The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-02-07
WEDNESDAY, FEB. Z, 1906.
A SQUARE DEAL FOR THE VOTERS.

A correspondent who has not &C.
Quainted himself with the provisions
of the direct primary law, requests q
brief and plain statement a to its
method of operation. AS there are
probably several other readers of the
River Press who have not a perfectly
clear understanding of the matter, We
submit the desired information, with
apologies to those who are fully in
formed upon the subject.
The direct primary law provides for
the nomination of candida tes by the
voters OF their party. The former
plan of nominating by political con.
ventions is thus abolished, although
it is provided that county conventions
be held for the purpose of adopting
party platforms, choosing central
committees. and attending to routine
business. But the nomination of
candidates for county offices-which
is considered the most important mat.
ter on the programs done by the
voters themselves, the method being
substantially as follows:
ANY qualified elector of the county
a enter the contest for any county
Office, from state senator to constable.
by complying with certain conditions.
He must have a certain number of
supporters who will sign his petition,
and this number of signatures being
secured his name is placed on the
official list of aspirants for the par
ticular Office he seeks, and will ap.
pear on the ballot that is marked by
the voters Of his party at the primary
election.
To illustrate. Suppose John Doe
desires the republican nomination for
sheriff. He secures the signatures OF
his friends in q certain number of
precincts, and files his papers in the
county clerks Office. Richard Roe
also desires the republican nomina.
ton for sheriff, and also gets signed
petitions which he files in like manner
Charles Coe, and probably others,
desires the same nomination and files
his petition with the county clerk at
least thirty days before the primary
election. These preliminaries apply
to the aspirants OF each political
party, and to every Office that is to be
filled.
The county clerk then prepares sep.
arate ballots for each political party,
upon which appear the names of those
who have fled the necessary petitions,
the names being classified under the
Office to which they aspire. Thus, un.
der the heading of sheriff, in the illus.
tratton presented, would appear the
names of John Doe, Richard Roe,
Charles Coe, aud others who had fled
petitions. At the primary election the
voter marks his ballot for one of
these aspirants, and the candidate
who receives the largest number of
votes becomes the nominee of his
party for that particular Office.
1t has been suggested that a voter of
one political party might butt into the
affairs of the opposite party by mark
ing his ballot in favor of one or more
OF its candidates. But provision is
made for the prevention of such a
trick. Each voter at the primaries
receives two ballots, one containing
the names Of republican aspirants for
the several offices, the other presenting
the list OF democratic candidates.. He
selects the one that accords with his
political views, and marks it to suit
himself. This ballot is returned to
the judges to be canvassed in due
course: the other ballot is returned by
the voter and placed in a separate box
provided for unmarked ballots.
Under the direct primary plan, it is
impossible for the so.called profess.
sional politicians to make u "slate."
NO mar or set OF men a form q COM
blnation to trade votes, for the simple
reason that they will be unable to de.
liver the goods. Under the CONVEX.
ton method the delegates from u few
precincts are able to pool their in.
terests and dictate the nominations.
but the direct primary system makes
the voters the Judge of the qualifca.
tions Of each candidate. 1t gives the
voters the power to nominate the can
didates they may wish to elect.
The present law promises to develop
into one of larger scope under which
state officials, congressman and United
States senators will be nominated by
the people. 1t will give the voters an
opportunity to express their opinion
of senatorial boodlers.
Elaonom Nosua. aA.a.no. c~-