The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-06-08
THE PRIMARY FARCE.

This was written before the pri.
mary, Written at q time when the
outcome could not affect the judg-
ment, either in the matter. Of undue
qualification or Of sad misgivings.
We dislike the primary We have
been in Q number of campaigns. We
have helped to fight the battles Of the
Grand Old Party, but this is the first
time we have been constrained to
antagonize our friends and fellow
workers. 1t has been a positive pain
to see the GOODNESS grow between
those who have worked together for
80 many years. TO see whispered con-
1erences in which one was not In
sviteda to share; to have conversations
suddenly cease when one came along;
=and in the same way to be obliged
to keep ones own plans from those
with whom he had been wont to hold
condolences. Three Of the best friends
we have were lined up on the other
side Of the controversy yesterday, and
for the past month we, who have been
almost as brothers. have met we'll
nigh as strangers. We shall make it
our business to try to get back to
the old footing as soon as possible,
but such scars take long time to
heal and the game is not worth the
arrangements it caused. This is only
AN instance; throughout the entire
state this has been going on. It is
bad enough to fight democrats, but
II is beastly to fight among our
sselves.
The primary is a farce. Each fac
tion goes back to the caucus idea
Two secret conferences take the place
.of one public, legalized caucus. We
may well say with Napoleon, An
other such victory and we are un-
done" The primary, more than any
other, thing, has whitfield down the
magnificent republican majority in
Iowa Senator Cummins says he is
glad that there is factionalism; we
are not. We hate it!
;a The average voter takes but little
interest in the primary unless he is
dragged to the polls by superhuman
efforts. The arguments used but fur
niBh ammunition to the enemy, and
we doubt If the next four months will
be long enough to heal the wounds
of yesterdays battle. If the election
were to be held tomorrow every re
publican candidate in Iowa would be
defeated.
What did any man know yesterday
save perhaps few educators, as t,
the comparative merits of the sever
candidates for state superintendent
We confess that we did not. We vote
for Chantland because he was an oil
I. choolmate; we voted for Person be
cause he was friend of P. ]. Klinl
3er;; we voted for Deyoe because b
was friend of Charles K. Meyer
We will wager that these are as goo
reasons as can be given by min,
tenths Of the voters for the way
which they cast their ballots. Thi
Is q representative government. VIII
not make it so? If we must have
primary, why not compel those VII
+ desire to be delegates to a state CO.
vention to go before the people Il
Is their votes. The people know the me
OF their own county; know whetht
they are to be trusted; know how the
are aligned, and, If there are faction
to which they belong. The people
q county are fully competent to d
eide who shall be their delegates
much more competent than they Al
to decide which of seven men wi
make the best state superintendent
The delegates thus chosen by the
rect vote Of the people could the
meet and select we'll balanced, We
planned, we'll thought out ticket. SUI
ticket could be distributed with !
gard to geographical location, with