The Cairo bulletin., 1909-01-19
OENttN WANTS
CLEAN ELECTIONS
URGES AMENDMENT TO PRIMARY
LAW TO MAINTAIN PARTY
LINES.
MAINTAIN PARTY LINES
Would Have Candidates Prohibited
From Undue Expenditure of
Money-Defects in
Law

Springfield, H., Jan 18.-Re ling
the governors message was the prin.
clpal event in the gems raj assembly
today, 1t was comprehensive paper
| touching upon All the subjects that
have been before the people of tho
state. What he said about the pri-
mary election law was PERHAPS most
closely listened to as it is one Of the
subjects about which the factions IN
the legislature differ strongly. On
this subject the governor had the fol
| lowing to say:
The first practical test Of the pri-
mary election law was made at the
primaries held on August 8th last
As was anticipated, the test disclosed
certain defects in the law Chief
among these defects, was the oppor-
tunity afforded members Of one party
to vote at the primary elections, ami
thus in a measure to control the nom
nations Of another,
No defect more grave than this
could be fornd under a system of par
ty government and the law should be
amended so as to preserve TO mem
bers Of each party the exclusive
right to select their party candidates
The baneful consequences following
violation of this obvious principle
of party government reach far beyond
party organizations. They affect the
principle Of majority rule. Everybody
Is aware of the effect produced by
the nomination of weak or unworthy
candidates in the resulting apathy OF
candidates upon a majority party
through the participation of members
OF minority party in its primary
elections, must frequently result inI
the election of candidates represent
ing the minority. not the majority
OF the voters. If, on the other hand,
candidates thus nominated by the aid
OF members of the minority party
with a view TO their subsequent de-
feat, be elected, the public service |
suffers.
SO long as such a practice is al |
lowed to continue, political organiZa. |
tons will be the easy prey of combina
tions of the worst elements of all par
ties. for it plays directly into tie |
hands of the men who traffic in polit.
ical Offices and in legislation and al
for other than the public /
benefit Any amendment TO the pres
enr law that will curtail or destroy
evils, cannot fail to be a move in the
right direction. In my judgment
there is no way to escape the con.
clusion that, SO long as ours remains
a government by party, the autono-
my Of the party must be preserved
and the participation of members OF
one party IN the selection of the can
lidates os another must be prohib
tied.
To this end. provisions permitting
candidates before the primaries 20
have watchers at the polling places
and prohibiting members of one par.
y from voting at the primaries OF an
other should prove effectual. | rec
the enactment of a corrupt
practices act prohibiting unlawful
practices and undue expenditure OF
money in the conduct OF primary elec-
lions.
With the correction OF the defects
made. manifest in the last primary
our present nominating
,yer the old system, which. in any
went. hasbeen repudiatcd by popular
lote. ! therefore urge upon the Gen
sral Assembly, the early considera.
ion Of amendments TO the present
primary election law.