Fergus County Democrat., 1910-12-13
Lewisrown, Mont, Dec. 10, 1910.

is, on the whole, not lll-governed,
and in many particulars it is we'll
governed; but certain vital changes
are necessary, particularly for the flu
ture welfare Of our comm onwealth.
Chief among these needs is that of
a sound, practicable and effective
primary election law, by which the
people OF the state can nominate as
we'll as elect their elective officers.
The convention system is open to
much abuse and is, in fact, often
greatly abused. Under the plan OF
nominating by conventions, a power
full corporation or individual may, and
often does, by ingenious combination,
secret intrigue Or undue influence
over the members of the convention,
practically assume to itself or him
self sufficient strength to dictate the
choice of the convention for any Of
flee or Offices which such corpora
ton or individual desires to control.
Furthermore, it has more than once
occurred in Montana politics that the
same strong influence dominated both
the republican and democratic con-
vention, and thereby procured nomi
nations on both tickets acceptable to
itself By such means as these the
will OF the people is often set aside
and that of corporation substituted.
The people of Montana will not be
wholly free, politically, until they Sc
lect the candidates for office as we'll
as elect the officers. 1t has happened
more than once in this state that the
people were deprived of any real
choice for certain high Offices, the
candidates therefor on both tickets
having been chosen by powerful in
terests in the state.
To remedy this state of affairs the
voters must have the power of Sc
lecting their candidates without the
constant danger of being thwarted by
strong and selfish interests which
care little for the public welfare if
their own ends can be attained.
The republican voters of town,
county and state should name all re-
publican candidates for office, and
the democratic voters should name
the democratic candidates When
this is done we shall have taken a
long step toward giving Montana
political freedom
Both the republican and demo-
cratic parties have more than once
declared themselves in favor of such
law. The democratic party will
have majority in the lower house
in the next legislative assembly, and
the republicans majority in the
senate. If their respective party
declarations have been sincere, there
will be slight difficulty in enacting a
primary law that will redeem the
respective party pledges.
The Oregon primary law seems to
be the most effective hitherto de-
signed and put in operation 1t works
we'll in Oregon and is probably the
most effective of its kind. The dem
ocratic party Of this state has specifi-
cally promised to enact primary
law like the Oregon law. The people
of the state expect the redemption OF
this pledge While the republican
party has not pledged itself to the
Oregon law, it has pledged itself to
an effective primary law, and any re-
fusal of republican legislators to
unite with their democratic brethren
in enacting such law as they have
both promised, will be looked upon
with grave suspicion. 1t is greatly
! to be desired that all patriotic and
conscientious members of the legisla-
ture-and we believe these are great
ly in the majority-should unite in
enacting such primary law. Any
failure or evasion on their part should
subject them to the condemnation OF
their constituents and their prompt
retirement from office at the next
election. 1t is high time that party
pledges should be redeemed and the
will Of the people of this state obeyed
1t is true that certain objections
are urged against any primary elec-
ton law, such its expense, the time
the trouble of attending to it, and ar
alleged clumsiness of its operation
1t is urged against it that its use
practically requires the people of the
state, county or town to go through
two elections. 1t is true that it may
be little more expensive, little
more cumbersome. and take littl,
!. more time than the convention sys
tenn of noinating, although it is t.
be doubted that its operation involves
more trouble and expense, on tn,
: whole, than the present system o
primaries and state and county con
ventions. All the present expense j
borne by delegates, except wher
wealthy corporations or individual
contribute, while under the primar,
system the cost will be borne by tn
state, county or town. The foregoin,
objections, if true, are not tenable fo
the reason that political freedom
we'll worth the additional trouble an
expense. Freedom can never be ha
or kept exrept by men who are will
ing to pay the cost.
l In primary law, there should b
a clause providing for the advisor
CHOICE of United States senators b
the electors of the state. Under ou
constitution, such choice would nc
be binding, legally, upon the mem
bers of the legislature, but few woul
there be who would dare disregar
the will of the electors
ii 1t is also to be hoped that the neg