The Glenwood post., 1912-09-14
COL0RADo'S
FIRST PRIMARY
Continued from page one)

election and there will be the regular
election.
The primary election in Denver will
cost the treasury 100000; and this fig
ure will be duplicated as the cost of
the November election. To the staJc
at large the amount of yesterdays pre-.
liminary will go over 100000.
Then there are the numerous amend
ments to the state constitution and iu-
was not. OF course the republicans
don't care. They are not sore about
it. They didn care a snap who was
nominated by the democrats for sheriff,
but we only mention it to show that
the bosses who said that this nomina-
tion must not be given to Hudson con
trolled the nomination..
The Post will not dilate on the splen
did manner in which the people rule
under the primary system, but num-
Der of other instances might be men
toned. A number of instances have
been brought to our attention where
farmers came to the towns last Tues
day and when reminded that they had
not voted, indifferently hitched up
their teams and drove home without
going near the polls, and yet we have
been told that the people were can-
oring for the direct primaries.
The Denver Times of Wednesday
itiated and referred laws, the publica-
tion of which will cost the state not
less than $350,O00.
''Direct legislation' will cost Colo.
RADIO over and above the regular cleo
tiOn expenditures, at least 100000.
But the people voted for this change,
which some conservatives consider
revolution, and they knew what they
were doing when they voted for tine
initiative and referendum amendment.
The direct primary law was concomit-
ant of the other.
Candidates Bankrupt
Despite the limitations contained in
the election laws regarding expendi-
lures by candidates and their support.
ers, the cost already has been such rs
to bankrupt good many of those who
aspired to humble office. If they are
successful in November their salaries
must be hypothecated for the first
year to make up for the outlay.
This has no reference to the rich
men who became candidates for the
United States senate or governorship
or some lesser office. They can afford
the amounts whether they win or lose.
A candidate for the house receives
$1,000 for the term. The three "elec
tons at low estimate will cost him
each $500, or 5000 in all, so that he
gives his services to the state practi
cally free of charge. Candidates for
executive and judicial offices have a
longer period in which to make up
their losses.
Next time the assembly part of the
primary law will not be in the way.
Already candidates, party managers
and the public at large have determin
ed to Obliterate this feature.
This year the candidates for Office
had to begin campaigning as early as
June.
They had to have delegates to the
county and to the state assemblies IN |
order to make certain of "designa |
tion" by these bodies The assembly, |
under the primary law, represents n
effect the old party convention.
Experiment Failure
Under that arrangement candidate |
who receives 10 per cent of the assem-
bly, vote can go upon the primary elec-
tion ballot.
The first experiment was failure. |
1t permitted anyone anxious to receive
little free advertising to go upon the |
primary ballot; and he was poor .x
cuse who could not muster 10 per cent |
of an assembly.
A cumbersome ballot was one result |
of this attempt on the part of the last |
state legislature to square circle. Tt,
assembly feature was expected to con-
centrate the strength of the party or.
ganization and give the party machine
lever in the primary election. 1t had |
the opposite effect and the remnants |
of party machines cut but a sorry fig |
ure yesterday.
Publicity, publicity, and again pub
iicity!
This is the real significance of the
direct primary election law, and it is