The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-10-28

elccnstitution OF stichisan. VIII
estudied the question thpr6nghIy an.
i who was Instrumental IN defeatin;
. the proposals to Incorporate in thu
Constitution the initiative, the refer
eudum. the recall and the like. ha,
i stated:
E The cost OF conducting q cam
t ilpaign fors the higher omces, even 3
1.-THE expenses are confined to legiti.
mate purposes. has proved to be SC
great that all but very wealthy mer
and those with powerful machines
behind them are practically exclud-
led"
The direct primary sometimes re-
Isuits in the nomination Of a candi-
ildate by q minority OF the party. a
mere plurality vote for one man on
Ia ticket containing several names.
Such result may happen. indeed,
Itut, why should 1t be regarded as a
VERY serious ealamity?" asks the
Post Chronicle.
Simply because the majority and
mot the minority ought to rule. There
lis no good reason for small minor
lity's foisting upon the people a can.
Ididate who may ibe altogether OBJ
tectionable to majority of the peo.
pie. But. "a similar result often APP
pears in an election" says the Post
Chronicle. at happened in New
York City the other day. Judge Gay
nor was elected mayor of the city by
q minority Of the votes cast, hut the
result is reasonably conclusive and
satisfactory as an expression OF the
popular will"
The POST Chronicle should remem.
Der there is difference in making
nominations and In eiecting the can
didates already nominated. In the
one. choice is practically unlimited;
in the other It Is limited by the first.
The danger Of the direct primary lies
in the control of that limitation. Re.
Gently In Colorado the people were
asked to vote upon question OF
granting valuable franchise priyi-
llege to railway company, and. 1t ii
stated on reliable authority, the
Question itself was framed to suit
the corporate interests affected.
Who. pray. Is to be responsible for
the direct primary propositions? AS
q matter Of fact. there. appears to be
altogether too much irresponsibility
In the direct primary system. Some
thing happens and there is nobody to
blame or to answer for the conse-
Iquences.
What guarantee is there under the
old system that the candidate chosen
by the convention is really the choice
lof majority of the voters of the
party" asks the POST Chronicle.
This question has not entered into
1.-THE discussion. The objections statad
merely point out the failure of the di.
rect primary system to supply GER
tain remedy. But the convention
system may stand upon its own
ground.
That Monongal.a Republicans have
practiced the direct primary method
of making nominations for years
seems to convince the tPost-Chronicle
THAT 1t is all right. Monongalla Il
mot alone in this practice. Harrison
county Republicans have also tried
ut, and SO have others. Right here
1.-THE Telegram would like to call the
Post Chronicles attention to the dis,
ftinction between the direct primary
flor higher Offices and those for small
offices. Where it may serve the pur.
lfose among small number, 1t may
ifail among large number. The
same distinction is here found that
has been presented by the two prin.
1cipal forms of government by the
consent of the governed, namely. the
Representative or republican form
land the democratic or direct form
both have the same object, hut diff.
tferent means OF attaining It. ONLY
lin small communities is the direc
form workable, such as in the towr
meeting, or among small number
of voters. The people can not worl
ZEN masse without mutual discussion
land enlightment.
Here one may experience qualm.
lover the Post-ehtonicle's incon
flsistency. 1t virtually indorses tn,
idea of plurality nominations, blu,
desires all the people to act!
) Henry Jones Ford. professor o.
politics in Princeton university. re
Gently stated:
"one continually hears the declara
4 ton that the direct primary will TAX,
~.