The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-03-04

doodle methods. which, are certain tc
find their way into counties as long al
millionaire candidates are anxious tc
part with their money in exchange
tor political honors, which in most cases
they could never secure. were merit
rather than money, the test.
Now, how far shall we go in adopting
Primary reforms This is more import
ant to the republicans and therefore the
people, of this state than adopting the
measure itself, because we believe that
adopting extreme measures would be
harmful. In his recent manifesto, Mr..
Stearns advocates going to- the extreme
limit and doing away with all conven-
tions. Such course we believe would
be most unwise, unsatisfactory and ex-
pensive for these reasons: Is
First All conventions are sources of
inspiration and enthusiasm for those who
take. interest in politics and especially
for republicans, and doing away with
the conventions would deprive the party
of the benefit of that enthusiasm.
Secondly having conventions it
enables one to see and meet the various
candidates for public Office, getacquaint-
ed with them, find out about them, and
ascertain what kind of men they are, so
that when a man comes to vote he can
vote somewhat intelligently. Under
the extreme primary election law pro-
posed by Mr.. Stearns, there will be no
such opportunity. There will be no
convention, nor any means of seeing or
meeting the candidate you are to vote
for beforehand. The candidate may
live hundreds of miles away and be an
arrant trickster yet if he receive more
votes (not majority than any of his
competitors, he will be declared the
nominee of the party. Under this ex-
treme primary election law it only takes
a plurality vote to nominate, not ma
jority.
Third-We believe it would tend to
centralize political power in the large
cities of the state. This may account
perhaps, for the fact that all the large
daily newspapers in the cities are advo-
eating the extreme primary measures
urged by Mr.. Stearns. Why would it
centralize political power in the cities?
Because each county would not be dele
gated power in proportion to the popu-
lation. A plurality vote would deter
mine the matter, there would be no
and those candidates having
a plurality vote would be the one
chosen. The cities can invariably be de-
pended upon to get out a full vote, while
in the rural districts probably not IN ore
than from twenty to fifty per cent of
the votes would be gotten to the polls.
Under such an extreme measure Middle
vile, Hastings and Nashville could
practically control the politics of this
county, because being larger centers of
population it is easier to get the voters
out. In all spring elections in Hastings,
for instance, there is practically as large
a vote polled as there is at the presiden-
tial election, no matter whether it rains
or Shines while in some of the town
ships of this county there wouldn't be
oyer Is or 90 per cent of the vote cast
BY uniting on a series of candidates,
Hastings and Nashville, as
can be seen, could practically control
the politics of the county, because of
this ability to easily get out,a full vote,
while the'other townships of the county
would only get out a light vote. This
is proposition that cannot be- gotten
away from and the same would hold
true in the larger cities of the state as
with all the rest of the state.
Fourth-No poor man could ever con-
slider being candidate for Office, under
the extreme primary measures proposed
by Mr.. Stearns unless he had rich friends
to back him because it would involve
the establishment Of literary bureau
Of no small dimensions, and the circu- |
ation of large amount of literature,
Ill of which would create an expense !
hat would be practically prohibitive to !
\ poor man, or man of moderate |
means. This would be simply to get I
he nomination and following this
would be the stifl greater expense Of an |
election. ss
The word reform" has certain |
charm that it will be well to beware of. |
Fordney Will Get 1t.
From The Detroit Free Press.