The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-04-10
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10. 1907.
AGAINST THE DIRECT PRIMARY

One of the matters in which the tenth
assembly "fell down. was its failure
to enact an improved direct primary
law. The platform of each political
party promised a direct primary law
that would accomplish the end in view
"a full and fair expression OF the
popular will in nominating candidates
but the promise was not kept. The
republican party having been in con-
troll of both houses of the tenth as
sembly, is responsible for failure to
enact the promised legislation.
Republican state platforms for sew.
eral years past have declared in favor
of direct nomination of candidates by
the people, and the republican legis.
lature OF 1905 passed a sort of make.
shift local option law which permitted
the voters, under burdensome restric-
lions, to exercise that right. The law
was defective, but as the only n the
legislature was disposed to give them,
1t was adopted by the voters of eight
counties in Montana, who nominated
their local candidates under its pro.
visions last year. The law was adopt.
ed in Teton and Flathead counties at
the election of astlNovember, making
it operative in ten out of the twenty.
seven counties in the state.
A few changes Ia the provisions of
the direct primary law Of 1905 would
have removed the valid objections
made against it, but the influences to
which nominations by the people are
not acceptable decided that the law
should be repealed. 1t was repealed,
and nothing better was enacted in its
place by those who had promised &c
amend and improve the law.
During theOsession, there was "a di'
rect primary measureNintroduced BY
Representative Whiteside, OF Flat
head county, whose provisions ap
piled to the nomination of candidates
for Unitedl.States senator and con
gresham, as we'll as for state an(
county officers. From q non.partisa al
standpoint, it appeared to contem
plate a "square deal' direct primar!
law, but as 1t came from a democrati,
source it Iwasinot acceptable to tn
republican ~''leaders' in theIasscmbly
Many meritorious measures are some
times killed byapoli,ical stuffed clubs
in the handsUof persons who, a al
vauce no goodisargumonts agains
their enactment into law.
Over in the estate of Washingto1
there haslbeensa bitter fight between
the professional politicians and thu
people over the enactment of q direc
primary law, and th%espeople have jus
won out. In Washington, as in Mon
tana and other,states, the professional
politician prefers conditions under
which he a select delegates to con
ventions, dictate the nominations, ane
pull the strings that)control the worl
Of legislative assemblies. The polit
ical bosses assembled atsOlympia ani
contested direct,jprimary Legislation
by the Washington state legislature
but their etfortslfailed. of success. A
law was passedi:thats provides fol
nominations by popular lvote for al
elective Offices in the state-congres $,
sional, state, county .andimunicipal.
The people Of Washington were
more progressive than the people O
Montana in enacting railroad legis
lation. They created a railroad com
mission two years ago, and the Mon
tana commission Is now seeking thu
benefit OF its experience. The Wash
ing,on direct primary law may also
prove o be a good thing, and in tina
even will the opposition influences il
Montana be sufficiently powerful t,
prevent the enactment of a similar Law
in this state? They certainly appea
to hold the upper hand at present.