Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-06-24
THE PRIMARIES.

Harmony, goodwill and earnest in
terest in the welfare of the Republican
party characterized the primaries helC
in the several precincts of Polk Coun.
ty, Wednesday. The attendance in eaci
precinct was large and proved thai
there are yet many Republicans in the
county to whom party principles and
party success mean something-Re-
publicans, who, while desiring clean
are not willing to see the party Of
Lincoln and Blaine and Mckinley
scattered and disrupted by a strained
and foolish Interpretation purposely
placed on the primary law by Demo-
Gratis and Populists.
Republicans who attended these
primaries well knew that they were
violating neither the letter nor the
spirit of the primary law. These men
respect the primary law as a law of
the State of Oregon, whether they
personally indorse it, or not; but
while obeying this law, they reserve
the right to exercise their own intell-
igence in interpreting its meaning.
They refuse to see restrictions in the
law that are not there. They well
know that the final word as to the fit
ness of candidates will rest with the
voters at the September primary cleo
tion and that all that an assembly can
do is to consider the fitness of aspir-
ants for office and recommend to the
favorable consideration of the voters
such men as it believes to be worthy
of support. Not one word can be
found in the primary law forbidding
such a proceeding.
The primary law itself is not a men,
ace to party It is only the strained /
and false construction of the law by 1
cunning and designing schemers that /
can be held responsible for the de- |
struction of party organization in this /
state. This fact is so well understood |
by the voters in general that it needs
no explanation Demagogues and polit-
ical self-seekers have sought to give
the law a meaning it does not possess,
and 1t must be sorrowfully admitted
that they have, in a large measure,
been successful. They have led many
voters to believe that a political party
Is a thing of evil; that anything re-
sembling party organization is a ina
leadership in politics are corrupt: that ,
The primary law forbids all meetings
Of a political nature, and that worthy
for office can only be select
ID in a free-for-all scramble for the
pie counter.
This is the argument that has been ,
ised in Oregon under the gulse of
the direct primary law. 1t
5 the argument that has been used by
he Democrats and Populists to dis
upt and scatter the forces OF the ma
ority party. 1t is the argument of dis
redited and discarded politicians in :
he Republican party who have been
brown out of office and are trying to
-et back again. 1t is the argument Of
he demagogue and the shyster. The l
republicans are done with il, and &
Eill be Influenced by it no longer. The
my NohueF ~ tnat they nave listened
0 1t as long as they have.
The assembly win not destroy the
republican party On the contrary. It h
: the one thing that viii preserve the L
arty. The Democrats pretend to be- L
eve that IT will wipe the Republican a
arty out Of existence. They do not be-
eve anything OF the kind. They know
hat their only hope OF success lies in
eeping the Republican party in a =,
isorganized condition, and they know :,
urther that the assembly will do
lore to strengthen the disrupted ma !,
Drity party than all other influences :
ombined. That is why every Democrat =
pposes the assembly. And that is |,
'hy every Republican should favor Il. .