Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-09-28

But returning to the primary election
matter The Leader says, for Mr. Coff
land He we'll knew, as does every
other democrat POSTED in the matter,
that the adoption of this meas nre as a
law would completely disfranchise the
democratic party in this as well as many
other counties of the state This is
rather a harsh criticism on very large
majority of the late democratic county
convention, who met pursuant to reg
u!ar call signed by Mr.. Co9and, the
then chairman. and voted unanimously
| in favor of primary election law, prob
ably laboring under the belief that they
were POSTED on the subject The CEN
sOR believes, too, that large majority
of the democrats Of Vernon county are
in favor Of q primary election law and
will vote for the one submitted to the
people, and in doing 50 will act as in
telligently on this question as the gem
tleman who thinks they are not pI 'tcd.
Mr. Cofiiand always says he Is in favor
Of primary election law, but NOT,TBIs
ONE, aud in the next breath declares
that the legislature has no right to die
tate 10 any party how it shall nominate
its candidates, and that any such a law
would be unconstitutional He claims
on the street corners ard elsewhere that
the manner Of nominating candidates
under this proposed law is made go eaey
that the WORST CRIMINAL can get on to
the ticket. and the next minute declaIe3
that it is 80 difficult that the minority
party will be disfranchised His posi-.
tion on this question is about as elastic
as his attitude on the free silver plank
in 1896, when be furnished an interview
for the Milwaukee Sentinel favoring the
gold standard and in two weeks changed
bis mind and shouted free silver in sew
eral counties, and predicted the couutry's
ruin unless 1t was adopted The gentle
man happens 10 be very much ont Of
harmony with his party just at present
on tbs primary election and railroad
matters at least and the more he tries
TO explain his straddles for local effect
the more ridiculous he will appear
The primary election law that has
been submitted to the people, may have
some defects that experience win sug
gest, but it is the product Of q careful,
conscientious and intelligent consider
alton Of the subject, copying the expert
ence from other states where it h8s been
tried and approved and after giving all
parties fair and impartial hearing.
We need only refer to the blue book for
figures to demonstrate how ridiculous
the claim that the minority party would
he disfranchisea, On this score we quote
figures and statements given by Cap
tain Silbaugh, chairman Of the demo-
cratic county committee, in his speech
before the late county democratic con
venti0n
For representative in congress, 10
nave ones name placed on the primary
ballot, it only requires 2 per cent. Of one
tenth Of the election precincts In one
half of the counties it would only re-
quire per cent Of the democratic vote,
/ or 2 per cent Of 10. which equals Is
votes. For a county office the law re-
Guires 2 per cent in at least one-sixth
Of the precincts. The number # pre-.
cincts in Vernon county is 81, so it would
require 3 per cent Of the democratic vote
/ in six precincts There Is not precinct
/ in Vernon county where IL would re-
quire more than two signers to Tie pc
/ tition. and in nearly all it would only
require one It would not be n very
great hardship TO get one signer 10 q
! petition in siy Of the voting prscincts Of
! this county.
But the opponents Of the law say that
a candidate in this comfy would not
get out with petition because a norni-
nation il never sought by member Of