The Washburn leader., 1910-05-27
WHO HAS MADE
UP THE TICKET?
The Insurgents are Working Against
the Individual by Order Of a
Few Of the Bosses.

and other counties that have had
so little to say in the lining up Of
tickets they are asked to support:
The so-called progressive tick
ct is being printed in some Of the
state newspapers. Under the pri-
mary law, no one is authorized to
pick out few men and announce
them as the simon pure represen-
tatives of certain faction of
party. Under the former delegate
system, the rank-and-file Of a par
ty had the power to meet in eau
Gus and select delegates to repre-
sent them. If they failed to at
tend the caucuses and exercise
their right in the selection Of dele
gates, it was their fault alone if
they were not properly represent
ed. And, under the old conven-
tion system, the man who was not
supported by the delegation from
his own county was seldom given
a place on the state ticket-never,
unless he was man of state wide
popularity who could bring great
strength to the ticket. The writer
was a strong supporter Of the pri-
mary law in the legislature. He
still believes in it, and thinks that
it has not yet been given fair
trial. But we do sincerely protest
against the rank violation of its
spirit by bunch of a couple of
dozen men who met together and
appointed an elimination COM
mittee' for the purpose of picking
out the favorites who were to pull
together and help one another to
secure Office. It is wrong because
the primary law was intended to
give the individual chance to OBJ
tain Office at the hands Of the peo-
pie without placing himself under
obligation to any gang or ring,
whether called stalwart, progress
sive, or something else. This ac-
tion of the insurgent elimination
committee in picking out ticket
virtually offsets and nullifies every
desirable provision Of the primary
law. Under the elimination meth.
cd Messrs. Burdick, Skulason, and
others who wanted to run for con-
gress are told that, although they
are progressives. they can't come
into the inner circle; that they can
run if they want to, but that the
progressive machine, or ring, had
decided that a certain list shall be
supported, and the men on!this list
are pledged to help one another
against all comers in obtaining the
feshpots Of office. Burdick is told
that he may run for lieutenant
governor, but not for congress. In
fact, this action of the Marshall
candidates in amalgamating again
st the other candidates will oom-
pei the latter to follow their ex-
ample or suffer severe handicap
in the campaign. All of which
kills the spirit Of the primary law
and leaves us without representa-
tive conventions.
And who, we ask, do these men
represent? What opportunity have
the rank-and-file Of the republican
party Of this state had to say any
thing or do anything regarding the
formation Of the so-called progres.
sive ticket? Under the convention
system Emmons and her sister
counties sent delegates to state
convention convention which
/ chose the state ticket. Sometimes
one faction won in the county and
sometimes another. The same was
true Of the state convention itself.
Sometimes tie. candidate for gov
ernor was e Briggs, . Fancher, q
Miller, an Allin, or . White. But,
whether belonging Is the old gang:
Or the new gang, tie state and na..
tional ticket always had the loyal