The Greeley tribune., 1909-05-05
A COMMUNICATION

long drawn out, occupying SoN''"'
wears, and requiring CONSTITUTIONS
amendment, yet popular government
won out and California VIII now en-
ioy n better state government thah
she has had since her admission
Twenty-seven primary laws ehac'
ed in 81 states and not single laM
of this kind repealed, and any poH-
tician who would even suggest the
repeal of such laws in such states
would be retired. Many have been
in use for twelve or fifteen years
have been thoroughly tried out
vet not even an attempt to repeal
This fact can argue but one thins'
Probably there are no periodicals
/ or organs of public opinion that oc-
cupy more prominent or leadl"s
place in the confidence of the Amer
lean people than The Outlook and
The Independent; both these jour
nails represent the highest and best
of non-partisan citizenship, states
manship and patriotism. They are
both conseryatively progressive. They
both carry great weight and iniiu-
ence. Theodore Roosevelt was glan
TO affiliate his name with the corp
of editors of one. The outlook says
the primary election law issue is the
great leading issue before the Amer !
lean people today. and that said -
sue will be steadily resolved in Ia
vor of such laws until every state
in the union has one The Indeperd-
ent SAYS that il is now one OF the
leading questions before the Ameri
can people and marks great deye'-
opment in popular government pre-
senting the fair and square issue OF
whether the people shall govern
themselves or whether they shall be
governed by political bosses big ana
little as is done to a greater or less
extent under the present convention
system.
Practically all of the great "un-
periodicals in America
'avor this law Practically nobody
opposes it but that type or would-bo
ype commonly called politician"
indicating by that term those men /
who are active politically for selfish
personal reasons; this word 'politi-
ian" does not mean only the big / |
ellow in the city who names our
andidates. for the big fellows who / |
re in to protect great property in
erests are not half so obnoxious as
he pestiferous type of little fellow
1ho is in it for what there is in it.
Tharn 10 ,,Io l
,here there is more intelligent and
citizenship than in Weld II
ounty: know of no place where
he majority of the newspapers are
ontrOl!ed h" men of higher standing
nd yet what has been done here in
Weld county? Our legislature his
ust adjourned and given us no pri-
nary law though probably 80 per
'ent of the people at large want It
md both great parties declared for
l. The reason for this was because
ONE so-ca'led democrats We're recrc-
mt and because part of the repub-
leans would rather there would BE-
20 good legislation than that goo
E egis.otior should be enacted by dem
crats. In other words. they were
putting the democrats in the hole"
his is playing politics but ii is
lot representing the people.
In this late legislative fight in
which great issue of popular gov
was at stake Weld county
7as represented by three men. The
'ttitude Of all three of these men TO-
ward primary election Jaw without
| conrentio' fc?ture, -;na primary
election law that does not eliminate
he convention feature is a JOKE
vas decided disappointment to the
of good primary cleo
ion law. One OF these persons de-
,lined to pledge himself on a pri-
mary election law, the other two
pledged themselves. Each step in
he fight in the legislature was fol.
owed closely and when it came @
fair and square show down"
enc of the best bills ever written In
He united States on this subject, our
representative and senator did not |
give such measure their support.
hey did, | believe favor a bill Sith
the convention feature, but to my
mind this is Hamlet with Hamlet left
out Now here is the point that
am driving at: In community Of
this kind, in county of this kind,
with newspapers such as we n.ve.
We would expect a loud, unanimous
and persistent "holler" Was there |
amy such? The only protest tn, wit
er heard was one from the Greeley |
tribune. l believe you did call at
;ention OF your readers to this mis- |
carriage and failure but would have |
~ it better if even you hal made |
more OF yell and less of a wall. |
lis dereliction of our servants
should be called to the attention. of
the people OF this county for a dere-
LECTION it is without doubt.
| appreciate that there are ma
terIal affairs that are occupying our
attention and that we are building
buildings, bitches, railroads an
houses, and constructing roads, but