Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-08-23
sszMszsR or The ASSOCIATED sTess
DIsuNlTED EFFORTS UNDER THE
PRIMARY SYSTEM.

EsEFs PRIMARY %SfSIEMs
Some of the .eceentricities incident
to the primary system are early be.
ing made manifest, Multiplicity of
candidates is the first evidence of the
Decentralization of parties and party
lines likely to occur under this sys-
tenn. There are likely to be a score
of candidates for every office and the
incongruous situation is likely to pre-
sent itself of having chosen as party
standard bearers men who, while re.
ceiving a greater number of votes
than their opponents, still may lack
many thousand votes of having ma,
jority of all the votes in the state or
OF their party. And then there is the
embarrassing feature Of disconnected
action among party leaders, as early
evidenced in Bismarck, where the
candidacy of Hon. C. B. Little for the
United States senate is followed by
the announcement of Gen. e. A. Will
10 LIS % SsahuiudtS. VI EIUFr Lue lower
house. Now it is not good politics
for both of these representative par
tisans and distinguished citizens to
be candidates at the same time, nor
is 1t in the interest of the republican
party of the Missouri Slope, which
may Justly be entitled to representa-.
ton in congress. 1t is hardly to
be expected that the western part &c
the state will, at the first election
aindhr the primary system, be success
sful In landing both a representative
in congress and a United States SEN
@ator, and except for the primary sys-
tenn there would not be but one cam
.tdidate where there are now two, and
may possibly be more. for these high
positions. q s51553 53
This may be considered one of the
disadvantages Of the primary system
Here is freedom Of action, opportun-
fly and independence carried to tie
extreme and to the detriment of not
only the candidates, but the PAL "
and the locality. Ordinary consider.
alton of party sagacity would sug,
gest a conference of party leaders,
with the greatest opportunity for
free ana fair discussion, with
a view of concentrating the party
strength instead of %dissipating it and
throwing away opportunities that
other communities may take advant-
age of. 5s.8
The candidacy Of both Mr.. Little
and Mr. Williams from Bismarck is
not desirable condition. 1t is EN-.
barrassing to the friends and fell NV
citizens of each gentleman, and por.
trays no beneficial result. Both gen
tlemen have been honored by their
constituents from time to time and
both gentlemen have served their
constituents with fidelity and honor
In addition to legislative honors Gen
Williams has been rewarded subsran
TALLY with a, good federal position.
Col. Little has been in the st,I.t
senate since statehood, but has no
held any remunerative office. He hal
been a builder as well as a boone,
for Bismarck and the Missouri Stop,
and by strict attention to bushes
has built up one of the strongest &
s. ~. 81 III
nancial institutions In the state il
! the Capital City. His long expert
ence and recognized leadership il
I legislative affairs is strong en-
dorsement of his fitness for the higl
and honorable position he now 1 al
pires to and if the Missouri Stop
really wants or expects to receive ret
ognition the efforts OF the repubI
cogniticn the efforts of the republ
cans must be- united not divided
Gen lillian IS candidacy has doub'
less been urged on the theory tina
Congressman Marshall would be
candidate for the senate. II SO
would have been wiser TO have wal
ed the elimination Of this event.
q conclusion that the most intirnat
frieRds of Congressman Marshall d
not now believe viii ever he reache,
I ais 1t Is confidently expected that MI
Marshall will prefer to remain In hi
present position and II so he certain
nv Will receive the support Of til,
western part Of the state. ~
The Missouri Slope friends 3
Col Little, whose candidacy wa
! first authoritatfvely announced, vii
feel chat as the condifinns noR exis
iii the political checker hoard Of tal
state his claims fl Az fairness