Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-03

packed caueuses" from which We
were freed in 1903 by the enrolment
provisions which we have been dis
cussing. To illustrate: Suppose there
are two Democratic candidates for a
given Office, y and Il. A is strong
and popular man, who can in all prob
ability defeat the Republican candi-
date G for that office. happens to
be the only candidate for that office
on the Republican ballot, and his nom
ination by his party AT the primaries
is assured Now if Republicans were
permitted to vote on Republican bal
lot for A and b, and have those votes
counted for 4 and 3 as Democratic
candidates, it would be easy to pass
the word around" and have a sufli-
cient number of them vote for B, the
weak candidate, to ensure his election
as the Democratic nominee, after
which they could promptly turn
around at the September election, de-
feat him, and elect C, the Republi-
can candidate There you have a
packed caucus" with vengeance.
One is sometimes met by the argu-
ment that the law as above stated
.disfranehises" the voters of one party
who desire to help nominate the can
didates of another party. The state
ment of such proposition is its best
refutation, but it is worthy of mo-
ments consideration.
"Disfranchisement" signifies the tax
ing away of franchise, or citizens
privilege. What is the franchise
which it is claimed is taken away?
The elective franchise is political
privilege to be given or withheld in
the discretion Of the law making pow
er, upon grounds of general public
policy. So far as it may be embodied
in the Constitution, ii is of course in
violable by any legislative action. For
of the Maine Constitution every male
citizen of this State who falls within
the requirements of that section has a
constitutional right to vote for Cover
nor, Senators and Representatives ana
any law seeking to deprive him Of that
right would be unconstitutional and
void. Such law would offer true
instance of an attempt to "disfran-
chise" the voter. But a Republican
has never at any time i'll the history
of this or of any other state had either
a constitutional, or statutory, or even
a moral right to vote in a Democratic
caucus, and vice versa. Any primary
election law which would give him
such a right would create new and
very unsayory brand of franchise"
Until that brand is created it cannot
be taken away" There can be no
acknowledgements when no fran
chise" exists. The sooner that we get
accustomed To the idea that prim-
airy election is merely a series of
party tdh1uStoi To Hldht parry liollii-
nations. held at the polls through
out the State instead of in a conven-
ton hall, the sooner we shall arrive at
a correct understanding of the pur-
pose and operation of our primary
election law. 1t is simply a substitute
for nominating conventions. and party
candidates having been selected by its
means, the ensuing September election
is conducted in the usual way Al
that September election all qualified
voters. without party enrolment and
without restriction, may vote as here
tofore for all. or any, or none of the
candidates placed in nomination at the
primaries, or for other persons not SO
nominated. Moreover, candidates for
Office for the September election may
be nominated not only at the prim-
aries, but also, as heretofore, by means
of nomination papers circulated under
the provisions of the Australian Bal
lot Law.