Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-24
The Compulsory Primary.
Ichristian science Monitor.

There is great deal to be said in
favor of the compulsory primary as an
uplifting political force. 1t has been
claimed by some who oppose 1T that an
attempt to deprive a citizen of his
right to vote on election day because
he had not previously voted at a pri-
mary would be illegal. And yet voters
who refuse or neglect TO register, or
who refuse or neglect to comply with
other provisions of the election laws in
the various states, are denied the right
to vote, and no question is raised as to
the legality of the Introduction. The
compulsory primary would take the
place of registration A citizen who
had not voted at the primary. under
the operation of this system. could
not vote at the election. His vote at
the primary would be necessary 10 the
valuation of his right as voter.
Compulsory voting at primaries-the
compuision arising from the penalty of
disfranchiseneT n case of failure to
cast vote at r.'imary-seems the
simplest and ( remedy yet devised
for the machine contest in politics. An
open primary. at. which every citizen
who hopes to retain all of his privileges
of citizenship shall vote, would make
precinct captains. ward bosses and
bosses in general unnecessary There
would be a machine, Of course. but it
would be machine OF which the pub
lie itself would usually be boss.
The one thing that goes farthest to-
ward justifying the existence OF party
organization and party machinery Is
the apparent inability of the public to
maintain wholesome interest in it's
own affairs. A surprisingly large per-
or Of ho
misses politics from its mind with the
announcement of the result of the cleo
ton surprisingly large percentage
Of the voting population depends upon
practical politicians for information
about elections. about the offices to be
filled and about the candidates. Ex-
cept on occasions when the public
has been awakened by agitation or
alarm, 1t requires the energy and the
enthusiasm which the political organi-
cations inject into campaign to bring
the voters out Now, this is at once a
cause and an effect. Much of the pub
lies seeming indifference to political
details results unquestionably from the
habit of permitting the practical poll
ticians to manage things which the
citizens should manage for themselves.
The practical politician has usurped
the prerogative of the citizen, and be-
cause the citizen believes he is thereby
relieved OF responsibility and of time
and worry, he good naturally and in
diligently allows the usurpation TO con-
tinue.
All this on the very face of it is
wrong. Nothing could be more sub
versive of good government than in
different citizenship. Not the least
among the many appealing features of
the compulsory primary plan is the
fact that in its operation it would shift
political responsibility from the Shout
ders of the professional politician,
where 1t does not belong. to the shoul-
ders Of the private citizen. where 1t
should always remain. This respons-
ibility seems certain to beget fuller
popular interest not merely in election
contests. but in primary contests.
which is the all-important thing Good
nominations are absolutely necessary
to an improved public service The
choice of candidates is now, generally
speaking, made by the politicians for
the people. The people should choose
them for themselves. This is not mere
ly their right; it is their duty
Compulsory primary voting is some
thing that deserves to be studied by
everybody VINO mas the welfare OF inc
republic at heart. 1t Is at once get
ting back to the fundamental and go
ing forward to the essential in demo-
cratic government. Every considera-
ton demands that in this country the
people, and the people only. shall rule.
Apprenticeship and voeationai Training
tChristian Science Monitor).
In these columns recently attention
was called to the fact that students of
the manual training schools in Rhode
Island were given opportunity to work.
while under instruction, in some Of the
factories of that state and were COM
pensated for their labor by a nominal
wage. So much has been said
and written with regard to
manual and vocational training
that it might seem as IL the old
apprenticeship system had been wholly
abolished in this country. This. OF
course is not the case. In some parts
Of the country It Is practiced A. gen.
orally as ever. and under such improv-
ed conditions that in the belief Of some
the system is bound to be continued
indefinitely.
At the last convention Of the Ma
tional Machine Tool Builders Associa-
ton Fred L. Eberhardt Of the Gould 4
Eberhardt Company. Newark, n. j..
|