The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-12-03
WHY THE DIRECT PRIMARY Law
IS RIGHT
Richfield Recorder

. "H'Sn hSe a. IoSdtciio, ouuudy duS
Monday, the primary bill passed b,
the recent legislature received proba
bly, the best. most studious discussion
1t has ever had; perhaps not ever
excepting the discussion in the legis.
lature that passed the bill and made |,
a law.
There is one. thing that the people
Of Idaho can be assured of-they have
the absolute power, irrespective OF
political machines, cliQues. rings, OF
individuals. to say who shall be put
up for public office in the state. II
4 is impossible for there to be any
dark horses" and eleventh hour can
didates. any stampede. because of a
clever speech. a grand-stand play, a
| well-oiled machine. It isn't spectacu,
lar. to settle the whole matter In the
quiet polls instead Of the feverish con-
vention. Just as It isn't spectacular to
\ hoe corn In July sun when you'd
| rather be pirouetting in big red
touring car and fat lunch box he's =
ed for the shady grove. But is
mighty effective. and good for ~ 4
corn. The still small voice of = :
ballot becomes mighty shout. CO.
ing for the men whom the people ~
lieve to be honest. and capable. ard
clean. The new law requires tsa
publication for from 80 to SO da-s,
of any prospective candidates intc--
ton to ask the people for a nomir y
ton: and then he has to run the
gauntlet of public opinion. But it's
going to be easy for the people to
pick out a good man; 1t always Is.
The fact that In this case any candi-
date is practically forced to serve an
apprenticeship before the public, to
be able to have any acquaintance and
standing with them, isn't bad thing
for the state. There will be fewer
mistakes longer courtships lead
to fewer unhappy marriages; ac-
quaintance is one of the very finest
cures for foolish infatuations. RI a
man isn't right. the majority OF the
people are pretty sure to spot him
by instinct once they have the chance
to vote for or against him at the pri-
maries. 1T will discourage the UNI
clean or undesirable man to have to
run two gauntlets. the primaries and
the election. There are men who
might make quite excellent candidates
for the ordinary convention ticket,
who couldn't be dragged into the Dri-
maries for 60-day inspection. The
state Is no loser to have these men
elect to stav out of politics. 1t may
he easv to take whatever comes after
the regular convention nomination.
when partisan feeling is high enough
to gloss over faults. to excuse defects.
Tt isn't easy to explain away there
fast flying stories of wrong, in the
cold calm of the primary election,
when there is no partisan backing to
aDpeal to. no grand old parity
either republican or democratic-to
carry part of the burden. IT means
a higher class of candidates, as a.,
rule; men who fight in the open
they cant fight any other way. under
the primaries; men who can't buy
their way into the peoples affections
for the law limits their expendi-
lures and the candidate who violates
the spirit of this law limiting expen-I
ditures is sneak. periurer. a man
devoid of honor men who are unable
to meet the peoples criticism ard
prove their worth.
Idaho hasn't been badly governed.
no other state of the North
west has been so uniformly we'll gov
erned or respected. But this doesn't
mean that we shall shut up like clans
ike Chinese ancestor-worshippe and
refuse to progress. The average citi- I
senship of Idaho is perhaps higher I
han that of almost any other state;
he people. are capable of governing
themselves by the most advanced pri-
mary law that has ever been dream I
I'd. The state has passed out of the
each Of dictators, of necessary del
sgation of power to govern because
Ea~can't govern ourselves. The sun Il
will shine just as bright, the rain and
snow and the fertile soil will be Just
Us bounteous, the crops and herds and !,
rees and fruits and fields will grow
ust as fair under primary law with
he people on top, as they ever did,
lnder a convention system with sew
'ral well-trained, high-priced engi-
leers bossing the job and showing the
people where to head in on their own
,lace-and the majority of the peo-
lie will be stronger, freer, happier,
unning their own affairs than in Civ
ng the control to others and paying
hem for it,
The convention system has not
'uined Idaho. Neither has the dread
hadow of telegraph pole falling on
he grave of thousand-year-dead
Jhink injured China-they could
tart out today, forget all the past.
md make even the Yankees hard to
atch in the race of progress.
But just because our ancestors /.
rossed the plains with ox-teams. or
lighted their houses with tallow dips,
If burned the witches or believed In h
he evil eye, Idaho isn't bound to the
system. The people can |,
na1se of the direct primary law, an
Instrument to goven public service as
PERFECTLY as a home Ifs governed, I,
which means better government than
We now have. The law may need
ONE amendments, after giving II a II.
rial. II so. 1t can be amended. But \
he idea is right. I,
Between now and the primaries, .
yhich are to be held next August, the
hopes to present the matter
rom so many sides that the law its
ntent. its operation. its effect. will
e thoroughly understood. It's fine
IT, a Il. a. II