Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-01-31


Suggestions for Amending our
Primary Election Laws.
Edltor Sheaf:- few weeks ago
the Sheaf invited u.5gestions from
It's readers, relative to changes in
our primary election law. This,
believe to be a good plan, as it seems
to be the general prevailing opinion,
that this law should be amended in
certain particulars. But how to
amend it so as to bring uniform sa-
tisfaction is undoubtedly very
difficult undertaking. There is in
all probability a vast difference of
opinion in regard to the same. It
would be, not only interesting, but
might also be Of benefit to our re-
presentatives in the legislature to
be Informed of the opinion of in
div1duals. AS the Governor says in
his message to. the legislature, the
primary election is right in theory,
and therefore should not be abolishd,
but should be amended along GER
tain lines. The Governor is un-
doubted]y right in this.
The principal change to be made
should be in the time for holding the
primary because the time at which
it's now being held is in the rural
distri;ts the busiest of the year, be
ing the time when the farmer gath
ers#35in his crop, and therefore large
number of the farmers do not take
time to vote and you can not blame
them neither; the time being very
valuable TO them. The farming
industry is really the foundation of
all other business, and in view of
this fact the farmer certainly ought
to be permitted to exercise his right
to vote, as we'll as men of other voca-
tions, without having to do it in his
busiest time of the whole year. Why
not hold the primary during June
or the first part of July? Then the
farmer, also, can afford to spend
time enough to go to the polls, if
he ever can. If not, the lawmakers
are not to blame.
There has been talked a great deal
that the Southern part of the state
and cities are opposed to any change
ofIdate. This may be so as far as
regards political bosses. The present
date may not be as unsatisfactory to
TIE 'fnral people Of = the southern
part as to those of the northern; but
i.anyway it is not probable that an
earlier date would be objected to by
them, nor by the laboring people of
the cities. Another particulars: the
primary law should include state
officers, in other words, candidates
for state officers should also be no.
minated at the primary. II the old
convention method is Objectionable
for nominating candidates for
county, legislative, judicial and con-
| SAS'ooAO1Hl olllNC1o, ~ 10 JuoU DIS llluCll
so, in nominating candidates for
state officers, and then, those who
wish to become candidates at the
primary should be admitted by pc
tition, or on certificate from the
standing committee of the political
party whose nomiaation they seek.
The Governor in his message re-
commends the holding Of conventions
and nominating two or more candi-
dates for each Office to be submitted
to the primary. This idea of hold
ing both convention and primary
election would doubtless be some-
what complicated, and would hardly
work well. Why not let the standing
committee of each political party
certify to two or three persons for
each office, and then submit to the
primary? This idea of admitting
candidates for the primary, or that
of by petition, / think would result
in some Improvement over the pre-
sent plan, which is to admit any per-
son upon filing his affidavit and pay
ing the--required fee.