Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-05
PRIMARY TRUTHS

of taking real power away from the
people to whom it is supposed to be-
| long. Primaries, are, alphabetically,
peaceable convocations of good citi-
zens under the various political party
flags, at which the good citizens hy-
pothetically, have an amiable pow
WOW and caucus (both Indian words),
and by vote agree on delegates who
will take the responsibility of NOM
mating candidates to represent the
party in competition with the nominees
| of other parties at the election. But
the caucus is held before the primar-
les!! According to modern profess
sional political views the general con-
ference idea is absurd and is a relic
of barbarous or primitive days when
the fathers gathered together and Sc
lected their patriarchs or aldermen
(the word is a corruption of older
men, via the Scottish auld, aulder, as
in aud lang syne) The patriarchs
could not hold office simultaneously,
so they agreed to leave the choice to
all the people. Our forefathers did
not believe the people were capable
of holding mass meetings and choos-
ing their own candidates or of voting
directly for candidates. The issue was
too serious to be dealt with directly
and face to face. So delegates were
chosen who attended conventions or
assemblies (the whole scheme, as far
as America is concerned, seems to have
been modelled on the lines OF the gov
ernment of the Presbyterian church,,
and at these conventions they chose
the candidates for whom the people
must vote. Therefore the modern pri-
mary, which at first glance appears to
be a refined and narrowed mode of
concentrating expression of popular
will, is, like all other concentrations
in government, a form of tyranny, en-
tirely out of harmony with American
ism, American first principles, ideas or
ideals. 1t is a method by which people
evade the responsibility of direct pop
ular nominations of candidates to be
voted for at the elections, and give
away their power and with it their
responsibility to men who will meet
in political conventions and call them
selves delegates. Any corporation or
other INSCRIPTIONS moneyed power
which would not dare to interfere
openly with legislation or with elec-
tions may be perniciously active at
the primaries, which may easily be-
come strongholds of corruption and
fraud. If delegates committed to the
support of special interests are sent
to political conventions, just as surely
as night follows day in all well reg
ulated latitudes, will follow the selec-
tion of candidates rejecting the color
of the conventions and representing the
predominating interests. Therefore We
urge our correspondent and every other
good citizen to realize that popular
liberty and the safety of American in
stitutions are in danger at the pri-
maries, unless the primaries are hon.
estly managed and unless the right
delegates are chosen; unless machine
delegates and representatives of cor
poration interests are weeded out and
clean, unpurchased and unpurchasable
men are chosen by party voters at the
primaries, in order that clean, unpur-
chased and unpurchasable men may
be sent to conventions, and finally in
order that clean, unowned and unpur-
chasable citizens may be selected for
candidates for public office.
The necessity of declaring party
principles at registration probably pre-
vents many people from registering at
al1 n 9
who think they have right to know
the nominees of a party before they
virtually pledge allegiance to that
party and promise to vote for its un-
known and unguessable candidates.
The declaration of principles is doubt
less designed to prevent treachery at
the primaries, because it would be
awkward to have political conventions
manned by persons chosen by voters
who were secretly in sympathy with
the opposing party, and 1t is because
treachery of that kind is possible that
declaration at registration is necessary
to vote at the primaries. But our
correspondent who inquiries as to the
true nature of primaries is on the right
alton puts the voter at disadvantage
and gives undue power and influence
to corporations plum tree" political
interests and politico-cor orporation in
terests. Some day America will see
the necessity of returning to the first
principles of Americanism and of SUBJ
stituting government by the people, for
the people and of the people through
direct uninfluenced expression of their
will. for the present complicated sys-
TEN of political artful lodging. 1t is
sad but true that almost as soon as the
splendid first principles OF American
ism were enunciated and the national
creed was formulated the inner rings
of our system began to be afraid of
the great outer rings, the people; and
to devise ways and means of MASTER
ing their masters and outWitting the |
source from which all power is sup
posed to be derived and to which all |
power is supposed to be responsible. !
"Of the people, by the people, for the
people" "Of the caucuses. by the eau !
cuses, for the caucuses." "Of the
bosses, by the bosses, for the bosses
"Of the conventions, by the conven-
tions, for the conventions "Of the |
influences, by the control
ling influences, for the controlling in
huences." And so 1t goes. Oh Liberty,