The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-02-14
COMMUNICATION.
County CLERK Mosier Explains
Primary Law From His Point
of View.


Primary Law From His Point
of View.
An editorial comment of The True
Northerner under date of January 3lst,
says referring to the primary or direct
system OF nominating) that ut would be
possible for two or three OF the large
towns in the county to name every can,
didate on the ticket and shut out all the
rest OF the county"
Then follows a reference TO the NOM
ination OF sheriff where there were six
candidates for said office.
There are, in addition to the sheriff,
seven other good Offices, viz: Judge of
probate, treasurer, register of deeds,
clerk, prosecuting attorney, school com
missioner and drain commissioner, all
desirable and much sought-after offices,
making a total of eight offices, and why
will there not be as many candidates for
other offices as for the Office of sheriff.
Sheritfs are not nominated separately
and independent of other Offices, and il
there is possibility OF six candidates for
this office, why not six candidates for each
of the others. This is matter of specu-
lation, but il we are to speculate on sheriff
why not on the eight offices and have
as candidates?
The ratio of delegates to the county
convention is determined and the appor-
tionment made on the basis of the last
vote for governor.
The number of delegates from South
Haven city and township is 80, Paw Paw
%, Bangor 10; total, 70 fer the three
largest towns. This is 36 per cent of
(l94) all the delegates.
The number of enrolled or registered
republican voters for these same towns
is 1850, or 37S4 per cent of the total
(4,645) enrolment.
Un er either system of nominations,
based on the above computation, the bal
ance of the county could, outside of the
three large towns, combine and, by ap
Forthcoming the nominations to different
be county, nominate every can
didate and leave rfif.e..hr three largest towns
out entirely.
The three largest towns with 36 per
cent of the delegates could not control
eight nominations with selections to be
made from AZ candidates coming from
all parts of the county, and with strong
probability that each township would
have one, two or more candidates.
This would seem like an extravagant
array of candidates, but we are specu-
lating. and 1T is only fair to compare all
the Offices instead Of one.
Under the convention system, in order
to nominate, system of swapping must
be established, and this sy stem usually
extends to more than one convention,
which opens the way for broken prom
Uses and dissatisfaction.
Under the primary, which means direct
system, all candidates come before all
the voters of their political party, and
nominations are made by the plurality
Of this direct vote, thus permitting every
republican OF Van Buren, county an
opportunity OF expressing his will and
desire in the matter of making repub-
lican nominations OF candidates for the
different offices. Now, as a matter of
fairness and equality, is there anything
wrong in this proposition?
1t would certainly be an expression of
the majority, and the majority is usually
right on all matters.
The ratio OF representation 10 nomin-
atoms by the convention system is as
follows, to-wit: There are 1874 delegates
in the county convention; majority
vote OF the convention is So
The republican vote for the last presi-
dental electors was 5,297. as shown by
the county records.
The total vote OF 5,297 may be repre-
sented 10 nominations by county con-
ventions by 50 delegates, indicating that
$3.50 republican voters have no direct, or
possibly, no voice in making nomina-
tions; and this last named number 10.
cludes many merchants, farmers, minis
tere, laborers, and othsrs that ordiDa-
rily are not needed at the caucus, for
the reason that they NAV have convic
tions and preferences that are not agree
able to the program as arranged
Included 10 this number OF 5, 90 silent
republicans are many heavy tax payers,
many progressive, intelligent, practical,
we'll educated, refined. representa- CIT.
liens who have the welfar OF the county
at heart as we'll as the men who make
politics profession.
1t has been truthfully said that Van
Buren, county has had, and now has,
honest. capable and worthy county Of
ficials; the good people Of our county
would not tolerate any other kind OF
officials.