Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-11
PROGRESS THIS YEAR
DEPENDS UPON INTEREST DIS
PLAYED BY CITIZENS.
Strong Effort Being Made to Name
Reputable and Influential Men as
Delegates and Committeeman.

| In every contest. whether 1T be between
| political factions or the armies of nations
| whether the issue be a membership on the
| national committee or the control OF an
oriental province with millions of people
and hundreds of thousands of acres OF
land, there is always some point upon
which the rival and opposing forces are
agreed, something upon which their re-
spective minds are focused in harmony.
In the District of Columbia a unique con-
| fict is in progress. a condition of politics
| exists which is unlike anything else in the
| United States. or in the world, for that
| matter. Democrats are not arrayed
| against republicans. for the simple reason
| that such an array is impossible under the
| constitution Entirely distinct and sepa-
| rate from each other. the democrats are
fighting democrats and the republicans are
| fighting republicans. each party looking to
! a different goal But in each of these
| fights, or contests or what-not. there Is
| single slogan which is similar, a common
| platform upon which all reputable factions
| stand tremendously, namely, Clean Pf1ma-
| ries.''
! Interviews bv the score with leaders in
| local politics elicit only one ambition, clean
! primaries. They say 1t is immaterial as to
| the issue. and almost imma teral as TO the
instruction to be given the six democratic
and two republican delegates to the ma
| tional conventions. 1T isn't so much what
We get" said one of these politicians today,
| but how we get it. The history of both
| parties in the District of Columbia is abb
solutely disreputable, and unless the bet
! ter element of citizens interest themselves
| in the proceedings, and help establish hon
est and fair primaries. and support rep
| utable tickets by reputable votes, the Dis
| trict will continue to present a disgusting
political aspect to the national committees
| and national conventions.
Now is the Time.
1.-THE opportunity is now. The way is
paved for honest primaries as it never has
| been paved before Each Of the political
| parties has appointed local committee on
rules and regulations. One of these COM
mittees has reported. and it's rules are now
| operative. The voters affected by these
| rules have welcomed them. and all fac
| tons confident that the impending cleo
! tons will be feather in the cap of the
| District of Columbia. l understand the re-
| publican committee is going to announce
| its rules today or tomorrow, and that the
| same healthy condition is predicted by the
| republican forces. So far so good, but rules
| and regulations will amount to very little
| unless supported by good votes. The trou-
| bic with the average local business man
| is that while he wants clean politics and
clean primaries. he will not aid in the
| accomplishment of that much-to-be-desired
| result.
Every man in the District should avail
| himself of the semblance of suffrage grant
| ed him. and cast his vote for a national
committeeman and delegates whom he
| thinks will best represent the true inter-
| ests of the District. He should give the
| matter some thought, enough to determine
| the status and genuine responsibility of the
| several tickets in the field and then he
| should take the trouble TO go around the
| corner on election day, and vote. l wish
| you would put that word vote in heavy
| black type. because that is the very
sence of the whole situation. don't think
men with business interests, professions
| or established trades should neglect that
| business or profession or trade for politics
in the District. 1t isn't worth it here. even
| If it might be in another municipality. But
| ten minutes a day spent in reading the local
| papers will keep them in thorough touch
| with the situation, and fifteen minutes on
| election day will suffice to cast their vote.
| Surely this is little enough time to devote to
| local politics, once in four years, if the
citizens anything for the dignity and
| reputation of the community. Let them
! come out this year as never before and
| elect committeeman and delegates to whom
! We all point with pride. There should
| be cast in the District of Columbia $1,000
| instead of 10000 votes.'
Tickets in the Field.
| This interview is only one of many and
| it is predicted by local politicians that the
| approaching campaign will be the warmest
in the history of the District, and Will result
/
who cast ballots four years ago. To sub
stantiate this opinion reference is made to
| the active interest in local politics displayed
| by the leaders and members of the different
| labor organizations. While it has been an
| nounced again and again that no recognized
| labor organization will participate in the
| campaign, as an organization, every one of
| the local unions has one or more members
| who have professed a political preference
1 atNd 6ata nit,at ,fct 1n1na finv,
| of that preferred candidate. On good au-
| thority 1t is estimated the labor vote will
| Approximate 1900 and most all for Hearst
| for President. The anti-Hearst vote must
| grow toadstoo in the night, II II
| would wage battle against the vote of labor.
| Through the medium of these much
| heralded honest primaries it is proposed to
| elect several tickets, many of which. of
| course, are doomed to defeat. The anti
| Hearst democrats are for Mr.. James l..
/ Norris national committeeman and, IL
| is understood, delegation of six, instruct
| ed for Judge Parker. The Hearst people
| have not declared for national committee
man nor expressed any selection of dele
gates. They are merely unit for Hearst,