Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1912-08-31
DEFECTS In THE
PRIMARY LAW

TIL following able article, pointing
law and recommending its repeal, Is
from the pen of D. c. McDougall, at
torney general of the state, and ap-
pear in yesterdays Statesman.
TIE direct primary law as it has
worked out in Idaho politics has pro
ven a failure. There never was any
need for it in this state, and no popu-
Jar d5maud until 1t was created upon
fictitious state of facts.
1t is generally supposed that the
direct primary is for the purpose OF
-aking political control of party out
OF the hands OF bosses. There never
were any bosses in the common &C
,eptatiyn of the word in Idaho poll
les, and it is the writer's impression
mat none will be able to assume that
position, and hold 1t for any con-
siderable length of time. 1t is true
that all political parties have leaders
upon whom the rank and file depend
largely in shaping their politics, and
SO long as these leaders are able to
retain the confidence of the people,
and lead In the direction in which
they desire to be led, they are able to
maintain their supremacy, and nC
.onger.
1t Is not strange that people re,y
upon leader in polilics any NOR
han they do in business or in other
affairs. In the ordinary business
transactions of community in Whiel
The community has an interest, the
general and only satisfactory way is
an assembling OF the masses who ap
point committee to work out the
details of the matter at hand and
under consideration, and in nearly e.
cry instance, the conclusions of this
upon, as being for the best interests
of the community.
The man who is the successful lead
er of a political party may be, and
often is, called the boss by those WHO
belong to di ferent party, or to
some factor of the same party. But
in the sense in which the term boss >
is generally used, as being an indi-
vldual who owns and controls the
party machinery, such one has new
err existed in my opinion in this state
Therefore, there was no need of di-
rect primary in order to overturn
bosses.
AS matter of fact, it will be re-
membered that at the last Republican
nominating convention ever held in
the state, which was held in Boise in
august, 1908, that when the dele
gtes aarriyed, 1t was ascersained tina,
a combination or slate had been pre-
pared from Congressman down. This
safe was considered by a great many
of the delegates who had not been
consulted, as being cast iron and I'M
breakable, and in fact several promi-
nent candidates whose names were on
the slate so expressed 1t to delegates
from outside counties. The delegates,
however who had not been consult
ed in its construction when they all
got together, ascertained that they
We're in the majority, and it was by
a decisive vote that the slate was
broken in number of places, thus
demonstrating that the leaders of tn 5
party We're unable to dictate or con-
troll the action of the delegates in
convention.
At this convention, plank was in
troduced and sought to be inserted
in the platform pledging the party to
enact direct primary law, and after
considerable, discussion the plank was
rejected. The prominent leaders of
the party who had prepared the slase,
and We're much astonished at its be-
ing broken, began an earnest agita-
ton to abolish the convention system
in favor of the direct primary.
The only justification that has ever
been seriously put forth as a reason
for the direct primary is that it per-
mits the people to select their own
nominees, and to use what has been
coined into popular expression
Let the people rule The primary
just closed has demonstrated that I'M
der this system the people do not
rule.
Taking the total vote for congress
man last election as basis and add
ing 10 per cent for increases, the ap-
proximate vote of the state today Is
80 600 vots. Out of this there was
cast at the primary election just
closed for governor 50276 votes. OF
I bis tho nominee IN tho Ranuhlicop