The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-01-04
WHY A eTATEWIDE PRIMARY
FOR IOWA.


Al small number Of very active poll
ticians have met and decided that we
must have a statewide primary cleo
ton for Iowa. A fairly conducted pri-
mary might prove a good thing for
some locations, where every party
voter could express himself as 10 can.
didates II he 80 desired; but would be
no Improvement on q fairly conducted
caucus where every voter would have
the same privilege, while a primary
would cost ten times as much.
Unfortunately for this primary
scheme, the head incubators and pro-
moterg thereof are the men In Iowa
who have run our caucus business, and
now jump onto the primary before O
popular wave OF inquiry that has do
veloped corruption and graft In oficiaI
ranks that demands reform. In this
way they hope 10 make themselves
very popular with the people and there,
by hold control Of party machinery.
And they would brighten republicans
into their primary not by holding up
the gpecter OF a republican skeleton
az the outcome OF tho rejection OF
their schemes. The old party caucus
that starts from the precinct where
every voter is known TO all his fellow
voters, and coming up step by step
through similar but eyer-enlarging cir.
cIcs until tho great national owen
ton II organized, composed exclusive
Iy OF our best and ablcst party work.
crs, rs as fully representative Of tho
party voters AZ II IL possible TO get
and far more satisfactory than could
possibly result from the turmoils, con-
tentions, chickering's and strife Incl
dent TO q primary contest.
The voters OF Iowa recently decided
u do away with one.half OF our cleo
tons, Once in two years, say our peo-
pie, but here comes our reformerg who
Will die out with 80 little OF their reg
uIar work, and say 10 tho people they
profess TO love 80 dearly and are 10
anxious to have rule In this state, II
you will not keep us employed by hay
Ing elections every year you must ana
shall have two elections every other
year, ag that Is Just what a statewide
primary means, and will furnish their
machine constant work; the off.year
70 work on plans as now going on,
while election year will require much
overtime work.
There will be more ~canvassing 70
get out the vote at a primary and the
candidates for nomination will be at
more expense than at q general cleo.
ton with no help from the party un'
less he belongs 10 q party machine.
Now you zee what a machine can 90,
and why this select few determined 10
run the A. b. G. machine al aeprimary
motor. When well organized, and
they are well on the way Mt this time,
they expect to dictate, by the help on
their primary, every state, district and
county once IN Iowa that a any DO
litical influence or bearing on party
work.
We do not see how things can be
kept straight at a primary unless eacn
party has a separate day; for II all
voted together like at a general cleo.
ton the minority party being interest.
ed in the majority ticket being as bad
as possible might help in nominating
their worst material In order TO beat
II at the polls. This would insure the
worst instead Of the best men for the
places, and possible party defeat.
IL the state requires q party TO nom.
mate itg ticket by o primary election
Of course the state win foot tho bills
for holding the primary, and tho cost
TO the people viii be about the same
an az a general election. This Is an.
other evidence Of d professional TO-
formers friendly feeling for the dear
peoples burdens.
But a statewide primary law has q