The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-10-07
NO. 90

state of Michigan, a man who has un-
equivocably stated and restated that he
will approve and sign any bill for pri-
mary reform which the people shall de-
clare through their representatives
that they wish. a man who has a record
in the senate of Michigan on such ques-
tions as taxation during the days
when not all senator's could face their
constituents with calm interior-and
that record one which every paper
which commented at any length on the
records made by the various senators
during those years declared absolutely
without any taint of machine influence
to convince Michigan republicans
that it is their duty to cross off the
name of that man the democrats will
find not quite as easy as they imagine.
With the record made under the new
system in Muskegon, Kent and Alpena
counties but recently and with the re-
cord now being made in Wayne it is al
so highly probable that such observing
students of politics. as the farmers max
ing up the membership of the Maple
River Farmers Club will see much that
will tend to cause them to wondor if
after all it is not best now to go little
slowly in the matter of plastering pri-
mary reform measure on the whole
state without any regard as to whether
it actually accomplishes what they de-
sire, or whether it makes conditions
worse, and all without any regard for
the principle of home rule about which
we hear so much. People of the men
tai grasp and of the instinct to go to
the bottom of questions which these rep
resentatives of Shiawassee county
farmers possess are very likely to talk
about subjects which interest them and
about which they are thinking and
studying and they are also the ones to
be broad enough to be open to convic-
tion and to be ready to decide what they
believe for the best no matter what they
have said during the discussion of any
subject.
AS to the program in detail THE
TIMES would be glad to print every
word spoken by the different members
OF the club and their guests If space
would permit and had stenographer
been present. A mere summary will be
all that is possible. The political pot
was set boiling by Frank Whelan who
made an earnest, almost impas-
stoned speech in which he arraigned the
present caucus system, declaring that
in many instances the caucuses had de-
generated into mere ratifications of the
selections made by the bosses. E. J.
Cook was called out for discussion of
Mr.. Whelans paper. He, too, was
thoroughly in earnest in the matter of
desiring a change in the primary cleo
tion plan and spoke of the humiliation
of once being told that if he had agreed
in advance to support some particular
candidate he could have gone to GER
tain convention. He said that he ex-
pected that the people would make mis-
takes and added that perhaps primary
reform would prove to be one of the
mistakes. r. p. Bigelow assured the
club that he stood in the same position
in regard to primary reform today that
he did four years ago. He also read
number of quotations from some of the
Wisconsin papers commenting on the
working of the primary laws in Mime
sofa, the Wisconsin papers being partic-
ularly full of the matter at this time on
account of the fact that the people of
their state are to vote on the matter this
fall.
The case of Muskegon and some COM
ment on the working of the primary
law in Alpena were cited by Chas. M.
Hamper, candidate for prosecuting at
torney, who was called on for remarks.
An Alpena friend of his had told him
that the new plan was ''the slickest
thing out" They had got every nom
ination they wanted without any trouble
about going after the out of town vote.
Mr.. Hamper advised a compromise
spirit in dealing with the matter. N.
X. Potter didn't see much trouble with
the condition of things in the state as
they are now. He cited the case of the
last republican county convention and
said that he couldn't see how there
would be much chance for improvement
by any method. But if any man told
him he could not go to the convention
unless he would agree to vote for some
man he would go into the convention
and expose him on the convention floor.
The two candidates for Judge of pro-
bate, Judge Matthew Bush and j. w.
Thorn were present and each in, turn
was called out. Mr.. Thorn spoke in
favor of his party's state issue. Judge
Bush frankly declared that he did not
know what was the best form in which
to bring about the improved conditions
which are generally desired. He
thought that there was still consider
able uncertainty even among those who