The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-02-13
CONVENTION AND PRIMARY.

OUNfENllON ANU PRIMARY.
In its issue of last week the Odessa
Ledger expresses itself in favor of a
democratic primary for state officers
in connection with the county pri-
mary. 1t is immaterial to the n
TELLIGENCER which plan the new
committee when elected may decide
upon for this particular election; but
as an abstract proposition it believes
that the immemorial precinct, county
and state convention plan with its
majority and not mere plurality rule
is the best and fairest. In fact there
would be no particular reason for
holding a STATE convent on at all, il
all the counties held primaries; for
the results might be certified to the
governor or secretary Of state and the
nominees declared By him. In this
county the primary and the conveu-
tions plans ought to yield the same
final result. The people seem to be
we'll Informed as to who the minority
candidates are, as the equation. now
stands, aud would throw away few
votes upon them. The county pri-
mary will have to be held anyhow to
select nominees for county offices.
The precinct conventions will have to
be held anyhow to select delegates to
the county and then to the state
convention.
Our systems of nominations and
elections, local and general are various
and conflicting. 10 presidential cleo
tions we have The majority system in
the electoral college, the plurality
system in the separate states, and as
for the popular vote, a mar might be
elected president by twenty-five votes
more than the oue-fourth Of the total
vote cast. There are historic, thee.
retical and sentimental reasons for
this system. In our county primaries
we have the plurality system. There
are now four candidates for county
treasurer, also for collector. If there
should be 1000 votes cast In the
primary, mi of these candidates
might get the domination with I,0Ol
votes. II the lowest candidate were
dropped and another primary held,
and again the lowest candidate drop.
ped and a third primary held, the
person chosen on the first ballot
might be overwhelmingly defeated.
But 1t would be too much trouble and
expense to Lave so many primaries.
Nor would the precinct convention
plan do for local officers. Hundreds
Of the voters are warm personal
friends of several candidates for the
same office, and often they feel little
or no preference between them An
open choice 10 a precinct convention
would inevitably wound feelings with
no corresponding good to be accom-
plished.
ln selecting nominees for state
offices this objection does not exist,
The ideal plan would be to have the
precinct voters come together 10 a
precinct primary, and after electiog
delegates, instruct those delegates
for some candidate for each office to
be filled by re-voting aud elimination
of the lowest until some candidate
for each Office had a clear majority.
The present convention system does
not entirely fulfill this ideal. The
proposed primary system does not
fulfill this ideal. When the new
county committee is elected it will
doubtless give the people whichever
plan it believes them to prefer, as it
should. Unless a majority Of the
people prefer the primary plan, which
is improbable, there is no reason for
departing from the long established
usage in selecting nominees for state
offices. especially where there are
more than two candidates.
Somebody ought to give the Kansas
City Star a straight tip. To see It