The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-03-21
WEDNESDAY, MARCH. Fl, 1906.
THE COST OF DIRECT PRIMARIES.

In the absence of any legitima att
argument against the principle Of
direct primaries, the opponents of the
adoption of the new system in Chou.
teau county are alleging that it would
be enormously expensive. One of the
DIRECTORS, who Is on the county pay
roll, recently told q Fort Benton
voter that direct primaries 10 Chou.
teau county this year would cost $780,.
600. He had probably been told to
say $1,000, but added a cipher to the
amount.
In the Livingston Enterprise of re.
cent date appeared q statement from
. Park county attorney, who opposed
the direct primary proposition be-
cause of it's alleged expense. He said
the county clerk OF Park county had
informed him that the cost of a gen.
eral election in Park county was
about $4,000. He therefore concluded
that q primary election would cost
about the same amount, and an cleo.
ton for the purpose of adopting the
new law would cost another So, 900.
He appears to have overlooked the
fact that fully one-half of the cost of
a general election consists of regis.
tration. Under the direct primary
law there would be only one registra-
ton, as at present, and doubling up
this item of expense makes a mislead-
ing bulge in the figures.
The county of Ravalli, which has
about 1900 registered voters, was the
first county in Montana to adopt the
direct primary law. According to the
county clerk of Ravalli, the expense
Of holding the election a few weeks
ago was about $500.
But it is not necessary to seek in
formation upon this subject from
Park county or Ravalli county, as
each voter interested in the PROPOSE
ton can figure out the expense for
himself. Here are the data that enter
into the calculations:
In Chouteau county there are 43
voting precincts; In five of these it is
required that Ave election judges be
appointed, while each OF the remain.
ing 80 precincts have three judges oi
election. Each precinct has also two
clerks of election. If the polls are
open at every precinct, there will be
q total of 225 election officers who get
$500 each, or q total of e675. For
the election called for April Z, to
vote upon the adoption OF the direct
primary law, all other expenses-in.
Guiding necessary supplies, forward.
ing and returning same. and other
items-will not exceed $500, making
the total cost less than $1,000. This
expense will not occur again, II the
new system 10 adopted.
The expense OF q direct primary
election in Chouteau county may be
figured 10 the same way, but with q
little larger allowance for i~ncidentals.
II Is believed that 81 500 would be q
liberal estimate of its cost, and It
would probably amount to less than
that figure.
That such . comparatively small
amount would have no effect whatever
upon the rate of taxation, may be
demonstrated by q few figures. The
assessed valuation of taxable prop.
erty in Chouteau county exceeds ten
million dollars. A tax levy of one
mill on that amount will yield $40, 900;
. levy OF one.tenth OF mill will return
$1,000. A tax levy of oue.tenth Of a
mill can 10 cents on each 81, 600
worth of taxable property.
With q direct primary election held
In Chouteau county but once in two
years, at On estimated expense of ST.
500, the cost would average I! cents a
year upon each 81, 200 of assessed
valuation.
There, Mr.. Taxpayer, is the bogy
man known as the Enormous Expense
OF Direct Primary Elections" Three
nickels every two years upon an as.
sessment of 81 1000, and about one.half
OF the taxpayers of Chouteau county
are assessed for less than that amount.