Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-05-01
WEDNESDAY May /. 1907
4 VOICE FROM QUEEN ANNE'S TO
ANNE ARUNDEL.

II this editorial, which will be found
annexed, taken from the CentrevilIc
Observer, had been written as an en-
dorsement Of what has recently been
said in our columns regarding the
delegate system and convention in
former times, and its threadbare and
undemocratic character in these days,
and the necessity Of the direct method
of nomination, il could not have been
more forcibly expressed. The politics
OF Queen Anno's resulted in adiyided
and beaten democracy. II has done
il In Anne Arundel. The convention
and delegate systems were largely re-
sponsible for these. Let the Democrats
of Anne Arundel read this article.
ponder and Fact upon IL. In few
weeks IL wiz be too late. The practi-
cal politicians ought to aid this move
ment. If the fractional fight now on
continues, the democratic politician
in this county will be out OF employ
ment. it is sometimes easy TO drive
men from the party. II is very DIM
cult 10 get them back. The Centre
willie Observer says:
AS the time for county and state
primary elections approaches, the in
forest Of citizens desiring good gov
ernment increases. As the primary
is the'initial step, much depends on
this beginning ind the party cannot
afford TO make a mistake in the man
ner of conducting the primaries, or
in their result, as the latter depends
upon the former. There arc but two
ways ordinarily in use. the Conven-
tion way and the Crawford county
system. The convention plan is the
older and the one used in this county
for many years. Originally il was a
conference Of active, intelligent party
men, who met, consulted and acted
for tho best interests of the party with
out regard TO persons. The eonfeTees
were usually men in the different dis
tricts, conspicuous for their honesty
of purpose, their devotion TO princi-
pie, and enjoyed to the fullest the
confidence of those they represented.
When they agreed and their conclu-
sions were made known, there was
universal aoquiesence in the selection
made, and from that time to the
CLOSE of tho polls there was strict
party alignment and the strongest
party elected its nominees.
I'm recent years the convention is
no longer a conference, nor does it
consult. The delegates are usually
elected for the avowod purpose of
serving one or more bosses, and, when
they get together, enough of them
dicker to govern the convention, and
the nominees usually are either the
district and control managers or those
under their control.
This action is SO subversive of
the popular wall that the people have
tired Of it, and finding themselves
fast bound have revolted, and, in the
county two years ago, SO wide spread
was the dissatisfaction that Queen
Anne's six hundred democratic major
ity was swept away and the opposi-
ton ticket elected. The democrats of
Queen Anne's don't want this to hap
pen second time.
"How can this be prevented? ri
the revolt was against the convention
,,,,rana,,,r,,f o,,H ,,,,,,,..,.... -. 80
assured by many of the insurgents
il wasl the remedy lies in removing
the obstacles, the cause of the rebel
lion.
The best known remedy is to open
wide the door Of opportunity to all
who may aspire TO political honors
and invite all Democrats. regardless
of past differences. 10 enter the pri-
mary meeting, to forget and forgive
the past and unite in nominating hon
est, able and conscientious men 10 be
the standard bearers of a united party,
and when nominated to make COM
mon cause against the common enemy,
the Republic aggregation.
1t is needless to say this can only
be done by the adoption of the Craw-
ford county system, here each voter |
deposits his ballot directly for the
candidates of his choice and the Exec
utive Committee declares the result, |
the Intervention of a manipu-
lated bOss-ridden convention. In this /
way the candidates are always the
choice of plurality OF their fellow |
Democrats, and it goes without saying /
that the candidates the people nomi-
nate arc the popular choice and are
The candidates the people will elect.
No better illustration of the advan-
tages OF this system is needed than
the result of the recent Baltimore pri-
mary elections. where nearly fifty
thousand Democrats went TO the polls,
nominated clean, capable and accept
able men and now the choice of the
is the choice of the minority
As we'll, and the fifty thousand con-
Iestants are united as one man and are
to assured victory in MAY.
We Democrats of Queen Anne's are
no less patriotic than those of Balti-
more, and with the same system and