Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-06

candidates for Offices, filled by vote
Of the people, from the governor down,
by the primary election system. 1t in
cludes candidates foe United States
senator, and all electors for president
and vice president. To those who be-
lieve that direct vote by the people
for United States senator Is desirable,
this feature of the bill might appeal
were the methods provided simple and
easily invoked, and it is required
majority Of the votes cast to nomln-
ate. But 90 exactly the reverse of these
conditions Is contemplated by this
measure, that, as the bill is framed,
candidate for United States senator,
or any other office, might receive the
nomination when in fact the vote
showed that he was the choice of only
a small proportion of all the voters of
his party. May it not therefore well
be doubted whether the measure
would commend itself to even those
in favor of electing senators by vote
Of the people? To those who believe
in the old and time-tried system
which the state now has for the nomin-
alton and election Of its United States
senator's, and which has resulted in
ate and keeping there men Of the
highest standing, and of the widest in
fiuence, the crying necessity for this
radical and new departure may not be
apparent.
Under the provisions Of Section Q
of this bill, no party can have the
names Of its candidates placed upon
a primary ballot unless such party
polled at least two per cent Of the
entire vote cast at the preceding
election This would necessarily con-
fine all nominations to existing parties.
No new OF independent party could get
the name of any candidate on the pri-
mary ballot, because such party would
never have polled two per cent OF the
votes cast at the preceding election.
Is not this a rather high-handed de-
privation of the right of the people to
organize new parties advocating new
principles when circumstances and
conditions seem to call for them?
Section provides that no circle
4 shall be used on the primary election
4 ballot, but requires each voter to mark
\ the names of every candidate fol
whom he wishes to vote Presumably
i there would be two lists Of candidates
I for nomination in each party, and II
many instances three or four lists. The
difficulty which an ignorant or inexperi
4 enced voter might experience In goini
: through such long and complicated
list OF candidates, marking each per
son for whom he wishes to vote sepaI
ately, Is perhaps worthy OF considera
ton.
Section Of the bill provides 70
registering the party afiiliation OF eac
{ voter at the time he votes. II n
should fail to vote or fail to registe
his party affiliation, he could not vot
: at the subsequent primary election
e unless during the ten days precedin
9 the thirty days preceding the primar
= election he shall file an AFFIDAVIT wit
= the county auditor stating what NJ
a party Affiliations are. Is 1t reasonabl
h to suppose that many voters Will
It through this red tape, even II the
a know how to; and 1t Is not probabl
$ that many will neglect to do 80, eithe
:, because Of ignorance Of the requir
e ment or a lack Of knowledge OF no
! to go about it? Is not this machine1
e for the registration Of party aft1liatioI
lie cumbersome and involved and calc
lated to deprive voters OF their rigl
]. to be heard?
: Section 8 Of the bill provides tn
4. no candidate can have his nan
N placed upon the ballot as candida
\ for Office unless, at specified date :
fore the primary election, he shall q
rs nomination papers, either with q
i'd county auditor or with the secreta
IT of state, as the case may be. the
a papers must be signed by qualln
t voters, the number Of which sign
ures varying in accordance with :
he office, to from to per cent OF the
ne tai vote Of that party at the last &c
va eral election In the county, district
ne state. as the case may be. For
p stance on the basis of the vote at t
81 last general election In 1904, any
publican candidate for the position
ce elector-at-large, governor, secretary
a. state or any other state office, wol
or be required, before he could even
u his name before the people on |
mary ballot, simply as one OF ma
~ candidates for nomination, (not as
ak candidate for election), to file nomi'
ok ton papers signed by over 5000 rep
or licans; these 1900 republicans wo'
Of have to be scattered over not less tn
fifteen counties of the state; es
signer must agree to support the c
I. didate whose petition he signs; M
state his residence, street and nj