The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-20
BREAKS DOWN
OLD PARTY LINES
PRIMARY Law EXPERIENCES IN
NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
Some Striking Contrasts in It's Opera
ton in Practically Adjoining Coun-
ties-How Success of the Popular Will
Is Endangered in the New County of
Clearwater Where Many Are Chasing
Office. -'rE 1l-s

Special to The Journal.
p Bemidji Mimi, Sept. 2o.-The second expert
ence with the primary law has brought to light
many new things inH northern Minnesota. The
law has worked very differently in different
counties in this section. Two years ago the
great complaint was that the law compelled the
voter to declare his political utilization. This
year much opposition to the law is developing
for other reasons. 2's@'sE ''-;'
The contrast between the operation of the
lay in practically adjoining counties is striking
In the new county of Clearwater, there fifty
eight candidates, some offices having many
candidates as seven. In Cass county, on the
other hand, there are contests for but two Offices
with but two opposing candidates in each in
stance. One newspaper in Bagley has received
about $500 simply for political announcements
at $40 each, while there are but two announce
ments in all the newspapers of Cass county.
Every pine tree in Clearwater county contains
the picture of candidate, and the printing
presses of the county have been running almost
night and day for four weeks turning out CAM
paign cards, while the newspaper men of Cass
county hardly know the candidates by sight, So
The difference may be explained, perhaps, by
the fact that Clearwater county is new; that
this is it's first election of any kind; that there
are no distinct factions; that the primary cleo
| ton in Clearwater county is free -all-the
county's first, and everybody is enjoying it..
| So active is the campaigning In the county that
| the farmers have complained of serious inter
| ference with their work. -.- s.
Polk county presents still another phase. 1t
| was for years the Port Arthur of populism
Whole townships returned solid populist vote
| Today there is not single populist candidate in
| the county. The primary law is threatening
the disruption Of the republican party organiza-
| ton in the county. But candidate has
| filed for auditor and he as republican, altho
| he has been a populist for years and two
| years ago elected auditor Of the county on the
populist ticket. The candidate for treasurer,
| who certain of nomination. is running as
| a republican, but was two years ago chairman
of the populist congressional committee for. the
ninth district. Two years ago the populist can
didate for county attorney stumped the county
from one end to the other for the popust ticket;
today he is republican candidate for nomination
as county attorney. &c., ,.--.~
One striking feature of the law is the impos-
sibility of predicting the results of the primary
election. =. There are no party lines on which
/ to ground ones reckoning. In Beltrami county,
two years ago. the defeat of a certain official
was confidently predicted. He was nominated
by majority greater than his opponents total
vote. Today there no predictions and nc
wagers.
A canvass of the present members Of the 1egis
lature for northern Minnesota, together with the
various candidates for the legislature, shows
that four out Of every five of them are inclined
, to favor the repeal of the law the ground tina
it is breaking down all party lines, and at tht
, same time affording greater opportunitie
. | than the old convention system for the defeat o.
| the popular will by political cleverness. =
4 Polk county may be instanced to show how thu
law is disrupting. parties, while Clearwater at
fords a striking instance of the latter defect
for strong men In that county are in danger O.
defeat simply by reason of the fact that an OPP
position candidate has been brought out in ever.
one Of the districts of their greatest strength.