Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-01
Pointers on the Primary

Blue Springs Sentinel: When you come
to think Of II there was less than thirty
per cent OF the total vote OF the COUNT
cast at the last primary election. When
you realize that only one man out of four
voted 1t makes you sigh for the old
method.
Kearney Hub: The primary law was
originally the outgrowth Of a desire to
give the people OF all parties voice in the
selection Of candidates. but the effect has
been to give control to political centers
and the advantage to the railroad and
liquor interests. The people have not
availed themselves Of their opportunity.
York Republican: The county primary is
a good thing. The candidate who has the
votes gets the nomination, and there can
be no trickery exercised. Those who do
not have the votes are assured that moth
ing else kept them out of the nomination.
There is no post mortem, no sore spots
to carry away, no neighborhood III feeling,
no revenges to take and no wrongs to re-
member.
Fremont Tribune: The open primary
was born out of a desire to disrupt
parties. II came from a legislature that
reveled and rioted in partisan politics.
The democrats at their last session did
little but to undo safe laws and to reach
for political plums. The minority party
figured that II It could, by hook or by
crook, discourage republicans it had some
thing to gain and nothing to lose. It
made such a mess of it that it is prob
able democracy then had its last chance.
Bridgeport News-Blade: 1t may as we'll
be added all this chatter about purifying
politics by means of the direct primary is
the veriest rot. The direct primary places
in the hands of the politicians in the cities
the power to dictate candidates and poll
cies far more securely than did the old
plan of caucuses and conventions, and this
nonsensical talk of purifying politics is
the old cry of stop thief!' Give us the
old fashioned caucus where neighbors
gathered together to discuss matters of
local and general interest, instead of the
cut and dried policies prepared for us in
Lincoln and Omaha.
Bloomington Advocate: The democrats
have no right to vote for candidates for
positions on the republican ticket and
they would not be allowed to under the
old system, but under the law as passed
by the late lamented legislature they are
able to dictate who shall run against
their candidates, always picking out the
weakest member. Up in Banner county
at the late primary election the demo-
Gratis only cast two votes in the county.
the balance of the faithful voting the re-
publican ticket. This is a rank Injustice
and one that will soon disgust the intelli-
gent voters of this state.
Beatrice Express: Returns from the late
primary show that most democrats either
voted the republican ticket or didn't vote
at all. In Hooker county only one demo-
cratic vote was polled. Out of thirty-seven
votes cast at Winside. a town of 500 peo-
pie, only seven were voted for democrats.
The vote for democratic candidates was
generally light. Even the WorId-Herald
organ of the last legislature, ~denounces
the wide-open feature Of the primary law
in strong terms. 1t recognizes the farce
which the system will become by per-
hitting the members of one party to help
nominate the candidates of another party.
Albion Argus pop): Why should anyone
find any fault with the primary ballot?
You have the same privilege under It that
you used to have in the old caucus, and
no more. Parties were always glad to
have recruits to their ranks. The only diff
ference is, in the old caucus you went in
personally and voted, while in the new
you take your blanket ballot and say moth
ing, While you vote as you please. Under
the old way you could only take part in
one caucus; the same is true in the new.
SO il a man sees fit to throw away every
thing for the privilege Of voting for just
one candidate, that is his business. 1t may
not look wise to a strict partisan, but to
a patriot, more than a partisan, it looks
different. We like it fine.
Hastings Tribune; AS the primary law
stands today it is pretty much Of a farce.
It permits one to dictate the policy OF an
other party. For instance, take the recent
primary election and see how easily the
democrats had it in their power to say who
the republicans should put in nomination
against their candidates for supreme Judge.
The democrats had succeeded in killing
off the ambition Of all but three aspirants