Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-03
THE WISCONSIN PRIMARY.

Senator La Follette's primary law,
the statute that was placed on the Wis
consin law books through his personal
endeavors when he was governor, has
been tried and found wanting. 1t is
reported from the badger state that
the first trial. of the law at Milwau-
kee shows so many symptoms of weak
ness that it is commonly classed as a
failure. According to newspaper dis
patches the measure has failed to full
fill the promise and spirit intended by
its trainers. Among the objections
made out of the experience had with 1t
these are summarized:
1. Party organization and principle
is practically lost
2. Combination and deals Of even
a more dangerous kind than under the
old caucus system are possible.
8. 1t gives democrat an opportu-
nifty to interfere with the affairs of the
republican or social democratic parties
and vice versa.
4. 1t makes it possible for one par
ty to dictate the nominations Of an
other party and put either the weakest
or strongest man in power as 1t sees
fit.
S. 1t necessitates two strenuous
campaigns instead Of one. 1t deprives
the poor man Of chance. It gives the
one who can get the most publicity
the best opportunity.
6. It is more expensive than the old
system and does not produce better
results.
The experiences of Iowa with pri-
mary law agitation makes the Wis
consin event one Of mucn interest In
this state. During the debate in the
Hawkeye legislature it was freely
charged that certain elements OF weak.
ness were apparent and inherent, and
the Wisconsin experience seems to
substantiate all that was urged in
Iowa against the original bill that leg
islators were commanded to support
or stand suspected Of being in an I'M
holy alliance to corrupt and keep cor
rupted the votes necessary to deliver
the control of caucuses to the malevo-
lent influence of the machine, as it
was said to be dominated by corpora
ton influence. The way the "unholy
alliance" was endorsed in Wisconsin
is thus told in dispatch from Milwau.
kee:
Probably the best Illustrations of
the operation of the law are to be
found in Milwaukee. Here there is not
the slightest doubt that Mayor Rose Is
the strongest man in the democratic
party, and that, left to itself, the party
would give him every vote except pos
sibly 1000 to 5000. Yet at the pri-
mary last Tuesday he won out by only
1858.
"This is how it happened: William
George Bruce ran against him. Bruce
took just the reverse side Of Rose in
the local issues. Rose stands for a.
wide open town. Bruce ran on a pur-
ity platform. Everybody here admits
that Bruce and Rose cannot be COM
pared for strength within the party.
But Bruce came nearly winning out.
He made a deal with the La Toilette
republicans. They openly supported
him. They went into the booths, for
feited all rights to vote for republican
and voted for Bruce. With
them 1t was anything to beat Rose.
''The socialists did the same With
them 1t was an easy matter. Before
the primaries the socialists took q re-
ferendum vote and decided who their
candidates would be. These were
placed on the primary ticket without
opposition. This left the party free to
attend the primary election and med
die with the affairs Of the republican
party or the democratic party. The So
cialists hate Dave Rose So thousands
Of them voted for Bruce in the hope
that Bruce would be the nominee.
They wanted Bruce also because he
would be easier to beat at the polls
than Rose"
Now this is a practical trial Of
law for which Governor La Toilette
was the "chief booster" and which was
framed by him and his friends with
great care. 1t is nearly the same as
the proposed law that Iowa has re-
fused to adopt, and it's failure is there
fore matter of great interest here.
It simply shows the truth of what has
been said all along in Iowa-that as
ong as men are men and common NOR
5als there will be some of them whol
will be dishonest and resort toll
schemes, in politics, in business, in ev-
cry phase of life. No law like the prf-
mary law can prevent it. 1t is a thread
n the fabric of humanity.
I'D.
yN1arH n1reo ~N....-.,-