The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-01-31
Call to Van Buren County Re-
publicans Who Favored
Primary Proposition.
Is Responded TO THE CALL
Not Much Enthusiasm Shown, But
Petitions Will be Circulated
For an Election.

The primary Reform" convention
which was held at the council rooms in
Paw Paw last Saturday afternoon was
poorly attended and very little enthusi-
asm was manifested. The convention
was in response to call issued to "Van
Buren, county republicans who ars in IA.
vor OF the primary proposition, signed by
Geo l.. Rich and published in nearly
all of the papers OF the county. There
were about % present and very little in
t rest was shown in the meeting.
Geo. l.. Rich called the meeting to or
der and stated briefly the object OF the
same, then called upon County Clerk
Mosier TO explain the features OF the
new primary law. Mr.. Moser said in
part, that when the first primary law
was passed he did not take kindly to it
because Of the newspaper comments and
the fact that it was bunglesome law;
that later he made thorough study of
1t and that in the new law many of the
bunglesome features mad been ehminat-
ed, especially the abolishment of the
June primary; he could not see where
the new law would do any injustice to
the voters Of the county; that under the
convention system 90 votes were neces-
sary to a choice; that the ratio of votes
required to nominate, to the normal re-
publican vote Of the county was approx
imately to 30; the one went to the con-
vention TO vote and thei other 80 re-
maiDed at home. He thought the re-
publicans of the county could be trusted
to make nominations by direct vote.
In commenting on the Hartford conven-
ton be stated that there were two thirds
as many primary reformers there as
there were of the opposition, aud that
they all came voluntarily; that he was
not in favor of waiting until other coun-
ties had all tried the new law. He
thought the experimental stage" was
already passed as 40 counties had already
adopted primary law and four were un-
der local primary acts. lie believed in
progression and in keeping Van Buren,
county abreast with the times politically
as we'll as In every other way.
Geo. l.. Rich then took the floor and
among other things said "The primary
law is local option. Everything that the
legislature didn't have nerve enough to
do vas laid upon the peoples shoulders.
He explained that under the primary
law any man could have his name print
ed on the ballot as candidate for office
if he could get two per cent OF the vote
cast for secretary Of the state at the pre-
ceding election on his petition. Ga that
basis at the present time nominating Pc
tititions would require 63 signers. He
said that the primary system would do
away with the packing of conventions
and the trading OF delegates. He knew
that conventions were packed as he had
helped to do it; that practically the
same men went to conventions year af-
packed.
l.. A. Bregger OF Arlington was the
next speaker. He said b s chief argu-
ment in favor Of the movement was that
il would make the voter supreme: that
the convention was all right in theory
but in practice it fell fiat; that the pri-
mary sy stem would give the bashful,
quiet, modest, law-abiding citizen show;
that the organization controls the con-
vention; that the farmers don't have the
influence they should have in proper
tion to their number He pointed with
some feeling to the fact that there was
at present but one farmer in the court
house. He wanted men sent to congress
and to the legislature so that farmers
would have some influence in legisla-
ton; that at present we were but "an
enlightened despotism."
Mr.. Rich explained the circulation of
petitions and called for volunteers for
the work and for donations to meet ex-
penses. He said the petitions would be
circulated and "that the necessary
money would be found in some way"
The meeting then adjourned.