The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-11
OPPOSED BY POWERFUL IN z FTUENCES."

X NANORSAOA~ ~~-S proposed creation of Public Utilities commission, the most important matter now pending before, or likely to be in- troduced in, the General Assembly, is the bill providing for the direct pri- mary, reported from the special com mission upon that subject. It reaches down to the very foundation of popu- lar government and seeks to inaugu- rate a system under which the people can dictate nominations, which they are unable to do in too many instances at present.
 The commissions reuort which was prepared by Judge Perry of Southport refers to the probable antagonism of stpowerful infuences'' to the project, by which phrase may sbe meant the machine which dictates, even two years in advance at times. the nom- nations of the Republican party. If such meaning was not intended, it can, and should, be read into the report.
 Newspaper influence which is one of the bugaboos raised by opponents of the direct primary, may be classed as a negligible quantity. Unity of action by the newspapers is not merely inn probable. but practically impossible. They might unite against the aspira- tions, for instance, of a horse thief; they could not be united against a candidacy of even moderate merits. This objection to the pending measure is wholly an unfounded scare.
 Apparently, the commission consid- cred the adverse argument that the vote of the country towns might be overwhelmed by the city vote, the most dangerous of the objections, for it re- ceives the greater attention in the re- port Like the newspaper bugaboo, it is scare, an attempt, by the power influences" referred to, to alright the country towns. The scheme will not work, for the rural voter is we'll aware that the cities, like the newspapers, never have been and never can be unit ed upon. candidates. 1t is much more probable that the country towns would find themselves holding the balance of power between the rival candidates of the cities.
 That the direct primary would de- stroy party organization, is another ob- lection raised, as all of the objections are, by the aforesaid powerful influ- ences." If it would destroy the Re- publican State machine, it would work most beneficently. This it may do, but the machine is not, or should not be, the party organization. It is an ex- crescence upon the organization, with tfo avic overweening greed for spells. Parties with their legitimate organizations, would continue under the direct pri- mary, but with an eninently proper and salutary check upon the would be autocratic activities of cliques.
 With regard to the expense attend ing the direct primary system, most of the legitimate expenditures are made by the State. There is left to the candidate only the cost of presenting hisemerits to the voters, provided he abstains from suffrage corruption, an evil to be estopped by adequate enact ments. The direct primary will allow the man of moderate means, or of no means, to become a candidate for office, which is not the fact at present. He would but have to present superior merit. Under a proper corrupt prac- tices act and with a limitation of ex- pense, the direct primary would lessen, instead of increase, the cost of run- ming for office.
 As we view the matter, the opposi- tion to the pending measure is inspir- ed wholly by the powerful influences" which fear loss of power and are ever apprehensive of popular interfer- ence with their greedy plans.
 Every voter should read with care the report of the special commission, which is interesting as we'll as instruc- tive It appears elsewhere in this issue of the Farmer.