Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-10-19
The Direct Primary.

ing parties. The system is still in an
experimental stage, where it has been
tried, and with ne, is a radical change
from forms, that while experience has
shown to be defective, have at least
served the purpose of expressing the
popular will quite we'll, except when
perverted by boss rule and fraud, that
even this reform may be unable to cir
cumvent. The pledge affixed to the
draft OF the bill to be presented to the
next Legislature, which the Direct
Primary League, with headquarters in
Seattle, ask each county to have their
legislative candidates to sign, is "to
vote and work for the within Direct
Primary Bill as drawn," and to do all
in his power "to secure prompt action
and not permit its pos,ponement in
committee" and that he will use the
most diligent effort to have the bill
passed early in the session."
This may, at first reading, seem rea-
sonable enough, provided it's trainers
have been working solely to formu.
late a system that will serve the PEG.
pie, but how often do we find bill
submitted for enactment into law that
comes up to this requirement? How
often do we find language used to con.
ceal rather than to express thought?
How often that, after " construction"
"interpretation," or "application" by
the court, does it vary from the we'll
known intent of those vested With tho
law.making power?
The most salient fact that hobs up
in consideration OF this change, is the
loss it will surely entail on the smaller
counties and outside districts, in man.
sgement of State affairs. That this
influence is small enough now has
been shown in nearly every State con-
vention, when the smaller county
was relegated to the rear, where, un-
less it had big mouth and stalwart
lungs, it was sure to be missed in the
shuttle unless needed for balance of
power when the big counties engaged
in some stalwart fight. Even this
small concession was sometimes salts.
factorily available, under the conven.
ton system, and we believe that the
magnanamity which sometimes &C.
cords rights to minorities is based
upon conservative principle that
should underlie all free government.
With the direct primary, however, no
such expedient is available, and the
result will be that the centers of popu-
Iation will have about everything their
own way and the State Offices will be
distributed at the big pie-tables. with.
out even an opportunity being offered
the lockwood" districts to gather
crumbs that fall from the board. So
ponderous and cumbersome will be
the system, in operation, that it will
seldom happen that . union OF popular
will may be expressed outside the cen.
ters Of population, that may be in the
least degree effective. So it will be on
voting for any economic measure; the
big fishes will have the benefit OF thor
ough organization, while the efforts OF
the smaller municipalities will be
abortive from want OF the means for
concentrated effort.
A casual glance over the SO sections
of the eight pages that embrace draft
Of the Direct Primary law, as it is in.
tended to pass. without amendment"
shows quite q number Of provisions
that seem to be faulty, and the League
is asking altogether too much to have
it adopted in precipitate haste, with.
out change or any amendment. It
should receive ample consideration,
thorough discussion, and all the time
necessary to thoroughly understand all
its provisions. 1t is safe to say that
not one in ten who voted for endorse.
ment of the Direct Primary in the
party conventions had An intelligent
idea Of any of the details involved to
make it desirable. They were caught
by the term "direct primary" and
jumped at the conclusion that it was
some way, in some manner, to make
the will Of the people effective.
Some reference TO the provisions OF
the bill as presented may be the sub.
iect of future reference.