Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-04-21
Republican Primary Next Thursday.

Il
| for several weeks. AS is seen by its
| perusal, this primary is not to
nominate ticket, but to elect dele
gates from the several townships to a
county convention called to meet at
Audubon May ., which county conven-
tion is to select delegates to two state
conventions, a congressional and a
| judicial convention. So early county
convention for these purposes is made
necessary by this being presidential
year. A state convention has to be
held May Is which selects delegates to
the national convention called to meet
at Chicago June 81
This primary not being to nominate
any candidates, may not be thought
of Importance by some. However, we
think it is of much Importance. 1t is
the initial step the republicans of Au-
dubon county are taking in the nomi-
nation of their this year IS candidate
for president of the United States. 1t
is also their initiatOry step in nomi-
mating candidate for congressman,
candidate for Judge, as well as a
state ticket. The different townships
should see to it that delegates properly
representing them are sent to the
county convention, so the county con-
ventiou will be constituted so it may
select delegates to the several higher
conventions who may properly rep
resent the sentiment of the county.
| We know of but little contest unless it
be over the question of tariff revision.
The sentimen of the republicans of the
state seems at present to be turned
strongly in favor of the old and solid
protection principles of the party and
we hope Audubon county will do its
full duty in this regard and send a
delegation to the state convention that
will be opposed to Canadian reciproc-
ity or the lowering of tariff duties on
agricultural products.
AS seen by the call, the ballot box
at each precinct will be open from 7
till 9 in the evening. Each voter will
| be entitled to vote for the whole num-
Der of delegates his township is en-
titled to, and each voter will have to
vote for all of them on one ballot or
piece of paper.
This being the first trial of the pri-
mary plan its friends are anxious it
| should give satisfaction. We belong
to those who believe that the primary
election is step in advance of the
old caucus and delegate plan of nomi-'
nations. It's advantages may not be
as apparent in the convention that
only selects delegates and has no can
| didates to nominate, but even for that
| purpose we believe the plan is good.
In the nomination of candidates the
primary gives each individual men,
| Der of the party chance to vote di-
| rectly for the nomination of the candi-
date of his choice. 1t also makes it
less easy to form combinations and
rings.
We hear there is one serious Objec-
ton to our primary rules by some of
| the country townships because the
voters Of those townships anticip pate
their influence in the primary election
for the nomination of candidates will
be weaker in proportion to their voting
| population than the townships con-
tanning larger towns. This is because,
| as they argue, that as it is very much
| more difficult to get a good attendance
| at primary than at a general cleo
ton, they will suffer more from the
light vote in the country than in town.
Thus, they say, the power of nominal
| ing will drift into the hands of the
| towns. They want some plan whereby
| they may retain the same voice in
nominating that they have exercised
in the past, a power based on the votes
| they cast at the general election. In
accordance with that thought an
amendment to sec. II of the primary
rules has been suggested, the amend
ment to be about as follows:
| In the canvass of the votes each
township shall be given the full
vote which it cast at the last general
election for the head of the republican
ticket, which vote shall be divided
among competing candidates in pro-
| portion to the number of votes each
candidate has received in that town.
ship at the primary.
If an amendment like this should be
made then no matter how few attended
the primary, the township would not
lose it's power in nominating. This is
similar to the old caucus and conven-
ton plan in that particular. 1t would
be a compromise between the two
plans. We do not think the towns are
aiming at advantage over the country
townships. They should not at least.
We prefer the direct primary, pure
and simple, as it is less complicated,
but if the country townships think they
will be wronged by the new rules, and
demand the amendment, we have no
objection to it as a compromise.
| Passing on this question is one
thing that the coming convention will
likely do. The convention having
adopted these rules of course has a
right to amend them. They should be
made to be as nearly satisfactory and
as just and fair as possible.
| &siIn Special Reduced