The independent., 1907-02-14
ADVANTAGES OFPRIMARY

ing way in the Arena, by Ira Cross of
Madison, Wis. From M Cross's ar
ticle these extracts are taken
All attempts at reforming the caucus
and the convention have resulted in
dismal failures New York, California,
and Cook county, Illinois, which have
the most highly legaliZed caucus-sys-
TENS, are still boss ridden and ma
chine controlled.
There can be but one remedy-the
government must be brought back to
the people. They must be given the
power to directly nominate their party
candidates. If they are sufficiently
intelligent to directly elect them by
means of the Australian ballot they are
sufficiently intelligent to directly nomi-
nate them.
Experience with the direct primary
in thirty-two states, where it is now
being used in one form or other shows
that every good direct primary law,
whether applied to city, county or
state, must have the following five
essentials: O 1t must be compulsory
upon all parties; (2) the Australian
ballot must be used (3) all primaries
must be held under state regulations;
a. the state must bear the expense:
60 all parties must hold their pri-
maries at the same place and time.
Under a system of direct nominations
one Of the registration days is set aside
for the primary. The voter goes to the
polls, registers, receives. a ballot con-
tanning a list of the candidates, and
votes directly for the men of his choice.
Nothing could be more simple in opera
tion than this. 1t places in the hands
of the voters the power to nominate
their party candidates, and in all sane
governments that is where it should be
placed
The real tests of any nominating sys-
tenn, however are Cd the number of
voters that take part in the primaries,
and (2) the kind of candidates nomi-
mated.
Under the caucus system, no matter
how highly legaliZed, the voters will
not take part in making the nomina
tions. They are not even Interested
for in the caucuses they do not nom
mate candidates, they only elect dele
gates, and a delegate, no matter how
honest he may be, cannot correctly
represent the wishes of his constitu-
ents upon al, and quite often not even
upon small portion, Of the candidates
to be nominated in the convention. Do
the facts uphold the argument? Take
the caucus system at it's best and what
do we find? In San Francisco, New
York city, and Cook county, Illinois,
which places since 1901, 1909 and 1899
respectively, have had the most highly
legalized and reformed caucus systems
in the United States, an avera ge Of
but 80 per cent OF the voters of San
Francisco, Al per cent Of those in New
York and 3S per cent of those in
Cook county, Illinois, take part in
making nominations. IL but this small
number of people attend the cauCuses
when such great care is taken to pro-
tect the voice and will of the people,
what handful must turn out ir those
states in which few if any legal reg
uations are thrown around The nomi-
mating machinery Under the caucus
system The resulting government cam
not represent the will of the major
ity. 1t can only represent the will of
the minority, and it is to this small
minority composed though it usually
is of men who are in politics for what
there is III III that our officials are
directly responsible, not only for their
nomination but also for their subse-
quent election.
On the other hand, il cannot be de-
MED that the direct primary greatly
increases the attendance at the pri-
maries. The reason for this is that it
gives the voters q real voice in max
ing party nominations. They can ex-
press their choice upon all candidates
from governor down to Justice of the
peace. and by Tins means are able to
xert a direct influence upon the final
results.
In Cleveland, O., under the old eau
Gus system, only 5000 voters took part
in nominating the republican candi-
dates for city offices i'm 1892, but in
1898, when they used one OF the most
poorly framed and extra legal primary
systems imaginable, over 1f.000 repub-
leans turned out. This number I'M
creased TO $4,000 In 1896. TO $500 In
1899, and 10 1000 In 1901. the vote al
the primaries during these years aver
aging more than ~ per cent Of the
vote east by the republicans nt the
subsequent elections In Crawford
county, Pennsylvania, where the di-
rs4fsf ham