The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-08-22
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST ", 1906.
DIRECT PRIMARY ELECTION.

There will be considerable public in
terest throughout Montana in the pri
mary elections to be held on Tuesday
Septem Der i, in the eight counties tina
have adopted the direct primary Law
enacted by the ninth legislative as
sembly. The counties 10 which the
law is operative are Chouteau, Valley
MeaRher, Yellowstone, Rosebud.
Sweet Grass, B%roadwater and
Ravalli. In each of.these counties a
majority of the voters decided, at q
special election, that they wished &c
nominate their candid ates by direc,
vote.
This plan Of nominating candid tes
has been adopted by the progressive
citizens OF several other states, and ia
understood to have given general sat.
isfaction. So far as known, it has
not in any cas- been abandoned in ia.
vor OF the old system of nominating
BY party conventions. 1t places po-
litical power in the hands OF the peo-
pie, whose vote and influence cannot
be controlled OF traded by schemers
who frequently directed the proceed
ings Of old-time conventions.
The success or failure Of the direct
primary in Montana will depend upon
the intelligent use OF it by the people
whom it is designed to benefit. 1t is
up to them to nominate as their party
candidates the very best men among
the several applicants for the respec.
tive positions. The public business
should be OF as much interest to every
good citizen as his " personal at.
fairs: it is part OF his duty as an Am.
erican citizen to assist in nomina ting
and electing candidates who, in his
best judgment, will render faithful and
efficient service in the official posi-
tions to which they aspire. Attend
ance at the polls on September 4, and
casting h~is:vote in favor of the candi.
dates he honestly believes will make
the best public officers, is a public
duty which every good citizen should
earnestly strive to perform.
While the Montana direct primary
law has several minor defects that
call for revision, its purpose is one to
which no intelligent citizen can take
exception. Some Of the good points
OF the law are the subject Of these re.
marks by the Meagher County Repub.
lican:
AS u s~tudies.the provisions of the
primary election law, its sweeping et.
fects become more and more apparent.
just where the professional politician
comes in at we are unable to ascer.
tain, since all the powers are lodged
in the people themselves. This is as
1t should be. Under the old system
long continued-the average citizen
and voter has become careless of his
duties as a f%reeholder and has not ex.
ercised his powers of franchise as he
should. The:preliminary stages Of a
campaign, the caucus, he has stayed
away from-the very place where he
could get 10 his work for the better.
ment OF politics-and the politician
never overlooks Ian opportunity like
that to get a bunch of delegates elected
whom he is sure he can handle as he
wishes.
Right here is wherelali the response
bility is put back upon! the voter I'M
der the primary system. He must
make his selection of candida tes
for all county offices. This tends to
invest his privilege with dignity and
responsibility and will result in such
men being nominated for Office as will
v the complete confidence of their
constituents.
II is noted that all candidates must
be nominated and voted upon by the
electors, whether they be for Office or
as delegates for the county conveu.
tiOns. The names are printed on the
separate ballots and no mans name
may appear in than one place
on such ballots. 1t is manifesily inn
possible, therefore, for candidates for
office to be candidates for the couven-
ton also. Not being delegates to the
conventions, they are not eligible to
serve on %thelcentral committees.
Another feature which commends
itself to thelhonest voter is the fact
that no candidate will have any dele.
cations to trade. Those announcing
themselves for the Office of sheriff, for
instance, must run the course to the
finish. They cannot, when defeat
seems imminent, switch over for some
other Office where the possibilities
seem more favorable. All of which
will show the politicians just where
they stand with the people and We have
no doubt there will be many Il sur.
prise when the votes are counted on
September 4th.
TakinO IL all in all IVA 1ika tha Inn,