Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-10

should receive the attention OF your
honorable body 10 that Of the primary
election law. It ought to be 20
amended 40 to mako It absolutely
fair and 90 far - possible. free from
opportunities, for. abuse. lrssulard.
ties in the name of reform are no
moro excusable than under any other
circumstances. II charges that have
been made are true there can be no
question but that many delegates to
the last republican state convention
won their seats by sharp political prac.
tice either upon the part Of them.
selves or of others. I am not refer.
ring to any particular faction. There
ought not to be any ground for such
charges, and law that makes such
things possible should either b.
amended or wiped of of the statute
books.
1t has been freely stated that in
manv instances lists or primary dele
gates were made up by parties who
were not residents Of the precincts
and who had no interest in the dole
cure or control their votes.
Much complaint has also been made
rs to methods pursued in the selec.
ticn Of committeeman and with re-
gard to the printing Of pastors and
marking them before they were hand
ed to the voter. The paster has az
ways been and, in my opinion. al
ways will be source Of abuse. Its
use should be abandoned ana tho
names Of all delegates and commit.
teemen should be fled with the coun-
ty auditor and printed on the ballot.
The same care should be exercised
with regard to these matters az Is
exercised as to candidates for ONCE.
The primary law conveys the idea
that party lines and party organiza-
tons are to be recognized and re-
spected. 1t not only makes no ade-
quate provision for enforcing party
Affiliations, but it affords easy oppor-
tunity for an utter disregard thereof
There can be no valid reason assign
ed why the law should recognize the
right Of any party to have its ticket
printed upon the Official ballot to be
voted at the general election unless
party lines are to be respected and
maintained in the naming of candi-
dates.
Destroys Party Lines.
The claim that the voters OF one
party interfere with the naming OF
candidates of another party is more
than mere suspicion. This Is clearly
shown by an analysis Of tho vote OF
Polk county at the general election
In 1908 and at the primary in 1910.
In 1908 President Taft received 49,
555 votes and Mr.. Bryan received T.
e24 votes. At the primary in June.
1910, the two republican candidates
for governor received 1882 votes
and all of the democratic candidates
fer governor received only IT'S votes.
In other words 427 more republicans
voted in tho primaries in Polk county
last June than voted at tho preceding
presidential election and 7.149 demo
Gratis stayed away from tho polls. or
for every republican who stayed away
a democrat voted in the republican
primary. Is there any one who be.
lieves that the number OF republicans
who voted at the last juno primary
was 1884 per cent Of those voting At
the preceding presidential election,
while the democratic vote at the pri-
mary was less than 80 per cent Of
the presidential vote Of that party?
do not believe that any man will
contend that such policy is either
in the interests of good political
morals or party integrity. 1t can have
but one ultimate result and that is
the splitting Of the majority party in.
to hostile factions and the disintegra.
ton of the minority party. believe
it to be your duty to SO amend the
law as to obviate this abuse.
Alphabetical Preference.
Two years ago called the atten.
ton of the legislature to the fact that
the alphabetical arrangement Of
names upon the ballot apparently
gave an advantage to the candidate
whose name came nrst. The thirty.
third session of the general assembly
so amended the law as to provide
that names should be rotated upon
the ballot. This doubtless had the
effect Of eaualising the advantages
and disadvantages Of the old system,
but It emphasized the fact that as to
candidates with which the people can.
not acquatnt themselves they vote
with apparent blindness. This is
shown by the fact that at tho last
primary. in forty-four counties the
candidate for railway commissioner
whose name came first carried tho
county. In seventeen other counties
the reason that the candidate whose
name came first did not carry the
county seems to have been due to the
location Of other candidates. As to
the office Of superintendent Of public
instruction ffty-eight counties gave
their largest vote to the candidate
whose name headed the list and
twenty-five other counties seem to
have been affected by location Of can.
didates. As TO tho once Of clerk Of
the srnreme court seventy-six coun.
ties favored the candidate whose
name came first upon tho ballot, while