The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-03-31
Political Suicide

Political Suicide
The Republican party In Kenosha SO
far as several Of the wards are con-
cerned seems to have committed poll
ticaI suicide In several of the wards
of the city the Republicans in their
desire to participate in the Democratic
primaries allowed their loyalty to
their own party to be entirely forgot
ten and as result number of men
who for years have been intensely
loyal to the party are forced to appear
as independent candidates The party
wanted these men to run for Offices
and most OF them came out only after
being urged to become candidates.
They were spurred to action by the
demand that the best interests of the
city and their party demanded their
seeking Office and then when they did
come into the field the men who had
urged them to make the sacrifice of en-
tering the political contest turned tail,
fed and voted for the Democratic can
didates. These men can not be blam-
ed for declining to appear on ticket
as Independents 1t is the party it.
self that has committed suicide and the
primary election a measure framed and
enacted by Republicans with the aid
Of "fair minded Democrats offered
the weapon for self destruction. There
was no political suicide among the
Democrats. Even though they may
have had a desire to see one or an
other candidate selected they stood to
their guns in the various wards and
saw to it that every man who had filed
a petition for Office got votes enough
to get his name on the official bal
lot under the party designation.
The good men who have been made
the dupes of party loyalty have kick
coming and they are not to be
criticised if they lay down in the fight
and decline to be classed as E'Inde-
pendents. "
The experience of these men may be
valuable in pointing out the continual
variety of the trouble that is to be
found in the primary election law and
this fact may cause some wise legisla.
tor to see that the time has come to
make many changes in this law.
Many Republicans honestly opposed
the enactment of this measure and
every charge that they brought
against it has been made good by it's
use in the various primaries held since
its enactment. The indictments that
could be brought against the primary
would fill long list and it is certain
that it has paved the way for the per-
sistent and willy politician to retain
his power in even better fashion than
under the old caucus and convention
system. Under the old system the
Republicans of Kenosha never came
before the people with anything but
full ticket nor did they kill off their
own candidates by attempting to die
tate the men to be nominated by op-
posing parties. The primary election
law has made it possible for the Re-
publican p9rtXSin Kenosha to become
political suicide and the only RENE
dy that is apparent is for every Re-
publican to seek the confessional, con
fess his sins of omission on last Tues
day pull off his coat and get down to
work for the Republican ticket and
show his returning loyalty to his party
and to the men who have taken the
nominations by doing every thing in
his power to secure their elections.
This is duty that the party owes to
the men who were fortunate enough to
get away from this political suicide
and get a place on the regular party
ticket.