The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-13
THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY
Cen w. C. Oates Expresses His News As to
Primaries, ETC.
Editor The Advertiser:
PrI11dTIes, Etc.

Editor The Advertiser:
+ As an old politician of more than
fifty years experience, have a few
suggestions to make, which, trust.
VIII not be devoid of interest to some
Of your readers. They touch some of
ana II be OF se aay
present them as to give some OF our
people q new vantage point from which
TO view them. few pertinent ideas
! shall feel that my efforts have not
been in vain. / would say, however, in
the beginning. that ! have no personal
no politIeal n sx to am nrlnS 70 am actual
ed tp this communication solely BY q
desire for the success of my people in
the solution Of intricate problems of
question that confronts us at the
very threshold Is that of our elections.
How shall they be conducted to the end
that tn the best and h most SspaSls
few years ago, when Populism war
rife, 1t was said that under our then
system nominating conventions were
ling blocks to the true ends Of gov
eminent. 1t Is true that the Demo-
Gratis In some Of their nominating con.
ventions gave color to the charge Of Z
nominations. The general primary in
which every voter should have voice
was prescribed as the sovereign rem
pie at large despise trickery and fraud:
they were persuaded into swallowing
the prescription; into believing that the
general primary would be better than thai,
was persuaded by the circumstances
into this belief. I favored the pro-
posed primary plan. The primary sys-
aG sS WITH what BY now SssP
All candidates for State Offices from
Governor down, INCLUDING the seven
Supreme Court Judges. are nominated
primary is an expensive thing. At
conservative estimate a single State
primary costs approximately $4,000.
this burden. And this is not all that is
placed on his shoulders. There are his
personal expenses, as well as the large
sums that are necessary for newspa.
yocates. for the printing of ballots.
etc. ETC., In a constantly ever-growing
column of figures, mounting up to a
sor total SO great tnst It m
cumstances to meet 1t without bank
rupting himself. The poor man can
not meet this expense: he is absolutely
often denies to the people the services
of the best man for the office. This is
an injustice not only to the poorer cam
didate but to the, people. at large. Is
ment? The true aim Of all right gov
eminent Is the greatest good to the
greatest number. Does this system
fulfill this aim2
In the next place 1t relegates Office
getting and ofice-holding to the rich.
who have the means. or to those who
resort to corrupt practices to obtain
the requisite amount Of meaey to buy
the votes necessary to boost them into
the nomination. a candidate to make
a successful race for nomination must
Egb al and SYer sueEy soter He
must literally practice bribery While
dealing with SO all-irnportant a sub
tect. why handle It with gloved hands?
cry 1t will remain-not SO much direct
bribery, 1t Is true, but bribery never
theless. through agents and heelerS
are gaidb to 1rns so
or wards. for SO many dollars, or for
certain appointment If his favorite
wins. When the last constitutional
was claimed that that would put an
end to buying and selling votes; that
white men would not sell their votes:
and that consequently the work Of pu-
a mistaken In some localities white
men sell their votes about as frequent
ly assthe negroes did. The only differ
dent and cautious about it. The occu-
patton of the heller is not extinct:
The candidates for Supreme Court
must come around seeking
votes and buttonh ding. They have to,
under the present system. II man Of
true pride. he feels Inundated. He
cannot consistently extol his own
merits, nor can be exhibit to the wool
hated voter his great qualifications for
a seat on the supreme bench. He must
trust to some one else to inform the
voter Of this ali-important fact. He
must trust to that some one else to OBJ
tain that mans vote for him. This
same some one else Is the beat or ward
heller The candidate may not be Mt
to preside as a crossroads Justice or
the peace. The heller, however, tells
the Voter that his man is the very man
for the supreme bench: he extols his
supposed abilities and virtues: the
voter doesn't know the difference: ne Is
hoodwinked into voting for the least
auaiified man for a seat upon this au-
gust tribunal. ! do not mean to cast
a spersion upon the voter; for. however
honest the average voter may be. he
does not know which of the candidates