Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-15

inhuman to employees; to permit 1t Is
! an oHense against the public. The
fault is not with the railway compan-
les alone, for there are employees who
seek an opportunity to thus increase
! their wages; but whoever desires it,
there is higher consideration than
either profit to the employer or COM
pensation to the employee. The pub
llic safety overruleS them both.
/ recommend the enactment of a
law that will fairly and reasonably
| limit continuous service Of employees
engaged in the movement of railway
| trains.
Primary Elections
The wisdom of establishing sys-
tenn for the nomination of candidates
for elective offices has not only been
assemblies, but has been maturely
considered by the people of the state.
Declarations upon the subject will be
| found in the platforms of the two
principal political parties which pre-
clude doubt with respect to the opin-
ions of an overwhelming majority of
| the voters. The experience of each
year, as it passes, emphasizes the
| imperative need of a thorough going
reform in the methods of nominal
| ing candidates.
| We have long tried the plan of I'M
regulated caucuses and conventions,
and the defects discovered in this sys-
tenn have been so manifest that there
| is an universal demand for something
| better. | therefore earnestly recon-
| mend, as l have recommended be-
fore, an efficient primary election
| law. l recognize that there are diff
ferences of opinion with respect not
| oy,1xy 70 NO Int do tot of
such a law; but | sincerely hope that
these differences may not be so broad
or so fundamental that they cannot
| be reconciled. l have given much
thought to the subject, but shall not
| impose upon you at this time more
than a statement of the essential fea-
lures which a primary election law
should contain.
First, it should embrace the nomi-
nations of candidates for all elective
offices, whether state, county, NUM-
cipal or district, including the office
of senator of the United States. Sec
ond, it should provide for the nomi-
nation of candidates for these Of
fees by the primary vote and should
not remit nominations, under any cir
cumstances, to conventicn, except
in the event of a tie. Third, the pri-
mary election for all political par
ties should be held throughout >the
state on the same day and at the same
places. Fourth, there should be some
| test of party utilization.
| / know that there are some thought
! full students of the subject who be-
lieve that nomination by a mere
plurality is unwise, and 1 grant that
there may be instances in which the
concurrence of a majority would be
better, but to require majority in
all cases would be to make no sub
stantial change in the present sys-
TEN, for conventions would still be
compellcd to nominate candidates. If.
| therefore, we are to advance at all
lit seems to me that we must adopt
nominations by pluralities.
| I am aware, also, that there are
many persons who, with the utmost
)sincerity believe that certain offices
such as judges of the supreme and
| district courts, attorney general,
clerk and reporter of the supreme
court and superintendent Of public
Instruction, should not be included
60 this conclusion, and yet / am
quite willing to concede that If there
are to be exceptions to the full and
complete operation of the law. they
should be along this line, rather than
any other.
l leave the subject with you, con-
fdent that you will deal with it as
DeCOIlless It's vast anu
accordance with the spirit which sc
universally prevails.
Gentlemen, l have now performed
as best I1could the duty which the law
imposes upon me. My responsibility
ceases and yours begins. transfer
these subjects to you in the full conf
dence that in SO far as / am right
my recommendations will find approx
al at the seat of your judgment, and
| with the consciousness that in so fal
as / am wrong they will fall under
the weapons of your fair debate
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT B. CUMMINS