Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-10
MINNESOTA MAN SAYS SYSTEM
is UNPOPULAR IN THAT
STATE
AN AID TO CORRUPTION
Hon. j. A. Lawrence, Of Mortified,
Mimi, Says Minneapolis Could Have
Escaped DOC" Ames' Third and
Worst Term AS Mayor But for the
Primary.

q y g
why, if you people here in iowa
adopt primary law such as is pro-
posed by the Crossley bill you will
have condition that will be little
short of rebellion. The people will
not accept it without fight, and a
hard one, too. In Minnesota, where
the law gives cities an option as to
whether they will use the primary
election system in their city cam
paigns, only four of them-St. Paul,
Minneapolis, Duluth and winona-
have tried it. The others don't want
the bother and expense. because there
is nothing to be gained.
Such was the way in which Hon. j.
A. Lawrence of Mortified, Mimi,
who was visitor In Ottumwa this
week, summed up the situation in his
state as the result Of the primary cleo
ton system which has been in force
there for six years and which is so
unsatisfactory that it is used only as
the law provides and compels county
and congressional tickets. The state
and judicial tickets are nominated in
the usual way, through the caucus and
convention. and Mr. Lawrence says
there has been no ATTEMPT, since the
law became effective. to have the pri-
mary election system extended to
either state or city tickets because the
trouble and expense are so great and
the advantage SO small. AS noted,
Mr.. Lawrence says that four cities in
the state have adopted the primary
system for their city campaigns.
The Salvation Of Ames.
"The plan is IN use in the Twin
Cities. then" was asked by Courier
reporter.
Yes. and If you ask anyone in Min
neapolis you will find that had it not
been for the primary election there,
Doc Ames would never have been
nominated nor elected for his third
term and the disgrace that he brought
to Minneapolis would have been es-
capped. The reason is plain. Ames
was twice elected mayor on the dem.
ccratic ticket but. shortly before the
close Of his second term he an.
nounced that he lad become a repnb
lican. Before the primaries he filed
with the. republican party in the usual
way, along with five other men, all OF
! them good honest citizens. When
the primaries We're held the republi
s'dHo IilS,u w y'OlI'lNdtts tltSClC Sc1lASlA
date Int the democrats went into the
renublicsn. ',rimaries, united On Ames
and gave him plurality. Corruption
bevond tie widest fears was the re
suit. for the nomination was in that
case equivalent to the election. The
democrats were only too clad to see
Ames elected on the republican ticket
| for it threw unnn the shoulders of the
republican party not only the blame fol
the evils that he did in his third term
but those Of his first term as we'll"
Doesn't your law prohibit demo
Gratis voting In republican primaries?
: 30. yes. in words" was the reply
"bnt it also males it possible, espe
cially in q city the size of MinneaDo
lis. Just that. too. is the reason why
the vote at the primary is large
There is so much opportunity fol
trickerv that r7ore interest is taken II
/ the primary than in the actual cleo
ton, in many cases"
Expense Is Very Heavy.
ut costs great deal" said Mr.
| Lawrence. for g. man to be candi
/, date with the primary election system
| in practice. The expense is Just abou
twice as large with the primary a:
without it in Minnesota, and should
Judge that with your proposed Law
the proposition would be higher. 4
poor man has hard time getting the
nomination and a good deal harde
time getting the Office. He stands
almost no chance. in fact. against I:
rich man. The primary election is (;
boon to the rich politician, the trick
Ister.
Distribution of Offices.
"There are many bad points abou
the primary election. not the least o
which is the fact that fair distribu
4 ton of offices is utterly impossible. 1