The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-10-19


the direct primary would have been
extremely doubtful we're Mr.. stephen
son a poor man. M
In view OF the fact that he was
fighting for his nomination against
battle Bob Lafollette and his follow
ers. 1t goes without saying that he
was not buying any votes. II was
naturally unnecessary for him to buy
the support of those already for him;
ergo, those he must buy naturally
S,te Lafollctte followers. It is utter
Is impossible, Of course, that any OF
the supporters of the pure and chasfe
Lafollette. politically speaking, would
sell their votes; consequently 1t was
impossible for the senator to have
purchased any votes.
Senator Stephenson's managers
aver that. had they made a system
attic campaign, they could have spent
5000 900 without devoting a dollar Of
I, to improper purposes. That simple
statement shows the utter futility oil
a man without great fortune aspi1
ing TO the United States Senate or
any other high office wherever he
must 90 into direct primary; 1t
would cost the average candidate
many thousands of dollars to make
his attitude known to the voters. Tho
mere item of advertising the state
ment that he is a candidate and his
argument foG public support would
cost q great deal more than poor
man could hope. to pay.
II is frequently urged that the Unit
ed States Senate is rich mans club.
An investigation Of this allegation
proves its fallacy; but when all the
states OF the Union force the various
parties to choose their nominees for
that high office in direct primaries,
the Senate will become rich mans
club in fact. Any other result would
be an immpossibility.
II is urged in favor Of the direct pri.
mary that 1t will put an end to cor
ruption in the choosing of senators.
The case of Wisconsin, II one cares
to concede that the Stephenson NOM
nation was procured improperly by
the use of money. although there is
no evidence brought forward to sup
port it, proves this point. He expend-
ed great sums at other times in be-
half of Lafollette, who was his pro
tege. So long as the Stephenson bar
rel was opened fer the benefit of La
toilette, he did not complain; when
Stephenson used 1t for himself, 1t be-
came very reprehensible in the eyes
of the little Wisconsin demagogue.
The direct primary will stop the
purchasing of legislators; there can
be no question of that 1t scatters
the slush fund over wider territory
and gives the ward heelers a chance.
But 1t makes it impossible for a man
without great wealth to aspire to
high public office unless he be backed
by some powerful influence with
money, and when money backs pooa
man for office, it presents it's bill at
a time when the support of the &C.
cupant of that high office is worth
something. When the great offices OF
this country are filled with rich men
with all the prejudices of the class
then will this government of the peo
pie, for the people and by the people
be in imminent danger of perishine
! from the earth.
/ The direct primary hastens the day
when those things occur, AS ar
aid to corruption and graft, the dis
tribution of ill-gotten funds over +;
vide area, the primary system is /;
glittering and scintillating success
We believe the purchase of few lie
islators to be of infinitely less danger
to the country than the corruption o
a great mass of its voters. ct tn,
electorate, the basis OF our system o
government, lose its ideals, and the
republic founded by Washington, Han
cock, Adams, Livingston and other,
OF that noble band of patriots, will
! be no more.