Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-07-19
Tha PRIMARY LaW.

l y
mary law, the state adopts Many
kinds Of direct primary laws have
BEEN adopted by states and several
lessons have been learned 90 to fitting
such legislation TO theEactual needs
OF the people OF given common
wealth. 1t 10 fair to say that very
few pr ople in Kansas are opposed to q
direct primary provided it insures .
better system Of nominating candi'
dates than that we now possess.
The Capital has published several
dozen columns OF stertorious ode
mand" for a primary law but at no
time has the Capital ever suggested
any Ct the details OF the law 1t would
frame for the people Of this state. II
the Capital has had time in the midst
OF its parental duties, to watch the
discussion In the Illinois legislature,
which has been wrestling with this
question Of state primaries, 1t has
probably observed that it is not as
easy to frame a reasonable law upon
that subject, as it is to howl In favor
OF it.
No primary election law, covering
a territory larger than county or
small district, has ever been enacted
that has satisfied the people for any
length OF time, and 1t lie probably safe
to soy that none ever will be enacted
that will be generally Satisfactory.
In Pennsylvania, in q county where
the Crawford county system was
the law became practically
Annulled in that county in the follow
Ing manner: The Democrats held
their regular delegate conventions q
lew wesks before the legal primaries
we're to be held, and nominated their
exactly as candidates are
now nominated in Kansas b delegate
conventions, and the primaries
proved to be mere ratification Of the
delegate convention previously held.
u course the Democrats who voted at
he primaries we're not bound to vote
or the candidate put up BY the dele
rate convention, but the Democrat
who failed to endorse the candidate Of
nis party, and the candidate who re-
used to accept the edict OF his party
u convention assem- bled, stood about
IS much show Of election at the gen. G
raj election, as any other "bolter" |
you'd have. There is no lawful way q
hat the voters Of political party caH O
Q kept from milling together in b
dvance OF q primary election and dis \
ussing the merits Of their candidates, v
nd the principles Of their party, and d
hey will do this very thing; and they a
ught not to be and cannot be pre- a
ented from doing 1t. b
1t is safe to say that no primary "
cotton which covers . scope Of terri. o.
ny larger than the personal &C. ii
laintance Of the candidate to DO Sc o.
cted can In any sense Of the word be ri
~ expression Of popular senti- q
emit" as to the merits OF such cAndi- OIL
tie. Take the case OF the two oandt. 10
ties for the Kansas Republican NOM th
alton for lieutenant governor, Senator at
lzgerald and Judge Ansel R. Clark. al
ow many Of the Republican voters
Dickinson county do you suppose 1t
or saw either one OF these gentle. &c
emp Probably a dtzen or twenty ca
tiers out Of the $500 Republican in
tiers have seen these gentlemen, and re
lew something Of their qualifications fel
the office to which they aspire. wi
lie remaining 24SO Repu blicans must VIZ
IN their opinion Of the merits OF gu
sSs gentlemen upon faith in the So
ltements Of those who do know &C,
en-, and what the Capital and other an
WsPapers may have to say about thl
en-. Half Of the Dickinson county an
IN who know them both told The th,