The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-09-24
PRIMARY ELECTION
LAW TO BE ISSUE
Corrupt Caucus System Will
Have to Go.
CANDIDATES AND PLATFORMS.
Both Ought To be Demanded by the
People III the Next Political Cam
paign-Interesting Letter from e. w.
Gibson on Probable Issues.

tlDSOU Oh FrODaOle Issues.
Editor ,Reformer:-
One of the principal issues of the mex
state campaign should be the question O
the adoption of primary election law. Il
take the place of the present caucus sys
tenn for the selection of candidates 70
public office. Such a law failed of pas
sage at the last election, but that failure
only marked the beginning of campaign
which will some day result in its passag,
and approval, and in the carrying out o
the theory of government by the people
Prior to the year 1850 nearly all nomi
nations in our state for each political sub
division We're made by the voters direct
by means of mass conventions. At about
that time this method of direct nomina
ton was supplanted by the present caucus
system.
The caucus system has provided a
method for skillful political bargaining
and manipulation in the selection of can
didates, and has too often resulted in
nominations not desired by majority OF
the voters. The primary election law
means simply the adaptation of existing
election laws, with which we are all ia.
miliar. to the choice of their candidates by
the members of each political party 1t
is a simple method of recording the will of
che voters of each party, as to their party
candidates, and means the realization of
that government by the people contem-
plated by our fathers.
During the past half century there has
been in progress in this country a strug-
gle for self government. In theory we are
guaranteed it. In practice we do not get
it. Various interests, through designing
politicians, machines, cliques and combi-
nations, taking advantage of the present
method of nominating candidates, have
Talon from tho T,onD1a tho Salaatinn nf
candidates, and have thereby prostituted
to selfish ends the much boosted theory
of self government Under the present
system the voters choose between the can
didates of the parties selected by the in
terests; but have little or no voice in
saying who those candidates shall be.
Government by the people means the Sc
lection. as well as the election, of candi-
dates by the people, and the end of this
struggle of half century will be the
adoption of a method of selecting and
electing public servants by the people;
that method is provided by the primary
election law.
The adoption of those principles of gov
eminent which will result in the greatest
good to the greatest number should be
the objective of political party, and the
party members should have in mind the
adoption of those principles, and not en-
tirely the selection of certain men as
candidates. Only such men as represent
some well defined policy for the public
good should be selected as candidates for
public office.
Our next election is year distant, yet
we will soon hear of candidates and can
didates, and soon be in the midst of the
political scrmmage for nominations. Yet
hardly a word has been spoken as to the
principles those candidates represent, or
the policies which the party will adopt.
1t will be scrimmage OF self assertlve
candidates, planning and scheming for
their own nominations, forgetting their
self respect to beg by letter and well di-
rected appeals to be elected to serve (?)
the people of the state.
If | mistake not the time has arrived
when the voters Of the state of Vermont
will demand that they be given a voice in
the selection of the party candidates. and
in the shaping of the party policies: The
real power of the people can only be as
serted through a direct primary, which
aims to destroy the power of the political
boss, both local and "higher up" and to
reduce to minimum the possibility of
candidates selected by any one set of men
for personal ends, or self selected candi- |
dates, and to do away with the spectacle
of an intelligent constituency exercising |
the sovereign right of freemen simply to
ratfy the selection of a candidate by the
candidate himself, or by few, through |
an organization made possible by the pres
ent caucus system.
Broadly speaking, we should not do
away with a custom, and the caucus sys-
tenn is only custom, unless abuses OF
that custom have grown up. In this ar
tce let us study the caucus system and |
consider its disadvantages as revealed by
it's working in this state
In the first place it is crude and complex.
Compared with it the primary election
law is simplicity itself. As already stated
the caucus system does not ensure the
choice of candidates by the people. 1t af.
fords method whereby the few control
the many. The selection of public ser
wants is thrown into the hands of pro-
fessional manipulators, who should be the
last to be entrusted with political power.
As rule only few attend the caucuses,
and those are the politicians and their
faithful followers. The many ratify at
election time the choice of the politicians
at caucus time.
1t has given force to the rule that one
must carry his own town or county, to
have a standing in the county or state
convention. Every nomination is made
the subject of every custom which has
arisen in generations of political usurpa-
ton. 1t makes possible mountain rule"
in the nomination of state officials, an
absurd and unreasonable custom. Why .
should we not select the best man each
election time without regard to his loca-
ton.
1t makes possible and necessary a pre-
convention canvass, conducted in each
county by the representative or represen-
tatives OF an organization As soon as t
man becomes a candidate for a state of {
fce, under the present system, he imme- i
iiately perfects as far as he is able an or
with men in each county to .
look after his interests and with lieuten-
20 the caucus, by various methods and
means. all those who favor the candidate,
md to keep at home those opposed to him. I
In practice party candidates for the
highest offices are selected by not over 10
Der cent of the voting strength of the par
" In many towns in this county having
/ voting strength of from 200 to 300 eau =
us after caucus has seen less than II vot
RS present. who select the delegates to the i
-arious conventions. Oftentimes 25 to so ,
-oters following cut and dried plan, Sc =
ect the delegates to represent the 1900 re +
publican voters of Brattleboro. The large !
mass of voters will not attend the eau =
uses unless there is lively contest, and =
hen only by sheer effort and at large eX
ense, because they are disguised with the {
resent methods, having learned through a
Experience Just how caucuses are run, and n
that they mean. a
The caucus and convention system Is as a
cumbersome method of ascertaining the a
ill of the voters as could ever be con- a
eived 1t is now necessary to hold three Ii
r four caucuses each election to accomplish c,
hat could be easily accomplished by one