The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-11-11
INVASIVE REGULATIONS

| The profound discomfort OF laFee
numbers of the people and Of leading
politicians with the oldfashloncd con
vcptiou system, led 10 the passage Of
laws providing for nominations OF can
didatcs BY primaries. These primaries,
however, have practically broken down
even AT the FIRST trial. Ii is not likely
that they can ever become established
factors in politics. because they are
Unsatisfactory in generally giving mi
noritv candidates, aud in that they
tics themselves. and tend TO party
disruption, IT is often the case, as it
WIS in the primary in Idaho this year,
that the successful primary pomipoe
GETS but little moro than onc.third Of
the party vote. Accordingly, there is
II might be quite possible TO nominate
under tho primary system candidate
with one-fourth, or even less, of the
party vote, according TO the number
of candidates that might be presented.
This 10 an iucnrable defect of the pri-
mary, one that cannot be avoided cx-
cept by providing for two or three
choices, and making the whole matter
so involved that the average voter can
not understand the system.
The fact is that tho law ought TO let
this sort of thing alone altogether,
and allow the people to work through
their parties in any way they see fit,
for il is not a part OF the legislative
duty 10 undertake 10 say how the peo-
pie shall exercise their elementary po-
Iiticsl functions. Every voter should
be left absolutely free in the exercise
Of political rights. Any attempt by
law 10 guide the voters choice or TO
lay down rules to hamper the voter
in his liberty is necessarily an intru-
sion, and speedily grows into an OPP
preston; but there should be no re-
strirtion. Thus, Mr.. John Walker Hol.
combc says on this question, in the
current number Of the Forum, - the
law ought not to attempt to control
politics. In his politics and religion
the citizen is free 1t has ever been
our theory that the voluntary activi-
ties Of citizens in forming parties, as.
scmbliDg in conventions, and carrying
on political campaigns, arc outside the
sphere Of law: that legislation is for
tho whole people, recognizing no sects,
parts or parties. Accordingly it is
improper for the law to prescribe the
election of delegates or provide for in
structing them or regulate the holding
of conventions. But the law may al
together prohibit such activities,
whether in or out Of conventions, so
far as they impair the freedom of
any constituted agency of the govern
ment''
That is excellent republican doctrine.
II is true that Mr.. Holcombe expresses
these thoughts in the way Of oppos,-
ton to conventions, and in favor OF
primary elections: but the result OF
the primaries this year places them IN |
an even worse light than the party |
The same objections to |
the interference by law with the free
dom of the electorate in its choice of
candidates apply in double degree
against any intrusion by way of pro
viding official ballots or voting ma.
chimes. The people should be left alb
soIutely free to prepare their own bal
lots In their own way and cast them
al the time fixed upon and according
to procedure defined by law. The com.
plications of election machinery have
come to DC so great what with the nu-
merous official ballots that arc provid.
Cd, and with voting machines, that the
poople arc deprived Of their free choice
in voting for candidates. 4 humorous
report of the election last Tuesday was
that which told that President Wilson
was scarcely able TO ind on the i'm
mensely long ballot in New jersey the
names of the electors who be hoped |
would vote for him TO be President
of the United states. 1t is a clear
case that when n ballot is so big and |
so complicated that a candidate for
President of tho United States has diff
6cuItv in voting il, there should DC
immediate reform, and that reform !
should 20 towards simplicity, and de-
part from the rule that has heretofore |
prevailed of making il more aud more
difficult for the clcctor 10 vote his
G hoico in free and Independent way,