Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-05-11
PAGE 8
The Caucus System.

OF PUBIC OInc6rS Dy direct vote. The
plan was explained and it was shown
where the idea has been adopted. 1t
is the purpose of this article to set
forth some of the objections to the
caucus and convention system. The
method now employed is nothing more
than custom. The trainers of our
state constitution did not provide a
method of ascertaining the will of the
people in the matter of nominations,
so we have drifted in common with
other states into the present custom of
doing so 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
we'll under it, because the minds of the
people were, in those days, kept keen
ly attuned to the political conditions.
Great questions were engaging their
attention. The great Civil war and
the resulting problems of reconstruc-
ton, and the great commercial develop
ment 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 uniting
tic trusts carried to an extent charac-
terized by the attorney general in 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 to the
present method:
CD 1t subjects the choice of the peo-
pie to the control of certain rules. A
candidate must carry his town or coun-
ty to stand any show in the county or
state convention. Local jealousies
serve many times to prevent the peo-
pie from having the services of able
men in public positions. 1t has given
certain effect to the mountain rule. !"
This is, in effect, a geographical rule
which says in substance, The candi-
date may be an able man, the best
man for the position, but the Republi-
can party cannot nominate him be-
cause he does not live where he ought
to live. If he lived elsewhere we
might call him to the public service !"
The choice of the people is thereby
limited. In no other state as this dan
gerous rule gained such strength as in
our state. Is ability and qualification
for office a thing which shifts from the
east to the west side of the state every
two years?
(2) 1t promotes the conduct of an
INSCRIPTIONS preconvention campaign.
In order to wage a successful cam
paign, the candidate for governor must
have representatives in every county.
That man is the county "boss," as far
as that candidate is concerned. He
goes over the county from time to
time, keeps in touch with the situation
keeps the boys in line, helps to plan
the conduct of the caucuses and after
the caucuses are held sees that all
delegates favorable to his candidate
are sent to the convention, and their
expenses paid if necessary. He knows
the game of politics so far as his
county is concerned. He is resourceful
to the end of getting out to the caucus
only his henchmen. He is past master
in the art of caucus manipulation.
The method of conducting these cam
paigns during the past twenty-five
years has served to materially lower
the standard of our political morality.
The campaign is not conducted with a
view of allowing all the people to ex-
press their wish, but with a view of
combining the election of deleg ates to
the choice of few, and the few being
those favorable to one candidate.
(3) The choice of these candidates
by convention system is a choice by
delegates subject to their own personal
prejudices by which they are controlled
They represent the politician 8
responsible for their election, and not
the people as whole. Their voice in
the convention is voice of the politi-
clans so responsible. Thereby rule of
the politicians, and not rule of the
people, is encouraged.
(4) 1t is out of harmony with the
basic principle of every representative
government.
(5) 1t offers a field for political
fraud and corruption. 1t offers the op-
portunity for a control of the policy of
the state by a few men. 1t made
possible and effectual the control of the
government Of this state by one corpor-
alton for over thirty years. 1t makes
possible the rule of machine. The
machinery it provides is complex and
requires the knowledge of an expert
to run it. That expert is the local polit-
ical boss.
1t has driven the people of the state
to a "don 't-care-who- is-nominated"
attitude, and it is by reason of that
fact that the people have come to under
stand that the slick gentlemen who
know the game of politics are able,
under the caucus system, to absolutely
control the nominations of candidates
for public office. 1t is therefore dan
gerous in the extreme.
GU 1t is costly. The total expenses
of delegates to conventions are enor-
nous. The amount paid by candidates
for the transportation of delegates
would surprise you. Why should a
candidate have to pay the expenses OF
men to do their plain duty? The poor
man is practically barred from holding
office because he cannot pay the price
which conditions demand, in order tt
make successful campaign. The selec.
ton of candidates is limited to those
who are able to conduct such a cam.
paign and transport delegates to the
cOveutionS Is all Virtue all ability r.