The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-04-28
ATTACKS PRESENT
CAUCUS SYSTEM
Z. W. Gibson Gives Ten Reasons Why It
Should Be Superseded by Direct
Primary system

Editor Times:-In a previous article.
attention was called 70 the nomination OF
public officers BY direct vote. The plan
was explained and 1t was shown where
the idea has been adopted 1t Is the Dur.
pose Of this article 70 set forth some Of
the objections To the caucus and conven.
tion system.
The method now employed is nothing
more than custom. The trainers 81 our
state constitution did not provide
method Of ascertaining the will Of the
people in the mater Of nominations, 50
We have drifted in common with other
states into the present custom Of doing
50 by way Of caucus delegate system
recognized in way BY statute.
While the evils Of the system were
early apparent, we were In the early
DAYS Of It's use, able to get along fairly
well under il, because the minds III me
people were in those days kept keenly
attuned to the political conditions Great
questions were engaging their attention
The great Civil war and the resulting
problems OF reconstruction, and the great
commercial development Of the nation
and the problems connected herewith.
all served to keep up the interest OF the
people in public matters. But these later
years, the age OF combinations, OF unit
ing certain lines Of business under 81
eanfic trusts carried to an extent aharae-
terized BY the attorney general III his
recent speech in Chicago as follows:
Whose extent and unchecked growth
threatened the stability Of free institu-
tions," have developed the real danger Of
the further continuance Of the system.
Let US consider the objections 70 the
present method; % Il subjects Che
choice Of the people to the control Of
certain rules A candidate must carry
his town or county to stand ang show il
tie county or state convention. Local
ieai0asies serve many times to prevent
the people from having the services of
able men III public positions. II has civ
on effect To the mountain rule. This
+ in effect a geographical rule which says
in substance. The candidate may be an
able man. the best man for the position.
but the Republican party cannot uomi
nate him because he does not live where
he ought to live Ii he lived elsewhere,
We might cali him to the public service.
The choice Of the people is thereby limit
ed In no other state has this dangerous
rule gained such strength as II our state.
Is ability and qualification for office q
thing which shifts from the east TO the
west side Of the state every two years
t2l It promotes the conduct ot an I'M
sernpulous pre-conVention campaign. In
order to wage a successful campaign, the
candidate for governor must have repre-
sentatives in every county. That man Is
the county boss as far as that eandi
date IS concerned He goes ever the
county from time to time, keeps IN touch
with the situation, keeps the boys III
line. helps to plan Tia conduct Of the
caucuses, and after the cancuses are held
sees that all delegates favorable 20 hls
candidate are sent I'd THE convention and
their expenses paid ii necessary. Ee
knows tie game Of politics 30 far As his
county Is concerned lie is resoueeful
to the end OF getting ont to the caucus
only his own retainers and henehmen. He
Is past master in the art Of caucus ma
nipulation. The method Of conducting
these campaigns during the past twenty
fac years has served to materially lower
The standard Of our political morality
The campaign is not conducted with .
view to allowing All the people 70 eX-
press their wish, but with view Of con
lining the election Of delegates to the