The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-13
SMALL TOWN DOMINATION.

SMALL TOWN DOMINATION.
 In his remarks in opposition to the proposed direct primary nominating act before the Economic Club the other evening MT. Kenealy, the chair man of the Republican State commit tee, predicted that the small towns of the State would never consent to it's enactment. He said that they would decline to give up the power they now possess regardless of all the purring words the reformers might pour down their unwilling throats. If his object was in thus condemning the proposed there are signs that he was successful. There is evidence abroad that the small town boss sees the significance of the movement as it affects his po- liticai prosperity and is already at work to SOW seeds of discontent, which puts upon the advocates of the move ment the onus to meet fire with fire.
 It is yet to be determined, however, that the small townsman can be driv- en to do the desires of the small town boss When he sees that he is engag- ed in the unprofitable business of pull ing other peoples chestnuts out of the fire he may be accredited with the wit to withdraw his support Up to the present time the one contention of the towns of the State has been that they were in control of the legislative arm of the government. Only recently by the amendment of the constitution they again declared that the house of representatives is the house of town control, and that so far as the rights of population are concerned they must be sought and conserved in the senate. The claim has never been made that the governor of the State is the gov ernor of the towns, which is prac- tically what Mir. kenealy claims when he says that the towns will not per- init the people to do their own nom mating without regard to geographical considerations, if they are so minded. In the whole history of convention contests oyer popular offices the sug- gestion has never been made that the cities are arrayed against the towns or vice versa Consideration has been given county distinctions for practical reasons wholly. and there is no reason ; to believe that these considerations would be overlooked under a direct system of nominating. Ip the very na- ture of things it is inconceivable that large towns could ever combine against small towns as such to control the nominations. Such an effort would fall of its own weight before the test was made. The Journal-Courier is not ready to believe that the small towns of the State are so drunk with power as to deny to those who must elect a governor-and whom when elected he represents-the right to nominate him, until they say so for themselves.
 On the other hand there is reason to fear the effect of this small town cry until the small towns and all towns in fact have been educated in the one of Wolf, Wolff; that the suprem- acy of the towns as traditionally ex- theoretically the large centers of pop ulation could nominate either for all the offices to be filled under the direct primary act, or nominate men offen- sive to the small towns, it is incredi- ble that they should ever unite to do so. The independence of the average voter could not be converted in any such way, nor would the electorate stand for the experiment. The se- cret key to a direct nomination for of- flee would be sought and found, not in the council rooms of the managing politicians, but in the service given to the people by candidates, or by the knowledge the people would have of the character of political aspirants. It is altogether likely. for example, that had the direct primary been in force when the friends of Donald M. War ner of Salisbury advocated his nomi- nation for governor he would have been the popular choice. His service to the people as a member of the gen. eral assembly had favorably impressed his personality upon the voters ir large as well as small towns. and il machine to defeat him in the contest The fight for a direct primary nom mating act is in the interest of the general public and is being made, not against the man who yields to hi: neighbor all the political rights and privileges he enjoys. but against tn group of small town and large towr bosses. who. as Senator 5=jscn truth fully says, nominate candidates foi governor two years in advance. and