The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-07
A Word with the Voter.

When the present primary election |
law was up for consideration, before it's
adoption, our esteemed contemporary,
the Pioneer Press, suggested as one Of
the arguments in favor of it that it
would have tendency to encourage in
dependent voting. 1t seems to have
had that effect, but what we were about
to remark was that we trust our con-
temporary is as heartily in favor Of in
dependent voting now as it was at that
time No. ~ @&
Some strong partizans profess, how
ever, and are doubtless sincere in the
view, that independent voting is dan
gerous to party success and is therefore
to be discouraged. On the other hand
it seems to us that in a very important
sense independent voting means the pre-
servation Of the party. That is not as
paradoxical as it seems. 1t only seems
that way because Of the mistaken idea
that when a man exercises his privilege
of scratching his ticket and cutting out
the candidate who ought never to have
been nominated, he is abandoning his
party. That's mistake. Every
voter has or ought to have political
principles. He will adhere to the party
which to the nearest practicable degree
Processes and practices his principles,
and he will generally support the whole
ticket. AS a rule, it will deserve his
support. He may occasionally find a
candidate who he knows is not deserv-
ing of his support; but to say that be-
cause he chooses to scratch an. objection
able candidate on a rare occasion for
good cause, he has deserted his party, is
absurd.
AS matter Of fact we have settled
that matter by law in this state. When
g. man asks for ticket at the primary
election he must indicate to which party
he belongs, and his title to be regarded
as a republican or democrat is deter
mined by the fact as to whether, at the
last previous regular election, he sup
ported a majority of the republican OF
democratic candidates.
Furthermore, the voter can render nc
more important service to his party thar
to let it be known to it's managers ant
those who seize the reins of power ant
control conventions that it must make
it's ticket not uniformly good, necessar
lily, but invariably deserving Of sup
port, because. he will not ratify serious
and inexcusable mistakes.
And that S our case here in Minnesot;
today. The republican voter who OBJ
jects to the head Of the state ticket i
doing nothing for which he can b.
called in question as a party man, eithe
under the law or in the light Of common
sense.
Indeed, our whole election system i
built up on the theory that there will
be more or less independent voting
That is the very essence Of the Austria
Ian ballot system, which places befor
the voter the opportunity-with the pre-
sumption that he will exercise ito
taking his choice from the whole field O
candidates, and guarantees that his vot
shall be counted as he wants it to be
The republican party of Minnesota is re
sponsible for this law; if it does not ar
prove of tho exercise Of the privilege o
independence which Is provided for i
would better repeal the law.
We stand with the Pioneer Press TO
the privilege of independent voting q
an institution established by the reput
lican party because we believe that i
the long run its effects are exceedingl
wholesome both for the state and flo
the party. 49,.