Amador ledger., 1909-02-19
Editorial Column,
PRIMARY NOMINATIONS.

One of the important reforms pledged by both parties
the last election the passage of law providing for the
nomination all candidates for state county, and municipal
Offices by direct primaries. The idea is have the people
nominate their candidates directly without the intervention
of county conventions We do not believe this plan
wonld do away with party conventions altogether 1t would
still be necessary have representatives assemble in
venton for the purpose of vocng the sentiments of the
party platforms But the plan Of nominating by
direct would abolish in the manipulation by
adro politicians of delegations by trading and promise OF
patronage which has been in evidence for many years.
the lowering moral standing OF politics generally Many
patriotic citizens of late years have refused to take part
party politics because of the degradation attached the
of dcaon by unscrupuous politicians Men who
soop lowdown methods have little chance against the
tactics of scemers posted all the arts of the game of wire
pulling and manipulation This political imfam business
is improperly designated smartness the part of those
versed therein 1t is nothing of the kind 1t is simply
moral degeneracy which highminded men, from their Unborn
of right descend to- So the politicians
rule have had all their way one faction of the same
class contending against the other
The direct primary plan it is hoped by its advocates, will
change all this 1t will take the Offices and the patronage
belonging thereto of the control of the schemers bring
ing the into closer relations with aspran for Office
While there is general sentiment that provision of law
should be made raise politics to higher moral plane
there is much diversity of opinion to the details 1t is
difficult subject handle and perhaps impossible to prevent
the political gamblers from hnd1ng oophole tor their
operations altogether In the bill before the legislature
diputed point has developed concerning the number of
necessary Fat primary election to constitute nomi
nation The bill as originally introduced provided that
forty per all the should constitute nom
nation. This by many is deemed too high, and amend
ment suggested reduce it twenty-five per cent Of
course primary contest there is likely to be lively
scramble within the party ranks for Office Where
Der of candidates voted for would be unlikely that
would get forty per and failure make nomination
would compcate things materially On the other hand it
is claimed that by unduy lowering the percentage of votes
the nominees of the minority party would be benefited The
defeated candidates of the majority party would at the
al election apt join forces with the opposition candidates.
and defeat the nominees of the dominant side In nominal
ing convention heretofore conducted bitter contest with
in the party ranks deprecated OF danger to the
successful asprant is argued that it would work the
way with nomination by direct primary AS in othef
states it will perhaps take time work out practical
primary law but in the end will be worth the experience
Certainly any in this direction will hardly fail be
improvement upon the convention system exempfed
in this state for many years past.