Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-11-09
THE MACHINE.

THE MACHINE.
The Lisbon Free Press contributes
the following to the comments of the
press on the machine" of this state:
In all the criticisms INDUCED in by
the reputed anti-machine press, against
the present political regime in this
state, none is in the nature of a charge
OF official malfeasance or corruption.
The state, as whole, since its advent
in 1889 has been remarkably free from
corrupt scandals such as has aroused
the celebrates in Pennsylvania, Wis
consin, Missouri, Montana and other
states as we'll as numerous municipal
tiles to great activity in enacting new
measures to meet such conditions.
The burden of the wouldIbe-reform-
ers aFraignment of the state machine,
gang or bosses as they are pleased to
term them is, that the state officers
and appointments are fixed by con-
ference of leaders previous to each
election.
Concede for argument that such Is
the fact. Is it not the parallel of sys-
TENS in vogue in all the states when
the majority of the electors Except on
rare occasions) who are engaged in
private affairs are willing that others
shall represent them in the political
field? We admit such action is not
ideal democratic way to indicate the
nominees, but it is prevalent and can
hardly be changed until there is a
more general participation of the
electors themselves in every stage of
political action from the primary to
the polls. It was for this very pur-
pose that primary laws were enacted
in several of the states to remedy, If
possible, the defects of the old sys-
tenn in naming a ticket It remains
yet to be seen whether such laws will
accomplish that most to be desired
end, for in the next few years the
primary system will be on trial and
it is the great desire of all that it
may prove effective and eminently sue
cessful. The state machine can not
be properly indicted before the bar Of
public opinion for assuming the
powers entrusted to them by the
republican party in default of some ex-
pressed desire on the part of the
voters. In the past, as elsewhere in
other states, under the convention
system in vogue, state officials have
been selected and important measures
Indicated for legislative action, as a
result of compromises as to persons,
location and measures, and leaving out
OF consideration Napoleanic managers,
they are seldom permitted to be die
tated by any one man, however strong.
The convention system has its weak
points, but up to the present it has
been the only one in vogue and the
best thing attainable. The state ma
chine, il it becomes corrupt or en-
courages corruption, will be brushed
aside by the onslaughts Of public
opinion, which has never yet failed in
q great crisis to effect tangible results.
But the people of the state will not
enter into combat with the regular
party agencies over the distribution
cf what is termed political spoils: +"
/. e.the selection OF state officials,
as long ~ such officials discharge
their several duties with faithfulness
and efficiency. On every public ques-
ton affecting the welfare or internal
policy OF North Dakota the voters
may be depended on to register their
VIEWS with certainty and dispatch, and
the voice Of the people will be heard
IN the legislative halls and executive
chamber whatever the character Of
the medium through which it must find
oppression.