Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-02-10
COMMENTS ON PRIMARY ELECTION
UUNINILIVIU UIv NIlvIHNI LLLUIIUIV
Representative Phelan Says the Senate Bill Is
Worst Kind Of Gold Brick
Measure That Will Cost the People Enormously and
Bring No Reform
To the Editor:

To the Editor: sl
In the discussion of Senate bill SS,
the primary election measure now in
the hands of the house committee on
elections and privileges, the Grand
Forks Herald assumes that 1t has few,
II any faults; others harp on the
measure in various ways, but as yet
have seem in print not one specific
comment on any particular section or
part of this bill To my mind, this
{ bill No. SO is the fetich-the idol set
up by the idolaters, who holding an
ideal in their minds forget that those
who are not excited on the subject
view with alarm the form Of idol they
wish to set up for the people. When
the attempt was made in the house to
railroad this bill regardless of the
wishes Of the minority, the simon
pure reformers out-ganging the
i gang in their methods, pronounced
the measure as Infamous and charged
the perpetrators of such a measure
with attempting to hand the people
a gold brick in place of that which
they actually required. !.
In the senate this bill was railroad
ed through, amendments were ex-
cluded and no adequate time given for
proper consideration of the measure.
3 ! understand that this was accom-
plished by the minority republicans
combining with the democrats Of the
senate for the purpose in view, that
is, having suffered wrongs, imaginary
or otherwise, by a process Of manipu-
lation and combination that they CON
denim and wish a primary measure to
destroy, they adopt worse tactics in,
their methods. Z
Section j of bill No. SO provides for
a liberal construction Of the measure
. and says in plain language that If all
provisions Of the law are not complied
with, such provisions should not be
strictly enforced. .Js, !. i, s:ls
Section provides for date Of pri-
mary elections on Tuesday following
the third Monday of July, when farm
ers are busy, and election matters
can be left to professionals. Under
our present law primaries can be CALI
ed to suit che best interests and con-
veniences Of local communities as
suited to their occupations Provision
is made in section 2 for including all
/ officers from United States senator's
+ down. including supreme and district
judges. .,.,
Section 8 provides for each candi-
date to be hustling to get a petition
signed by three per cent of the legal
voters, then you pass it up to the sec
rotary OF state and pay 2 per cent of
Z the annual salary anticipated, but
further on in section a discrimina-
ton is provided whereby those aspir-
ing to gain an Office as against an In
cumbent are required to pay only one
half Of the fee specified, while the In
cumbent pays 100 per cent, a full fee.
This understand was demanded by
and conceded to the democrats by the
I minority republicans to insure the un-
holy alliance. and exemplify purity in
politics.
Imagine, please, how tho writer or.
3 any one else wishing a square deal
may enjoy voting for this measure
4 especially when we have q policy es-
tablished by the republican party for
protection to farm products and other
American industries, thus making it
easy for men to attain public ONCE
who work and vote against the best
interests OF our state.
Section 3 continues its provisions
Tor destroying the principle of having
the ONCE seek the men. makes every
aspirant for an Office get down and
hustle and adopts the principle Of the
slot machine where you drop q Fee In
the slot and hope to pull out an ONCE.
IN this line the Louisiana lottery prin.
ciple has full swing. One to get once
must make politics . business and re-