Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-01-02
TO ORGANIZE OR
NOT TO ORGANIZE
Turning Issue Before the Repubii-
cans Of Oregon Involving the Par
~ Future.

In Portland the hepuUlOaN7
chosen a machine manager. who was
onee attorney general as county
chairman and the county central
committee has decided 70 90. ahead
ana hold a conference, and then a
s,ate conference and suggest candi-
dates for the people 90 nominate al
the direct primary.
This may work and Il may not as
marty conventions are expressly
abolished by the direct primary law
las drafted by Mr.. U'Ren aud others.
The oregon Observer printed al
lorants Pass has the following edi-
ltoriai on che subject. that will be
read with interest by all true Re
abllcans in all parts OF the state.
THE Capital Journal does not take
sides in this matter. az the people
have nothing a. stake. whether the
politicians get together or keep apart
REGARDING them all az light-fingered
gentry who will bear watching. But
read the Observer article and Judge
for yourself;
To Josephine Republicans belongs
the honor OF being the first to form
q party organization under the
changed conditions brought about by
the action Of the. primary elections
law. Last Saturday meeting OF
oommltteemen from the various pre-
cinots OF tho county was held. ana
the business OF filling vacancies and
elecilng officers was transacted. It
was no doubt the FIRST political meet
ing or convention ever held on this
continent composed OF delegates duly
elected by the voters Of their respec-
tive precincts az general state cleo
iloh and IN accordance with provis-
Ions Of law.
There ls an idea current through
out the state. that political party
business cannot be- satisfactorily con-
Quoted with the machinery provided
by the primary law. and u would
seem that many prominent and wor-
lthy party men are so confirmed In
this Idea that they will not even
make motion 20 test the new ma
lchlnury, but look more or less long.
ingly backward 10 the old and con-
demned Outnt with rs Juicy flesh
pots One state general election has
been held under the primary law, and
n must be- said that the result was
far from satisfactory hut one robin
does not make spring. or one trial
prove the merit OF a new and some
What complicated elective apparatus
Moreover. Il must always be rcmem-
bered that an the conditions were
, against the satisfactory working ot
the primary law at the 1895 cleo
tlons So far as Republicans are con.
cerned the party organization in ore
son had gone 90 smash by reason OF
abuses In all ts affairs and the de-
gredation brought upon Il as a con.
sequence of the land fraud trials
The old organization was dead. and
the now organization had not yet
como lnto existence. aud could not
until the machinery was created by
the election chen being held. The
Republican party Was az sea with
oui a compass 60 ruide Il. and IL was
moreover, along with the other po-
lnical parties. In now and strange
waters. 40 wonder the results OF
that aFsi really popular election were
somewhat erractic Hut an expert.
ence vas galned that Is valuable,
aud some mistakes of ls06 viii not
br repeated 10 isos. and others OF
greater moment can he avoided hy
sandii'y accepting the new condl-
tions and building WITH The organlra.
t,on material provided at ihe 1905
election
The utter generalization of Re
publican organization is no doubt
acceptable enough 20 our friends the
Democrats who have substantially
bensaued by ". but Republicans
musl nol aermi, chat state of its 40.
fairs 90 eoutinae when the remedy Is
flFhi % hands ana ne, ds only 10 be
applied q has deyolytd upon jose
phlne 20 he che arst county 10 take
action hooking Co the construction ot
q pew Republican organization. more
potent hecause more la harmony
vim The people, ana doubly accepy.
able hegaufs ADAPTED Go the new con.
iliioas that have resulted from the
primaFy elections law.
az couyse, iosephluo county alone
IS hui small hrare, ba, other coun.
uss al surely organife on dmllar
haes q eoal1 bs toly 10 40 tAluss
~foar veen ihsy can more easily be
ioRe flght Ne Informal organisa. .
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