The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-01-11
TO RECONCILE lNcON-
SISTENCIES.

forms and resolutions of both political
parties is directed to enact new and
improved primary law While this
paper has never believed it possible to
enact a satisfactory working primary law
yet If 1T is possible,we are willing to give
such a law support when enacted and
have no great objection to making the
experiment.
Personally, We believe THAT the in
stitution of parties and party organiza-
! tion by custom, as evolved from the
political experiences of over a hundred
years, with all it's faults which are many,
is far better than any new scheme that
can possible be invented in the course
of few months or years.
Hence the following words and sugges-
tions to our law makers. But because
the suggestions, If all considered, would
be so many the words must be brief.
l. All primary law SO far enacted is
mostly failure. Certainly in this state,
as both parties call for amendments
2. The theory Of the primary law is
simple enough. 1t recalls the words of
the old song, ''Turn Backwards, Oh
Time in Your Flight" just turn back
the hands of the political clock, abolish
parties and party government and have
the individual voter do his own thinking
asin the days of MilesStandish. Though
even Miles might have to study the post
ed instructions to Voters at the poll
ing place, before he could intelligently
cast his Australian ballot with a hun
dred names printed thereon
3. There are now some 100000
people in this country and there are
some other changes in political matters,
but the rules of hundred years ago
were good enough then and ought, to do
now. Notwithstanding many changes
have occurred it is quite possible for the
individual farmer to still plow, with a
crooked stick or thresh with fail
4. One of the first difficulties of the
primary law is the existence of parties.
So far the law has been unable to get
around this fact. Parties are the result
and growth of custom and not ofstatute.
Public opinion these days seems to be
against all combinations whateyer-and
political parties in particular. Hence
in the time of thefuture political millen-
ium there will be no parties, and when
ever two or three or more, shall gather
together in or under any political name,
the law will be, with them and they
will be punished and fined or otherwise
imprisoned as they deserve. But it is
not yet the millennium. The present. law
must define party and what and how
many constitute party. It must pro-
vide for the Organization government
of the party. 4 But il must also provide
that no man shall be bound (governed)
by the party and if he does obey the
party or any part 81 the party, that he
will be considered as q memder Of a
monoplistic body and dealt with accord
ingly. In fact the law must gostill far
ther and define and regulate the parties
within the party. When factional diff
erences arise itsmust be that an appeal
to the primary law win tell swho's who,
There must be q column for. the ainsur-
gents on the ballot and and another for
the .stalwarts'. etc. s.
s. The new law must be simple. It
must be e. simple that. the wayfaringa
man may read as he rams about his daily
business. He viii have to unlesrn the
old law and stud the new ways. sssa
8. Under the'old INV the. voter cent
Iothers 70 tho conventions and such
places to ifind out Who were Il the best
/ mon for mSial itionsI md tthless dsle.
gates q . e tto II thst alls % III:
state 81 count Nell danly sIentssd
on ths ticlIe l,, y nGi az he mns this
5or himsell I6 Il s many
I'M bpt txooE tatse os - 3 N ~ "