The Washington times., 1905-12-31
Not a New Thing.

The primary election is no new thing.
The South has long had it, There are
thirty-two States at present that are
now operating il in some form and to
some extent.
The Wisconsin law applies to the
nomination of all candidates FOR Of
fee. from United States Senator's down
TO city officers, exempting school su-
perintendents, town and village officers
ana Judicial officers, though police JUS
tices and justices of the peace come
under the operation Of the law The
Wisconsin law, too, makes the primary
an official gathering; it's officers are
the same men VINO conduct registration
previous to the primary and the cleo
tion proper which follows the primary.
The primary in Wisconsin and Min
nesota is TO be paid for from the pub
lie treasury. Thus it differs from the
voluntary non-official primaries of
Pennsylvania the Southern States and
other States which have long been op-
Grated. and whose defects Wisconsin
champions of the new law claim are
not properly credited to the official pri-
mary.
The Wisconsin law was passed. after
a long fight. in 1903 But it was passed
subject to a referendum Of all the State.
and this in 1904 upheld the enactment.
a review of the provisions of the law
VIII be Interesting to New York citi-
zens who contemplate the possibility of
something OF the kind in their State
Our nominations for office are all made
on the same day, at the same place. bv
all pf-rties. There IS the same secret
Australian ballot. the same officers be-
hind the table. The citizen on entering
the polling place is given a number OF
tickets fastened at the top. one ticket
Tor each party, and another on which
are printed the names of independent
and nonpartisan candidates.
Ihese lists Of names are made up i'm
advance, as described later The citizen
taxes ms bunch of ballots on which are
printed the names Of men who wish Of
nee into the secret booth. He NAV vote
only one ticket. On It he fnds tho
names Of the Offices and under col,
once names OF men who have qualified
10 secure places on the nominating tucker
of their party.
This method of getting on the ticket
is by petition-and is the weak link IN
the CHAIN The citizen. though a. De,p-
ocrat, may have hand i'm naming fba
republican ticket if he desires and
wee versa; but he can vote only one
ticket. In Minnesota he must declare 70
Which party he belongs but not so In
WISCONSIN. He checks his choice for
each office. He then goes back to the
polling clerk, where two boxes await
him
In one he deposits the ballots he dis
cards tall such ballots are later de-
stroyed without being sexanlined). In
lhe o1ner box he deposits the ballot he
mas checked. Theoretically at least there
WIN De no more getting together Of the
leaders of the party in Wisconsin.
And now as 10 The making up Of this
ticket which the citizen has voted. II
was felt that 1t would never do TO allow
every citizen who wished or whose
friends wished him to be a candidate 10
go on the nominating ticket. So the
Wisconsin Lew provides that only such
names shall be printed on this nominat-
ing ticket as shall be applied for by petit
tons Of voters
mus before a name can go on as a
candidate for a State office on a party
ticket petition must be filed with the
secretary Of state signed by not less
than per cent of the total vote cast
by MS party at the last general election.
And these must not all be gathered in
one community; they must be distrib-
uted among at least six counties
III man wishes 10 stand for Congress
for his party he must get the names Of
at least per cent of the party vote in
his district, representing at least one
tenth of the precincts in one-half OF the
counties of his district.
Must Have 8 Per Cent Vote.
And If a man wishes TO run for Office
on the party ticket for county or city
office. he must file the names of in
dorsers Of his party equal 10 per cent
OF the party vote cast in each of one
sixth Of the precincts Of the district and