The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-11

IS uH-AulST1cdH.S Ii creates IaCLlOnS ana
ill feeling in the party itself, so that
enemy is furnished with plenty Of cam
paign material with which to work. -
Primary Law Failure
State Senator j. F. Calhoun de-
clares the primary election law is fail
| ure in that it does not represent the
wishes of the people and does not ac-
complish what it was intended to do.
cit is too expensive for the people and
for the candidates. he says, cit is a
destroyer Of political parties, especially
the dominant party. In my opinion,
it must be repealed or amended, and
some other nominating system adopted
in its place. - ~ D
1.-THE primary election law is an es-
tabllshed failure says S. V. Morris,
Jr. I" 1t has put no better men in Office
and has cost some good men offices and
was one of the Hennepin legislative
delegation to oppose the measure when
offered for Hennepin county and the
, state at large, and [ am proud of my
| two votes against it. 1t has failed
OF doing what was expected. Instead Of
a few professional politicians and
grafters, the town is now full of them,
| and they keep good men out. No man
IS called out or brought out. He brings
himself cut and any person with $40
can file and become candidate regard
less OF ability or anything else. -
destroyer of PARTIES" .
Thomas Fl. Girling, chairman of the
republican county committee, says:
"ln its present form the primary law
| is failure and destroyer Of parties.
Responsibility and obligation to party
| and everything else are evaded. It en-
| courages the worst political nuisances,
| and it must in time be amended. If
| every voter was in position to watch
| its workings, there would be a popular
demand for its modification.
"The primary election law must be
repealed or amended says w. w.
Heffelfnger Of the republican state CEN
party principles and party lines. It is
| destructive, creates discord and fac
tions, and now that it is better known
and understood, good men hesitate to
enter politics. I am in favor of an en-
tlrely new system or return to the old
| convention system rather than con
tinuatlon of the present sort Of prima.
| ries.''
-. ~ Should Be Amended. s'-e Z"
Former Governor S. R. Van SAINT: ssI
have always been a strong believer in
the primary system and favor it's ex-
tension to state officers and United
States senators. I am willing to con-
cede. however, that the primary law has
| its drawbacks and some unfortunate re-
suits. / believe it ought to be amended
SO as to correct some Of the evils which
attend 1t, especially the participation Of
voters in primaries of the other party.''
Senator George p. Wilson: 'tUnless
some satisfactory. plan of amending the
! primary law can be devised, am ready
| to vote for it's repeal. It necessitates
two expensive campaigns and is too
great a burden on the candidates. l
am in favor Of amending the law unless
1T is improved so as to do away with
this defect, and so as to prevent the
breaking down Of party ines.''
the principle of the primary and would
prefer to- keep the power of making
nominations in the hands of the people,
but the law is not satisfactory as it
stands. It certainly should be amended
so as to stop the practice Of; one party
stepping in and debating the nonlina.
tions of the, other party ,:,s.~
Arthur L. HelliweTl, former represen-
tative: 1T have always been affirm
believer in the primary law, but I will
admit that Il amssnof, as enthusiastic
over it as once vas. Il
Law sIs Defective.
Marley ,Fosseen, State se1,ator-elect:
~ still think That the principle Of the
direct primarYslaw issiright, in that it
gives the people themselves Ia direct
voice in nominations The Law is de-
fective as it stands, there is. no question
about that. Voters Of one party should
not be. permitted to participate in the
primaries of another party, and some
amendment to the law should be de-
vlsed that'will stop that practice. ] am
w6ieh non ON sym SSmet5bing in that line
Benjamin F. Ward: "The primary
law is fraud, and the sooner it is re-
pealed the better. It makes candidates
a prey to bleeding by grafters and Grip
Piles the party organization by depriv-
ing 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 democrat
Should Be Repealed. t .
James A. Kellogg: "I am against
primary elections and believe the law
should be repealed. It is foreign to our
form OF government and it's constitu-
tionality may be reasonably doubted.
The primary election disintegrates par
ties, opens the door to corrupt methods,
pense. any. from being candidates who
have not large means for advertising,
1t renders the power of money domi-
nant and is an ,excrescence on the BODY
politic.' .'rSt -. =. -, Ho ~
W. E. Stoopes, county. SURVEYOR:
'Ihere will be no republican party
left unless the primary election law IS