The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-16
THE PRIMARY or PARAMOUNT
IMPORTANCE

~ IS fofegone conclusion that the
constitutional convention will adopt
a general primary election law for
thte entire state.
1t is equally certain that the demo-
Gratis will nominate their first set of
county and state candidates before
the new law becomes effective, BY
the primary method
For over two years Mr.. Bryan has
been securing primary pledges a
pledge from democrats that they will
participate in the primaries Of their
party.
Mr. Bryan recognizes, as every cit
izen should, that the primary IS Of
paramount Importance, whether con-
sidered from the point Of view Of
good government or party welfare.
It is we'll called the primary" cleo
ton for it is not only the first to be
held in campaign but it is also first
in Importance.
Consider 1t from the standpoint Of
the non-partisan. The party system
is fixed part Of our political in
ptitutionf. Parties we have always
had, parties we shall always have
and from the beginning Of our govern
ment, men have grouped themselves
about two great sets Of political prin-
ciples. Third party movements have
generally proved abortive; it is the
exception when candidates connected
with them have been successful. When
an election is to be held, it is NOR
ally certain that the candidates Of
one or the other of the two great part
les will win out. Too often have the
the great mass of honest, incorrupt-
lble citizens slept on their rights and
been recreant to duty allowing the
political fixers to name the candid
ates. The nominees may be good or
bad, all OF them may be bad; on cleo
tion day the good citizen arouses him
self from his ignoble slumber and be-
thinks himself Of the fact that it is
election day He may find candid
ate TO his liking or he may have "a
choose between two evils. The cause
Of good government must suffer. Pol
itieian becomes a term of reproach
when it should be title Of which
any citizen should be proud. The
good citizen through his failure tC
recognize the great responsibility rest
ing upon him, and th )ugh his neg
ligence to do his duty, becomes ths
worst citizen because he is the funda-
mental cause Of bad government.
Consider it from partisan stand
point: As a democrat you are anx
ious for your party to triumph. Il
may be that your partisan enthus
iasm goes to the point Of prizin,
party success above patriotism. Yol
would bend all your energies to main
tain the supremacy of your party an,
the principles for which It stands.
you are as deeply concerned about thi
as you say you are, then you wouldn'
neglect to see to the primary condi
tion Of party success; the nomina
tion Of good men.
That argument looks weak in tn
face Of the fact that bad men in tn
past have often been elected on a part
y ticket, even over better men on al
opposing ticket It might be argue,
that the same thing can be done agail
and maybe it can, but say, citizen, hoy
long have you been asleep? Haven
you been reading the papers and mag
azines, haven't you taken tumbl
70 the fact that tho independent vot
er, new element in American poll
tics, is sbroad in the land and is becon
ing more numerous and independen
every day. Don't you know that h
doesn't care rap about party sue
cess but that he is tremendously Il
earnest about good government an,
good men to FIJI the offiees7 It i