Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-05-01
Communicated.
THE DIRECT SYSTEM OF NOMI.
MATING CANDIDATES.
AIessrs. Editors =

MeSSTs. EdttOrs -
Each individual Democrat OF the
FIVE thousand that compose the party
in Anne Arundel, has as much right 10
take part in selecting the candidates
of the party as any other Democrat.
lie who seeks more authority, as .
sumes autocratic and unauthorized
prerogative; he who is content with
less, demeans his citizenship.
In the direct method Of nominating
each Democrat has not only an equal
voice in selecting candidates, but he
has the privilege of passing judgment
upon every candidate on the ticket
from the highest to the humblest. No
conflicting interests prevent him from
freely and fully, without hindrance
or denial, expressing his opinion, by
his vote, ofhis sovereign choice.
In the delegate system il is the re-
verse. BY it, one mans voice, when
narrowed to the last deal may choose
and has chosen the nominees for the
most important Office and Offices.
This may be a system suitable for au-
tocratic Russia, but it Us not appro-
pirate to ''the land Of the free and the
home of the brave.
In the direct system, one simple
ticket. after the old style OF voting.
may be printed with the names of all
the candidates upon il. The voter
strikes his pencil across the names of
those for whom he does not wish 10
vote, and leaves clear the names of
those he supports. The sum total,
in the county, of the majority makes
the nominees.
In the delegate system, suddenly rs
mushroom in n night, in the sew
eral districts of the county, two del
egate tickets are put forth, one by
the Doves, the other py the Kites.
No meeting of Democrats has been
held to select these tickets-they are
drawn from the pocket of the districts S
factional leader, foreordained and
predestined TO do his will-not the
peoples. When the leader is strong
enough he cooley announce whatsthe
ticket is for, and adds, If necessary,
without consultation with even his
faction ''the district cannot have a
Senator this year The predicate
may be altered if the leaders plans
needs to have the sheriff, or the treas
urer or the States Attorney, or the
delegate to the House left out. The
leaders, will, not the peoples settles
It. His henchmen are sstrong enough
to enable him to secure the election of
his ticket. That ends the matter for
the great body of the people who will
not enter into factional primary
contest.
The two delegate tickets go before
the people. If, however, it is neces-
sary for political purposes, TO have
more in the combination, the leader
names two, three or four, or five can
didates for the limited number of
nominees on the county ticket, and
somebody, when the ticket is sTecess-
full, in the end, has TO be deceived OF
disappointed. Whom these delegates
are really for, no one knows except
their political street.-the leader, and
then he may have to carry out his gem
eral plans, barter away one or more
of his friends rights in order to ac-
complish his main purpose that is
to have a controlling hand in making
the ticket. The interests of the public
do not, for an instant, enter into the
consideration of the question. A
ticket, made under such processes,
cannot and never does satisfy the
party.
The great body of Democrats have
no choice, practically, as to whom
they will have on the ticket. They
are forced by the manipulations of the
practical politicians to choose between
A and II instead of selecting from
the whole Democratic alphabet. Be-
side, A, b and G may be associated
on factional ticket, and ID, Il and Il
on another. Il and I. may be Demo
Gratis choice for the minorsoffice they
seek, and yet, to aid A in securing
the more important place, the demo-
cratic voter is forced to vote against
two men of his choice and for two
men who are not of his selection. is
this fair, is this honest, is this demo-
cratic? is il American?
The direct or Crawford county sys-
tenn enables every Democrat to vote
for the man of his choice. The dele
gate system prevents him. 1t is a
debasing method-it is one that lowers
manhood. There is not a voter who
attends the primaries i'm this county
that does know that he, in support
ing one or the other of these faction
ally made tickets, is casting his bal
lot to create one of those most often
sive of American political types
boss.
The direct system enobles the man
hood of a voter and gives power and
responsibility TO the elective franchise.
The delegate system demeans both.
ELIHU S. RILEY.