, II not restricted, will practic.
ally defeat the purpose Of the pri.
mary law which is 10 opeu the Geld
of political advancement 10 the
humblcst aad poorest citizen The OK.
pense Of seeking a nomination, under
the law as at present administered.
need not exceed SIPS, but il is urged |
that II candidates are allowed to open
expensive headquarters, employ dele.
gates, marshal an army Of workers
and campaign followers and equip |
them, the privilege aud opportunity |
10 run for oniee viii vanish and open,
ags will be made for lavish expendi.
lures equally ~ eorFuptlng as those
which led 20 tho abolition Of local