The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-05-19

sentative government, we should think
the argument ridiculous If we are u
make party government analogous to the
general government. we should elect par
ty candidates by direct vote Of The mem
hers 81 the party.
lVl The primary system tends 70 a
rule Of all Of the people II does not
mean the selection Of q candidate from
a popnlous center because Of residence.
Actual experience shows that il tends
to bring to The service Of the state men
of ability, no matter whore they may
reside 1t tends To discourage the geo.
graphical rule. which has attained such
strength under the eaucus and conven.
ton. OF the p governors now In Office
who were chosen BY direct primaries SIX
Fare from towns Of less than 900 inhah-
itants; six more from cities 81 towns of
less than 5000 inhabitants; and four
from cities Of less than 10000 inhab-
itants.
Under the direct primary, the results
in the following states are instructive.
In Alabama, four of the eight state oiii-
GERS are from towns Of less than 5000
inhabitants; in Arkansas, five Of the
eight are from towns Of less than 3,500;
ia Florida FIVE Of the seven are from
towns Of less than 200; IN Iowa, six Of
the seven are from towns Of less than
! 500; ia Kansas, six Of the eight are
from towns Of less than 5000; IN Nebas-
ka, five Of the eight are from towns Of
less than 900; in North Dakota, FIVE or
the nine are from towns Of less than
1000; In Washington, four Of the eight
are from towns Of less than 4000; in
Wisconsin three Of the six are from
towns Of Jess than 1000; while in New
York, under the caucus and convention
system Six Of the seven Of the elective
officers are from cities having a popula
ton, each. Of over $4,000 people. The
only deduction from the above Is that
the caucus and convention system results
Ii 4 rule Of section "a geographical rule
while the direct primary results in a
rule Of the people.
It is a general rule under the caucus
system that the larger places enjoy pre-
pondersnee II the distribution Of Offices;
but the people OF larger places do not
vote direct al a unit. but their delegates
always vote al a unit when ii convention
assembled. III this county Brattlebore
and Rockingham. with q few additional
delegates always available. can control
the county convention. Delegates from
these towns have done 50 from the time
to which the mind 81 the present genera
ton runneth not to the contrary. That
s.. few politicians, By trading. have
succeeded IN directing the selection Of
our county officials. Can anyone deny
that this condition has obtained. and that
few have actually selected the candi-
dates, and that the only duty actually
performed by the people at large has
been simply to ratify that choice 50
made Have the people Of this county
ever been able to beat the gameg DO
you think they, as ffee-horn citizens Of
An Independent state, really enjoy their
subjugation
fl0l Under the primary system a
man q limited means IS not debarred
from obtaining nomination FOR. or cleo.
ton To. public Office This fact. too, IS
clearly demonstrated By experience. It
is likewise fully demonstrated ia Yer
mont that the man without ample funds
cannot hope 10 be selected. Isn't il a.
shame that state with the glorious
history Of a century in the great sister
hood Of states should find itself at this
time practically limited in its choice Of