Bisbee daily review., 1908-09-19

Shall the Democrats of Bisbee adopt
the direct primary plan to instruct the
delegation from Bisbee, as to the
! choice of the Democratic voters of
/ Bisbee precinct for county and pre-
einct Offices, last night still remained
1 the principal topic of conversation in
/ political circles.
Pursuant to a motion adopted at a
! joint meeting OF candidates and CEN
trail committeeman, held on Thursday
evening, yesterday a majority OF the
central committee prepared the follow
Ting proposition, which, today, Will
I be circulated among members of the
| central committee of this precinct
( and also the candidates. To meet
some objections which were raised
yesterday to the original plan pro-
posed, the central committee decided
to adopt the following:
Whereas, II is believed TO be in
the best interest of harmony in the
Democratic party of Bisbee, to formu-
late a plan for conducting the Demo
cratic primaries which Will insure the
individual voter the opportunity to
exBress his choice for the different
nominations, and TO promote the sue
cess of the Democratic party at the
ensuing election,
Resolved: by the Democratic county
central committee for Bisbee precinct.
the Bisbee Democratic candidates and
voters concurring, that the manner
for conducting primaries in Bisbee on
September Goth, shall be as follows:
That each candidate for sheriff shall
select a list of thiIty-one delegates ia
vorabIe to his non ination for sheriff.
That the three delegations for sheriff
shall be printed on an official ballot
with an Australian ballot square at the
top. The voter to place his X in the
square for the delegation he favors
for sheriff In this manner the dele
CATION for sheriff receiving the highest
number of votes would be declared
the delegation to represent Bisbee in
the county convention.
provided. also, that on the same
ballot should be printed the candi-
dates for treasurer. constables and
justices of the peace. The voter to
mark in the square opposite each
name his choice for the above named
offices. voting in favor of one treas
urer. two constables and two justices
of the peace. the successful sheTin
delegation being thus instructed to
vote in favor of the treasurer, con-
stables and justices of the peace re-
caiving the highest number of votes.
Information received at the Review
office. from several different sources,
all dav yesterday and last evening.
coming from Democratic voters in
different parts of the district. was to
the effect that the voters. by big
majority. favored some sort of prt-
mary rlan. 4 number of voters rec
ognized the fact that this is the only
way they will get an opportunity to
express their individual choice for
sheriff as well as the precinct officers
and treasurer.
Another strong feature. which APP
meals to the voters. is the fact thai |
the primary plan absolutely prevents |
any private and concealed slate max |
ing.
The proposition will not down as &c |
how the voter is to cast his ballot in |
favor of his choice for sheriff and at |
the same time vote for a delegation |
favorable for his choice for constables |
and justices of the peace, other than
by the direct primary plan.
And again the question arises. who |
will the different aspirants for sherin
support for local precinct officers?
AS stated before in these columns
where there is a spirited contest on
in the Democratic ranks, the safest
way to dispose of that contest is to
let the voters decide. If there was !
only one contest to decide between
the sheriffs, the matter would be sim
Die. Each candidate for sheriff could
introduce his ticket on the day of the
primaries and the voters make their
selection as between the three candi-
dates. But with the precinct fight
entagled with the contest over coun-
tv officers. the plan which in the opin-
ion of the Review, would most appeal
10 the voters, would be to give them !
a ballot on which they could vote
their honest preference for the sheriff
and the precinct officers as we'll
The silly argument has been adyo-
Gated in certain quarters that the
voter would not understand the prof. |
osition. The Democrats of. Bisbee
have been voting the Australian bal
lot system for the past ten years.
They know how TO mark an Y in
square as Well as they know how to
write their own names. The direct
primary system is nothing more or
less than the introduction Of the Aus
trsIian ballot system in the Demo
CRITIC urinary election and the dele
CATION from Bisbee to. be governed by |
the wishes of a majority OF the voters. |
II a majority of the Democratic yot-
ers of Bisbee predict desire the op- /
portunity TO go into a booth and ex-