Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-05-05

until be begins TO wonder Why X y AAat
Y be had so long escaped being sent to Con-
gress. He goes on from headquarters 10
headquarters, accumulatinP a stock OF
cigars and cheap praise until, tired uy ex-
ertions, he seeks his rest.
Then il is that the masters OF the situa-
tion are settling the matter OF The selee-
tion Of candidates. Then IL 10 that the
trades are made, and the plans for run
ming the convention are perfected.
In the morning the delegate again finds
the same confusion, the same uncertain
tn. He repairs to the convention hall.
There the air is suroharged with'exeite-
ment and man ufactured enthusiasm. The
organization is perfected. Nominations
are called for. The best orators laud
their candidates as the grandest creations
Of God since the days of Adam. The bal
lot is taken, the result announced. The
result is in accord with the solution
worked out by the masters OF the situa-
ton while the delegates were sleeping.
The delegates for few hours were sure
OF being conscious of acting az independ-
emit beings. They were, in fact, what
Governor Hughes has so sptly termed
Registering machines" 10 register the
will of the political bosses. They, in
fact, had no more to do in shaping the
action OF that convention than children
unborn.
These registering machines we're
elected at thinly attended caucuses man
ipulated by political heelers. Many Of
them were transported to the convention
city upon money OF some candidate That
candidate they bIindIy supported. Does
a system which. brings about he selection
OF candidates In such a manner tend TO
secure and perpetuate rule OF the peo-
pie ?
49, The caucus and convention system
is cumbersome and complex. Consider il
under most favorable conditions, as it APP
plies to the two leading parties. % In
a presidential year, at least two caucuses
are held in each town for the election OF
delegates TO attend state and congress
sional convention for the election Of dele
gates to the national conventions. (21
Six conventions, three Democratic and
three Republican, are held for the pur-
pose OF selecting these candidates. 81
AT least two caucuses in each town are
held for the election OF delegates to state
and congressional conventions az Six
conventions are held for the selection OF
candidates for state offices and congress-
men. t5l At least two caucuses in each
town are held for the election OF delegates
to county conventions. (e) Twenty
eight county conventions throughout the
state are held for the selection OF candi-
dates for county offices. % Two eau
crises ia each tow are held for the purpose
Of nominating candidates for representa-
ton TO the General Assembly and Justices
OF the peace This makes q total OF eich
caueuses In each town aud forty conven-
tions in various parts OF the state. with
all the expenses incident to he same, all
for the simple purpose Of ascertaining the
will OF the people as to the candidates for
their public positions. This could be
more directly and definitely ascertained
as to all these positions, excepting posi-
bly, delegates to national conventions, by
one meeting, at which the people would
be allowed to express their wish in a sim
pie direct manner. Would il be possible
for an intelligent person, one fully famn-
iar with ciyics and politics, to originate q
more complex, cumbersome and absurd
system for the selecting OF candidates for
office than the one under which we are
now doing so ?
present system is that il permits a few -
rule the many. II makes our much
boosted theory OF self government farce.
Ia this state nomination by the Repub-
ltcan party Is equivalent to an election.
Therefore, at the Republican caucus We
really choose our public officials. What
per cent OF Republican voters, then, really
have voice in choosing our officials j?
Less than 10 per cent throughout the /
state. Why does such a condition obtain +? /
Note this picture Of a caucus in town
having Republican voting strength OF
over 1900 voters. twenty-five men are
gathered for the caucus. list Of names 4
OF delegates has been prepared in advance 4
by two or three men in conference. As
soon as the caucus is called TO order some i
one moves that a committee be appointed 4
to prepare and present list OF delegates.
The motion is carried and strangely
enough the man who has brought the
prepared list to the caucus is a member Of
that committee. The committee brings
in the identical list prepared in advance
and the men named thereon are promptlv
declared elected. The average voter has
come To understand that he has no real
voice in the selecting OF these delegates.
Canvass the men who do not attend the
and nine out of 10 will tell Won
they remain away because Of the cut-and-
dried manner in which the caucuses are
conducted. Such conditions as preva;l
under the present system might be ex-
peeted in some countries. but hardly in
OF the twentieth century. still
SOME thank God fervently that we live in
state where the people rule. Those who
DO so should amend their PRAYER to con-
form to the facts. II they so amend thew
viii thank God that they live in a state
where handful OF politicians. througb
The caucus and convention system. are
permitted year after year to name our
public officials and to fool the people into
that they really have some voice
IN public matters by permitting them AZ
'lection time to ratify the politicians,
lhoice at caucus time. The politicians AZ
not trouble about elections II thew are
permitted to make the nominations.
Respectfully,
E. w. GIBSON.
Brattleboro, VT, April 25, 1910.
Edward Miller a Candidate =