Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-04-25
Amending the Primary Law.

provision winch cOmpelS che casting
of ten per cent. of the party vote in
order to u entitled to place upon
the ticket.
Despite the assurances of LaFol-
letUe, McGovern and other republican
leaders, that the percentage require
ment of party votes to be cast at the
primary should be repealed, the
amendment adopted provides only
change in the percentage, and is as OBJ
jectionable as the twenty per cent.
law.
The democratic representatives are
at fault in relying upon prediction
promises Of the opposition instead of
preparing a tangible working pro-
vision that would carry out the pur-
poses Of the primary principle.
The 'Mary Ann" or second choice
provision and the percentage require
ments are merely makeshifts that are
expected to accomplish desirable
purpose in tortuous roundabout way
instead Of doing so in direct man
ner. No one has suggested a MARY
Ann or percentage requirement to
the election law to govern on election
day; why except as make
shift-should these amendments be
engrafted on the primary law?
The real purpose of a primary law
as we understand it's to prevent
machine politics and political b0Ssi5na,
by placing in the power of the voter
by direct nomination the selection of
the candidates to be voted for on
election day. The chief difficulty in
every primary election plan, however,
has been to secure the general attend
ance of the voters at the primary. If
there were the incentive for the vot-
ers to attend and they did participate
at the primary, then it will be admit
ted "lfary Ann'i and percentage
amendments to the primary law
would be unnecessary. With these
facts admitted, what would seem to
be the solution of this veXed problem :?
Make the exercise Of the elective fran
chise consist of tlCo parts Q.) Par
ticjpating at the primary, and ~ roting
on election day.
Amend section u of the Election
Laws by inserting the words: "And
ooho shall hare goted at the preceding
primary so that the section shall
read:
''Section 12.-EveTy male person
of the age of twenty-one years or
upwards, belonging to either of
the following classes, who shall
have resided in the state one year
next preceding any election, and
in the election district where he
offers his vote ten days, and lUbO
shall hare UOted at the preceding
primary. shall be deemed a quail
fed elector at such election, etc"
And to provide for unavoidable alb
sence or illness on primary day, a
slight amendment only is necessary in
Section 81: "Thdt by reason of I'M
aUoidable absence Tor illness he loaS I'M
cbIe to participate an or Uote at the
primary"
With such changes in the election
law all makeshifts can not only be
avoided, but the election cost may be
materially reduced, and in addition a
state wide registration provided. The
board of election act as the registra-
ton board, and as primary election
officers; by fixing upon primary day
as registration day, registration will
be effected of all voters as they vote
at the primary, thus making only one
registration day necessary and elimin-
ating all cost for the extra meetings
of the registration board and provide
a statewide enrolment of voters at
no more expense than is now involved
in the mere holding of the primary.
Registration then evidences partici-
patton at the primary.
If there is any reason why the state
should dictate and regulate by law
the nomination Of party candidates,
it must be because of the fact that
the nomination of the candidates con-
stituteS an essential and important
part of the exercise of the elective
franchise, and this being so, it can
lay down the rule that the second part
of that duty of citizenship-UotiRg at
The election, shall not be exercised, I'M
less the first part-pGrticip0ting at the
primdrg-has first been performed.
Primary laws are of value and real
ize their purpose only in the measure
that the citizens attend, and nothing
can be injected into the law that will
so effectively minimize corruption or
have SO Salutary effect on campaign
expenditures as a requirement that
all must attend tine primary as pre-
requisite TO the right to vote on cleo
day.
Why not DO thiS thing riQst, Ro,r?