Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-10-19
y0TE FOR THE PRIMARY.

When Governor CuflHnlilS Inaue viz
announcement that he would stand for
a denomination for the office OF gov
q e,q,or he laid particular stress on the
efforts being made TO defeat the en-
actment of primary law. 1t was to
him the most important state issue
Yet he knew that corrupt influences
ana political opponents We're working
right and day to defeat such a meas
ure.
wisdom of primary law or as to the
S influences that are working against it
not only In Iowa, but in other states,
should give careful attention to the
following extract from William Allen
Whites article on whats the Matter
With America in the current number
the great movements in politics and
taat stupid politicians and the forces
OF corruption are lighting against the
direct primary. He says:
zone of our chief troubles in poll
tics today is that the intelligently hon
est voter is tied up and tangled and
exlsperated with an Anticipated sys-
tenl of politics. 1t was made for
day when the people as q mass were
not quite ready for direct participation
In the affairs of government. In those
! days We called our government a
government OF the people, but 1t was
in fact a government of the politicians
for the people. Hence the convention
system in our politics. And from that
has grown the caste OF politics. that
has its foundation in the county and
Z the county town. and extends thru the
iraitial and congressional districts TO
the state and TO the nation. Under the
convention system the people find II
difficult to. express themselves. They
find 4. difficult 10 get results In the
sixties and SEVENTIES the convention.
system WAS probably the best system.
For parti.apshi,, and patriotism had
been sadly confused by the civil war
and it's issues. II the population. could
have voted directly for its party cam
didates, the old soldier would have
been named for sheriff from one end
of the land to the other without any
regard to the issues. But now the
American schools are turning out mill
ions Who can read and American civ
iiyation has shortened the hours OF
labor for those millions, and has put
attractive, well-made, well-Written,
and honestly edited periodicals into the
hands of those reading millions at
price so small that every one is q
reader. and the people are demanding
a change in their system OF politics.
This fall the movement for direct prl-
maries is engaging the people OF the
whole Mississippi Valley with varying
activity in the several states, 1t is one
al the great movements of American
palitics. The stupid politicians and the
forces Of corruption are fghtlng
against the direct primary. But i Isl
coming. and when it is established II
will take the American people one step
Aand that long step-nearer 10 the
, real government Of the people by the
people. that the people may not PERISH
from the earth
1t is a matter Of record as well as
admission by the democrats that they
voted with the standpatters last Win
ter to defeat tile only reasonable pri-.
mary measure brought before the leg
islature. Do the voters of Iowa want
a. primary law and if SO can they trust
As democratic legislature and demo-
cratic governor to enact such leglsla-
ton?