Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-07
TWO REFORMS NEEDED.
Governor Cummins Makes a
Plea For the Adoption of a
Primary Election
ANrkPAss LAW ALSO FAVORED
Some of the Pleas Made by tho Gov
ernor in His ckautauaua Address On
tho Reign of the Common People
An Outline Of the Proposed Le'asIa-
,alon.
seial to Times Republican

'Special to Times Republican
Des Moines, Aug, 7.--Governol Cunt
minis, address "The Reign of the Com
mon People" which has been delivered
at a number OF chautauquas and Is 70
be delivered at q number OF others be-
fore the close of the chautauqua seas
on, Is a most strenuous plea for the
adoption OF a primary election law ana
an anti pass law as the chief reforms
for which the country is now In need.
In the address the Governor outlines
more completely than he has yet done
the kind of primary election law ne
would have the state adopt,
The Common People.
His definition of the common people
is interesting:
1.-THE common people may be either
rich or poor; they may be clothed m
rags or in fine linen; they may dwell
In palaces or live In novels; they may
be strong or weak; they may tie learn
ed or unlearned; they may tie keen-
minded or dull witted; they may he Ia
nous or obscure; they may be wise OF
foolish; they may be virtuous' or VIC
ious; they may be successful or unsuc-
cessful; their lives may be lliEntea UP
with pleasure or clouded WITH corroW.
Mark we'll my definition OF the COM
mon people. They are the men ana
women who have no other interest IN
the government of their country save
that which is shared by all their
follows. They are the men and women
TO whom the laws of the land can
Grant no particular advantage. Ihey
are the men and the women whose
highest welfare, both moral ana ma
terial. is attained in the honest. 1aitn- :
full and efficient administrator 81
public affairs"
s Present Day Methoda'
Discussing present day poi'tlca'
methods the. governor saws:
"As II is now, nominations ordinarily
begin with the township caucus, al
tho some counties have primaries.
IF there is q. contest on, the corpora
tion Is at the caucus, thru Its cnosen
apents. and accomplishes what II can
there A delegation is chosen TO tne
county convention, and he andes WIN
this delegation until 1t meets Tor the
nomination of county officers and the
selection OF delegates to the state or
district convention, and wher the oele-
Gates are chosen, they understand
Clearly that if they want to attend the
state convention without expense 70
them selves. upon free transportation
furnished by the railway companies,
and oftentimes witt. their board paio
IN the hotels Of the city In which the
convention is to be held, these courter
s.es are open to them. The state OF
district convention meets, and three-
fourths or more of its delegates nave
been carried to the convention upon
ma sses. These delegates would pc
most ungrateful IL they did not nave
friendly ear for the. corporation lop-
hyist. and il they did not listen with
careful attention to the corporation
manager respecting the nominations
about to be made.
..ro paint the whole of the picture
with all its colors is disagreeanle
thing to do, but want You to look
mon It., because 1t is true to life, ana
however vivid may be its hues, 1t dis
closes less than the real truth, for
there are many other practices even
more Objectionable, pursued py those
whose specious pretense is that u 10
necessary to nominate 'safe men; ana
safe man. according to their inter-
probation Of word, is man VINO VIII,
when the important, vital moment
comes. do not what he believes to De
right, but what the corporation pe-
lieves to be right.
- = The Voter the Unit.
"This system of caucuses ana con-
Yentions has another objection. II
makes the county or congressional dis
trict the political unit and the ma
iority usually takes the whole county
or the whole district, altho the pre-
nonderance may be almost inapprect-
able: In our country, the voter should
he the unit, and his will should count
from the beginning to the end. The
greater number Of these units In the
party organization, In thu. territory in
which the officer II to he nominated,
should control, ana nothing should be
permitted to either prevent or obstruct
this decision"
es The Primary"
The governor states that he would
be wasting time ala he point out the
evils without suggesting the remedy
and then says Of the primary election:
T cAn this; leads to my appeal in be-
half OF a primary election law. The
universal acceptance of this method
of selecting candidates is a prerequis-
lite to the reforms which all good citi-
zens agree should be brought about
By primary election law ] do not
mean those weak and Intellectual ex-
periments which apply 20 but single
party and which are limited to coun-
ty. mean a primary election law
prevailing throughout the state which
will require all politicaL organizations
to nominate their candidates upon
the same day by direct vote of the
men who live within the. territory COW
cred by the office. raean system
so broad and comprehensive that when
the sun goes down upon the primary
election day, when the voters have de-
posted their ballots. the nomination.
and all the nominations. will have
been made, and nothing will remain
but to declare the result. mean a
system that will shut :he door in the
faces Of the corporations or persons
who attempt to influence or pervert the
public will thru conscious or uncon-
scious bribery OF delegates to conven-
lions. / mean a system that will car
nv into effect the sentiment that oil
men are created equal and that the