The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-06-29

err and more expense for the taXpay-
ers. The primary election scheme
seems to belong to this class of
schemes for increasing the public eX
pense without accomplishing the de-
sired reform. | am not prepared to
say that it may not be good thing
for a city. but | am satisfied that in
New Jersey, with less than one
fourth the area of Maine. and more
than three times the population of
Maine. it would have effects different
from what it would in our State. In
Maine it would simply mean that the
boss in the largest town in district.
or in the whole State would control.
This is due to the disposition of the
people to vote for their neighbOrs 1t
was shown conspicuouslY in New
Hampshire last September at the
primary elections in that State. In
Rockingham county there are SO
towns and one city. Of eight offices
to be voted for at those primaries.
Portsmouth presented candidates for
sheriff. county solicitor, county treas
urer and two of the county commits
sioners, on the Republican or major
ity side. Portsmouth has only 1000
OF the - 000 population in that coun-
ty but Portsmouth took all five of
those desired nominations. Exeter
with G000 population took The other
of deeds register of
probate and one county commissioner.
The $4,000 country towns with more
than $4,000 population get left.
CT, la CT
of the primaries in every county in
New Hampshire and in one OF them
Cheshire-thp largest town took seH-
en- of the eight nominations in the
dominant party. There is. as con-
sequence. an era of i'll feeling grow
ing up between town and city in New
Hampshire, which is an evil that |
would like 10 see my native State
avoid. ] speak from personal knowl-
edge. as WAS working in Ports
mouth at the time of that primary
election, and / was there again in the
later part of last March, and found.
upon inquiry, that sentiment such as
I have mentioned, is getting pretty
bitter in that state. For governor of
New Hampshire the primaries nom
mated the man who spent the more
money.
A man goes into the booth to vote
at a primary election, and the major
ity of candidates are strangers. He
looks over the list and votes for those
from his own town, and the candidate
from the large town starts with
big lead. In a county convention, it
is recognized that fairness in govern
In q
represented. and before the ballotlng
is over that is accomplished to
greater or less extent. The cOnTen
ton votes by a majority rule, and
extra ballots are feasible when there
is no nomination on one ballot. In the
primary. only one ballot is feasible,
the nomination is by plurality. and
the man with the most neighbors gets
the plurality. II is hard to estimate
the increased power which this will
put in the hands of the city boss who
has a compact bunch of votes in easy
reach. which he can get to the polls
on primary day at a limited expense.
The primary election bill which the
Legislature did pass applies only to
governor, United States senators and
members of Congress. That may put
the nominations for governor and
United States senator in the hands OF
the boss in Portland. If there be
boss there. though several other To-
calities could make good combinations
against him Also. the candidates for
governor. United States senator. etc,
are likely TO be men who have achiey-
ed sufficient reputation to be fairly
we'll known by reputation to the yot-
ers in their territories. But | fail to
see why even these considerations
warrant the passing of law 10 for
bid the small towns ever again fur
nishing county officers of State sena-
tors.
In our legislative districts, it has
become a custom to pass around the
honor of sending a representative to
the Legislature. That method is not
fully satisfactory. but is it not far
better than would be a law to pro-
vide that the biggest town in the dis
trict shall have the representative II
somebody in that town wants the Of
fee?
In the present Maine senate, four
of the 81 members are from the larg-
est towns in the senatorial districts.
If we get the Davies primary election
bill, II is probable that % or more OF
the senators will be from such larg-