The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-03-14
WEDNESDAY, MARCH. IA, 1906.
NOMINATING BY DIRECT VOTE.

The board of county commissioners
having called an election for April 7, to
decide upon the adoption or rejection
of the direct primary law, it devolves
upon the voters of Chouteau county to
say whether they wish to nominate their
candidates by the new method, or to
leave that important matter to others.
The old convention plan has been in
effect for many years, and has been
found 10 be satisfactory and OBJ.
jectionable 10 many respects. That
has been the general experience in
other tates as we'll as 10 Montana: 1t
has been abandoned in favor of direct
primaries in various parts of the
country, and at the present time there
is a demand by a large proportion Of
good citizens for a system of square
deal' politics of which direct pri.
maries form a part.
The principle of the direct primary
proposition may be explained by a
mos: simple and convincing illustra-
ton. Suppose you are running a
ranch or some other business enter
prise in which you need the services Of
ten or twelve men. Would you en-.
trust TO a committee or convention Of
your neighbors the duty of choosing
the men who would work for you, and
whom you would be required to pay
for such services: Would you not pre-
fer to choose them yourself and have
the opportunity to decide whether or
not they are just the kind of en-
ployes you wanted:
That is the direct primary PROPOSE
ton, in as plain and simple form as
it could be presented. Public officials
are the employees of the people, and
the latter are entitled to every posi-.
bic opportunity to pass upon the
qualifications and d~esirability of ap.
plicants for any public position.
That opportunity is presented in q
direct primary, and where that method
of nomin ating candidates is ia effect
it results in establishing closer rela.
lions between public officials aud their
employers. The people have better
and more effective control over their
public affairs.
There are several objections to
the direct primary law passed by the
ninth assembly, some Of which are
we'll founded while others are due to a
misunderstanding or misrepresents.
ton OF its provisions. Some Of these
critics are doubtless perfectly honest
in their opposition, while others are
against the adoption Of the law be.
cause they believe their chances Of
political p%referment would be better
under theiuconvention system. The
latter would oppose any kind Of pri-
mary law that could be enacted.
One OF the complaints made against
the new primary law relates to the re.
q%uirement that an affidavit be made as
to the signatures on petitions in each
precinct. These petitions must come
from one.sixth Of the precincts, and
in Chouteau county, according to a
prospective candidate, this would re.
quire the expenditure Of at least 900
for notary fees. This is not u very
important matter, but the affidavit,
part of the business should not be re.
Quired. Under the Australian ballot
law, nomin ations that are made by
petition do 20 need an affidavit OF
any kind.
Another defect OF the new primary
law Is a provision which extends thu
time in which voters may register
This, also, is unnecessary and SHOULD
be changed to conform with the regis
tration law in effect.
There are probably other features O.
the new primary law that call for re
vision, and will receive proper atten
ton. 1t seldom happens that q new
law affecting such matters is free from
imperfections. The present registra
ton law is recognized as a good thing
although it was the subject of sever
criticism when it was enacted; it wa
found to be defective in some respects
but many of these faults have bee
remedied. The same thing happene
in regard to the Australian ballot Law
which met with fierce opposition au
denunciation when 1t was first pro
posed. There were some defects in i
and at the last session of the legisls
ture, when the Australian law ha
been in force for about fifteen year.
it was decided to change one OF i,
provisions.
Those who favor the principle of d
rect primaries have an opportunity t
avail themselves of the privileges 0
fered bv the new law. II it is not S
perfect a law as they would wish, the
will have the power to secure an
change in it's provisions that pra'
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