The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-10-14
Primary Reform .

Up to the present time this year four
counties in Michigan have nominated
their county tickets on the primary
election plan. These counties are Kent,
Muskegon, Alpena. and Altoona. Some
Of the workings of the law may there
fore be studied with profit from their
experience These illustrations are not
furnished with the idea of proving that
primary reform is not needed nor ia
attempt in any way to discredit the
movement for or demand for primary
reform when coming from honest
sources. 1t is the belief of The TIMES
however that careful study of the ex-
periences of the counties which have
tried the primary reformers' plans will
convince all students of the question
that they have not vet hit upon exactly
the right plans for putting the new
method into operation. "a ,.lSs
THE TIMES further believes that a
careful study of the working of the
plan will prove conclusively to any
candid mind that the plan called for in
the republican platform is the only safe
one and the only fair one to put into
law at the coming session of the legisla-
ture. This seems evident for several
reasons. In the first place not enough
knowledge of the workings of the new
system is to be had to warrant it's ex-
tension over the entire state even for
the nomination of county officers only
to say nothing of the nominations for
state officers. Of what is already known
there is a, good deal that is far from
favorable. These disadvantages should
be carefully studied and weighed, and
If possible means be devised for correct
ing them before fastening general law
on the entire state with the disadvan-
tages embodied in it,
And then, too, there is such princi-
pie as that of Home Rule which some
times occupies prominent place in
party platforms and popular demands.
And the principle of Home Rule, which
is demanded by the democratic state
platform this year, but about which
they say nothing since deciding to make
primary reform their issue, clearly de-
mands that no system of primary cleo
ton be foisted on any county in this
state which does not desire it. If the
counties were SO corrupt that they could
not be trusted to decide this matter for
themselves and so corrupt that they
threatened the very existence of the
state itself, then there might be some
excuse for having such law forced up
on them. But the counties of Michigan
made up of citizens, some of whom
place their allegiance with the demo-
cratic party and still more of those
whose allegiance is pledged to the repub-
lican party, are at least as able to decide
intelligently what they wish in the mat
ter of a primary election law as is
Daniel j. Campau and his democratic
machine. Who are they anyway, to
make an insincere demand in one breath
for "Home Rule" and in the next to de-
mand that law, untried defective,
and revolutionary, be forced on all the
counties of the state just because in
their democratic judgment it should
be forced on them?
But now for some of the defects
which must be remedied before the
new system can become success. To
the man who will find the remedy for
these much will be due from the state
at large. 1t they can be positively eli
minated then the time should come