The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-01-31
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 81, 1906.
FOR DIRECT PRIMARIES,

FOR DIRECT PRIMARIES.
In response to its inquiry as to the
views of Chouteau county voters upon
the question OF adopting the direct
primary law, the River Press has
been assured that a goodly proper.
ton Of the qualified electors are in
favor of the proposition. They rec.
ognize the fact that each voter, under
the direct primary system. has a voice
in nominating the candid ates OF his
party-in other words, the primary is
converted into a convention, in which
each voter is a delegate and is given
opportunity to cast his nominating
ballot In his home precinct. He is
not represented or misrepresented by
delegates from his precinct, as under
the present convention system; he
does his own voting, the same as on
election day.
Direct primaries were favored by
both political parties in Montana In
the last campaign. The republican
state platform said: ITO the end that
the people may have the widest op.
portunity to select candidates for Of.
fee, a direct primary law should be
so formulated as T. be economically
administered and to subserve the
ends to which the passage of such
bills have in view, and avoid the
mischiefs for which they are a rem.
edy."
The democratic state platform de.
manded: "A direct primary nomina.
ton law, conducted under the Aus.
tralian system, covering all state,
county and municipal elective officers,
and providing for the printing OF the
names OF all the candidates upon one
ballot, under proper party titles"
With these platform pledges of each
political party on the record, there is
craftsmanship in the direct primary
proposition. Each Of the parties pro-
fessed to be in favor of comforting
upon the people the power to nomin.
ate their candida es by direct vote.
There is nothing Intricate connected
with the adoption Of the new primary
law or in its practical operation. The
initial step consists simply in .circu.
lating petitions and securing the sig.
natures Of not less than Is per cent.
Of the total vote cast for justice OF the
supreme court ut the last election.
On presentation of these petitions to
the board of county commissioners it
ia mand atory that q special election
be called to vote on the adoption or
rejection OF the direct primary law.
These petitions must be considered by
the commissioners in regular quarter.
~ meeting, and at that meeting the
board must fix q date for holding the
special election, which date must not
be nor than ninety days thereafter.
For this special election no new regis.
tration is required, but only those
whose names appeared on the regis
tration books for the last general cleo
ton shall either be entitled to sign the
petition or to vote on the question.
In the event Of the proposition being
carried it is made the duty Of the
county commissioners to so declare
by resolution and %thereupon the law
shall be in full force and effect.
Thereafter all candidates for cleo.
tive offices of the county, members Of
the legislature aud deleg ates to county
conventions, Of all parties, shall be
nominated by u primary held in &C.
cordauce with this act.
The September primary shall BE-
held at the regular polling places in
each precinct on the first Tuesday oil
September, prior to the general cleo.
ton in November.
Each candidate must file his nomi.
nation paper at least 30 days prior &c
the September primary, according tc
a form specified in the act. Eact
signer Of q nomination paper shall.
sign but n paper for the same Office
aud shall declare that he intends Il
support the candidat named therein
adding his residence and the date O
signing.
Nomination papers for candidate
to county Office shall be signed by u
least 3 per cent. of the party vote il
at least one-sixth OF the election pre-
cincts of the county and in the aggre
gate not less than ; per cent. of the to
tai vote OF his party in the county
Candidates for delegates to the count,
convention shall be nominated by a
least 3 per cent. of the party vote il
the precinct of such candidate. Tn,
basis of percentage shall be the vot
Of the party for presidential elec:or re
ceiving the largest vote at the las
preceding election. Provision is ais,
made for non.partisan nomin ations.