The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-09-24

fees, and a caucus for the selection of dele
gates to a county convention for the nom
ination of county officers. A primary cleo
ton would do away with all of these, and
in their place there would be one meeting
of all parties together, and a direct vote for
all the candidates for each party. 1t would
mean less cost to the voters, and the cut
ting out entirely of the cost and expense
or the various conventions.
! Under the present system the securing
OF the nomination for any important office
means an almost unlimited use of money.
| The poor man is practically barred The
lection of those who are financially able
| to defray the expenses of such canvass
| as the present system makes necessary. Is
there any good reason why the selection of
! a public official should be restricted to a
| class of citizens who have money sufficient
to expend in paying for the time and the
expenses of the ieutenants in the various
counties, and for the expenses of delegates?
A convention places the selection of can
didates in the hands of delegates subject
to personal prejudices, and who represent
in many instances, in the convention, the
politicians responsible for their choice as
delegates, and not the people. The con-
vention system is undesirable. One who
attends conventions in this state for a
cally the same delegates. Hardly con.
vention passes when one of the principal
officers is not nominated as result of
some trade of support, without regard to
the sober judgment of the great mass OF
the voters. The delegates to the conven-
lions are subject to influences not contem-
plated when elected Such gathering does
people. There is usually one important
contest, and all of the other contested NOM
nations hinge upon that one. The con-
venton is run on the principle that man
can be nominated for public Office if he has
the money with which to get his delegates,
who have been elected through the efforts |
of his organization, to the convention, and |
cure the votes for the nomination. The |
convention plan is out of harmony with |
every theory of government by the peo-
pie Recently a candidate for high Office |
was accused of spending an enormous
amount of money to secure his nomination.
This accusation has never been denied.
7 hat re-conventiOn campaign made po-
litical grafters out of hundreds of citizens.
Tt set low standard of political morals.
Now one would be surprised to know the
number of delegates who do not hesitate
to demand transportation to the state con-
ventons, and their expenses while in at
tendance. One who does not know the in
side workings of the caucus and convention
system would be surprised at the men of
these demands of candidates. Why should
a delegate have his expenses paid to rep
resent his constituents. Is it right! Is it
proper to hire man to do his plain duty?
WHY retain a custom which makes possible
such system of political debauchery?
The inside workings of our state conven-
ton. and the midnight session of the lead
Al %l,.1 ,..V-r II
rades which have resulted, are all I'M
Known to the ordinary delegate, and have
made the convention system subversive of
rood morals and vicious to the extreme.
Such a condition is especially dangerous In
,ur state because here the nomination
means the election.
The caucus and convention systems of
ers broad field for political fraud and
1t made possible the control
# Vermont politics by single corporation
or generation. 1t has made possible for
or long time the selecting in advance
" a few in power of all of the principal
candidates for state offices and the ratify-
ng of their selection by means of the or
anized convention. 1t has made the or
nary voter disgusted with politics 1t
las driven large number to an apathetic.
nd therefore dangerous, position in re-
ard to state and public matters. In or
er to get the voters out to caucus, it
now necessary to organize campaign, $
Sc teams and automobiles, and every meth :
which can be conceived of. All this t
entirely wrong, and does not mean a i
overnment of and by the people. On the a
ontrary it means the government of the +
nany by the few. 1t is situation which S
ais for remedy, situation which calls i
IT our best efforts to restore to the peo- II
lie the means of selecting their own politi d
al servants.
I have outlined above only few of the $
lany objections to the present caucus and a
invention system. In future issue ! "
esire to set forth some of the advantages $
the primary system, and to answer such f
riticism as may be offered. T
Respectfully. S
F.. W. Gibson.