The La Jara chronicle., 1910-07-01
THE DIRECT PRIMARY.

progressed further than the rest. AS
has been seen recently, it is in use
in one form or other, in a number
OF states. The results of it in
those states ought to be studied II
we wish to come to fair concfu-
sion about the desirability of such a
law in Colorado. Its friends point to
L. S. Senate by the Republican leg
islature of Oregon in obedience to
the vote of a state wide primary, as
an eyidenc of its desirability. Its
enemies point to the clean sweep
made by Tom Taggart in his own
county in Indiana, and to the over
whelming of Folk by Stone in Mis-
souri, by the vote of the slums of
St. Louis and Kansas City. as proofs
OF its failure. One must consider.
in estimating effects. that there are
people who do not see any great
triumph of virtue in the election of a
Democrat for Senator by Republican
Legislature; and also that some peo-
Folk as a good thing.
The friends of the direct primary
usually take it for granted that the
elimination of delegates and conven-
tions is a good thing. but its enemies
are by no means prepared to acknow-
ledge this. They say that the con
sultative feature of conventions is
too valuable TO be discarded, and that
delegates. counselling together. can
often produce better result than is
attained by direct vote.
The second main argument for the
direct primary Is that is carries out
the will of the people. and gives
them the candidates they want. On
the other side this is denied. In the
first place. the people cannot vote
a, a direct primary every one for
the man he wants. but the names
are put on a ticket beforehand by
somebody, and the voter has no
choice but to take one of those names
The question of how the names shall
be placed upon the ballot for the
primary is the rock Gov Hughes's
hi / split on in New York. 1t pro-
yided Tor the naming of candidates
by the party committees. and also.
of course. by petition.
The matter of expense is another
thing in dispute The successful can
didate has to make two campaigns,
and whether II costs him more than
the old method is the question. The
canva ssing before primary has in
some cases proved as expensive as
the canvassing before election, and
has required as large an army of paid
workers. This leads the enemies of
the system to say that poor man
has no chance whatever in a direct
primary as against a rich one-not
because the latter would buy votes
outright, but because he could hire
large numbers of workers. give his
friends ride to the polls, and other
wise make his money count.
The details of direct nomination
law are extremely important. One bal
or wrong provision might spoil the
whole intent of the law. 1t was
the objections to one provision or an
other of al the laws proposed in
New York that led the legislature to
adjourn without getting any of them
on the statute books.
Under the convention method the
claims of locality are always recog-
nized in making up ticket. In the
state convention. for instance. no one
county would get the nominees for
two important offices, and no single
section of the state would get ma
consult together, and endeavor u
frame a ticket that would be salts
factory to the voters of all sections.
How to retain any means of getting a
balanced ticket" under the direct
system is one of its difficulties.
The doing away with dark horses,
and with the switching that is done
at conventions, is regarded as a good
thing by advocates of the direct sys'
ten, and as bad thing by opponents
Oh II. MANY time III lhiS Sldte
the slate agreed on has been
busted" and dark horse run in.
If nominations were made directly,
such a thing could not be done. As
for switching. there are instances
of 1t at almost every convention. OF
two candidates for the same place
one may be induced to withdraw by
getting another place, for which nc
very strong candidate has appeared
Under the direct system, there could