The Harrison times., 1912-02-10
An Appeal for Purity in the Primary
HarIisOn Timcsi

! Al appear lUl hlIll III NV ''h"y'
EditOr Hauhon Times'
come asking space in your paper
for a brief discussion Of the above
named caption do not pose as a
politician, neither do ! consider my.
self Of any very great power IN Sc
curing purity in the primary In
this discussion ! do not intend TO
cast reflections at any special voter
or candidate, In view Of the fact
that we have had so much talk
about unfair methods in some OF our
primaries Of former years and that
some Of our very best citizens are be-
coming disgusted at such primaries,
and even many Of them seem to
doubt whether it is best to enter
into such primaries at all, This
being so it seems to me that q few
words from some one may not he
out Of place at this time, and that
all honorable means ought to be
used to secure healthy interest in
the primaries of our party, First !
would say to those that seem to
doubt the propriety of entering the
primary on account of Iraud-if the
good, firm, honest citizen stays
away from the primary and turns
/, over to those with unfair ideas in
their political stores when do you
expect clean men nominated by a
clean party'
believe it the duty Of every one
believing in the principles OF the
Democratic Party TO go to the clcc.
ton and vote his sentiments regard
less Of any schemes or dictator !
think our conclusions should be
formed after deliberate considera.
tion respecting the candidates as to
cleanliness, qualifications and merit
There are a few things that ! wish
to discuss briefly,
IntmidatioHS, To secure votes
hy intimidation from any source
can not be conducive to good
government from any point Of view,
and those participating IN such
methods have not the best interests
: Of our homes, our townships, our
county, or Our state at heart, and
should be discouragcdupon all sides.
Friendship, am not going to say
we should always lay down our
friends with whom we are well aes
uuantcd and vote for 4 stranger
unless wc are fully convinced that
such stranger is better suited for the
office sought, then believe it good
citizenship TO east our votes for the
stranger Many a man has been
. ruined by being placed in an office
to which he was wholly unsuitcd or
for which he was not qualified and
that too because he had good
, friends enough to put him there In
such cases we do our friends an in
Jury instead of a favor Besides
Public interest should come before
private consideration
Revenge, This too should be
avoided and cannot from stand.
point OF reason be 4 proper way to
decide our votes. "Oh' some ol
YOU say "you are foolish am so.
ing 10 get even this time with the
fellow that voted against me, my
kin, or some good friend in some
preyious:ccction,' ask such one.
stop aud answer do YOU eonscicn.
tiously think that such a course is
the best way to have good otlicers'
Ilf your better Judgment says no,
then for the sake of all that is right
don't do it,
Cleanliness. believe it TO be the
duty first TO hunt a clean NAM II
any suspicious characters are offer
ing themselves for your political
support this think should be the
first considerations
Qualifications This in my iudg.
mcnt comes second in sizing up q
candidate. Some are saving quail
ideation first, but | think it utter.
Nv impossible to have a safe officer
unless we have an honest officer
Of course, ri admit that quoljdca.
tons are very very great considero.
tions in making up our ballots but
hope and believe we can find both
traits in the same man for all offices,