The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-11-16
PRIMARY ELECTION LAWS.

Among other things which will come
up before the Nebraska and South Da-
kota legislatures this winter will be
the proposition to enact a primary
election law. 1t is well, therefore, at
this time, to consider the experiences
of some other states which have al
ready adopted the primary election
laws. Minnesota has had such a law
for six years and, although the law
of that state is not so broad as the
ones which will be proposed for Me-
braska and South Dakota, because the
Minnesota law does not call for the
primary system in the selection of
state officers, yet the following eX-
tracts would indicate that Nebraska
and the divorce commonwealth would
both do well to look before they leap.
So unsatisfactory has the small pri-
practice that there is now a strong
sentiment for repeal and it is pre-
dicted by the Minneapolis Journal,
which was strongly in favor of the
laws adoption, that the law will find
itself repealed. Some believe that it
could be brought into more satisfac-
tory action by an amended statute, but
the Journal declares the same faults
would still exist which are now troub-
ling the voters of the state.
Following are some of the typical
expressions from prominent Minneso-
ia men, as printed in the journal on
this subject:
Benjamin F. Ward: The primary
law is fraud, and the sooner it is
repealed the better. 1t makes candi
dates prey to bleeding by grafters
and cripples the party organization by
depriving it of money that should be
spent for legitimate campaign work
for the whole ticket Now it is every
man for himself, and everything is de
moralized.
James A. Kellogg: am against
primary elections and believe the law
should be repealed 1t is foreign t.
our form of government, and it's con
stitutionality may be reasonably doubt
ed. The primary election disinte
CRATES parties, opens the door to cor
rupt methods, and prohibits, by it:
burden of expense, any from being
candidates who have not large mean!
for advertising. 1t renders the powe
of money dominant and is an eXcre
scence on the body polite.
State Senator ]. +. Calhoun: 1t II
too expensive for the people and TO
the candidates. 1t is a destroyer o
political parties, especially the domi
nant party In my opinion it must b.
repealed or amended, and some othe
nominating system adopted.
Judge John H. Steele: The primar.
election law is out of joint with on
form of government. We have rep
resentative government. We mus
trust our representatives in the cit,
council, the legislature, in congress
and even on the supreme bench. w
must place our trust somewhere II
everything. The primary law submit
to the people for their action matter
of vital Importance to the government
These are often decided without con
sideration, and oftentimes unwisel
There is not the opportunity for DELFT
Grafton and consideration as in tn
convention. The majority rules il
convention, and the convention is us
ually made up of men who take an in
terest in politics and in the welfare o
the city and state, as we'll as of party
They know men and issues, and us
ually produce better results. The
= are responsible for the nominees an
the party policies. Under the primar
law there is not a majority rule, bu
rule by a fractional minority. Gu
government is based on majority rule
, The most Objectionable thing is tn
fact that few men who would max
competent public officials are willin
to go through the excitement an
hardships of a primary campaign an
; the general election following. If hoI
, est in their desire honestly to serv
the public. The tendency of the pr
mary is to destroy the independence
'of the man, to humiliate him and t