Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-07

l NV you Cdii NOtC III a sOOLcIi Cftioibe'sSs-
for one office in one election and still
mot be in any danger of being led away
1 20 Jail on the charge of repeating.
| This is one of the distinguishing fea-
lures of the preferential system of vot-
ling, which was inaugurated less than
| i've years ago in the United States in
/ the little city of grand Junction. Colo
RADIO. and whose adoption by the city
! Of Cleveland, Ohio, on July l. formally
| presented the plan. to the people OF the
| Fest its5... - $50 -
| When seven,widely scattered Ameri-
l can cities determine. upon a new and
radically revolutionary change in their
l system of election the event is worthy
of some attention from students OF
| politics. The rapid growth of this
| n,ethod of election has been one OF the
minor vet most significant events IN
| recent municipal political history. 1t
seems TO demonstrate that in the cities,
at least. the American voter has come
| TO the conclusion that the plurality
system of election, with it's unvaryins
tendency toward minority control, is
| essentially wrong. and that the plan OF
the municipal direct primary is need
l less anu lliiPiCPSi ~. N>i' VI
people and the candidates.
Indeed the trend away from the d.
rect primary and towards the more
simple, inexpensive and compact he'h-
cd of nomination and election Is nioae
marked. and. While this tendency hds'
a. vet. materialized only in American
| cities. il is not wild prophecy "
| state that it will not be a decade before
- n - ~
the direct primary will fade away ne,
fore the preferential system as the oia
convention gave way before the pri-
,rorv This tendency will be given an
aaded impetus as the movement To-
ua ri the simplification of our STATE
ro,eroments secures a stronger grip
I'D ths commission idea begins to De
ann,ied in larger units. After all, an
~ this movement now going on Is
simply a result of the application y,
the law of evolution to our poi'io'',
oon6,t,ons. and We are now moVlhs
from the complex to the simple, a
in the half-century prior we "otke'
from the simple toward the com
plex.
,rhe truth is that the direct priiiia.s
has serious faults Chiefly THESE az
| The phlrafity election, toooften resa,s
inc IN minority control, expense, or.
steadily increasing lack OIL ih.e,ess
IN the urinary elections by the Vo'el.
Tha ,,sartisan clamor.e long centihueu'
generaily merely personal. opela.es ,,, ~
Ali the voters interest, disgust hii.
,';,h the wssole affair and cause h'ii
~ absent hispself from the Dolls
Nat,r,l,yfSit was in the cities WIN
IL ~ reen and varied contests asse
go az eontestantss land great inter
&c of stake. that the tani.sgoi Wv
.,naot urinary system were frst iho 2:
e,aar,,, exposed. and from the A'i,e.,-
e,ei a;ty FIRST came the demand Tor an
e,.i -. :! es,rractive. In the adoptioh
.of the preferential system oi 't ,nat a
areat many thinkers pea'eee ,,,,iar Of
,ong step toward the maj ss',ue, 80.
! rha nroblem of an idea. eiee y -
lod has been, taken. ofor-
~, system are as folicwsss rs %
en ',.,'a oand,aates secure Their nomln .a
me ea na.ition. The number OF sigma
,. 80 REQUIRED is generaly re-. ,.,s .a
s 49, fifty 10 one hundred. ai.n1ae
| ms ,,ansland. where they 90 no, no
III Siea'' commission form 81 sose. -.
| the pure. coiin'iiss .hay required, for
| n,ent by any means .hes aason' $500
.,,ne not clearly defheo ,,a;date
| natures for the masoia'. ~ form of
Ia 900 cor the aldermanic stn.,afra,iari
~ ba,,ot is similar 70 'hs col
~. that instead of one so a;dates
49,, after the names OF uFsnactively
| .sare are three, sheadeo -" and
ans choice" second choies' a;date
us .,,o;oes.r To vote for d az ~ COL
o.ne cross after his name III in
pI'ee ~ preference desired wv IN the
sNmn y. column for first choice' ~ t,,e
the us. ,r,,,, for second, anu - a.,sr
secono .s,,,mn. for. third ana LOT
thitu nnly one choice may ~ form
ltcnolees. candidate. In the pes frae
ed Tor az ,pe voter is absoiu,ey NO
of the p ,nather he will vote ~. the
las 20 .ssmany as he desires, ,st
choice 9.s .:at,on being that ne ~
only res,s. ss, a first choice II ne No'e''
lat all. -, o,oritv of
II candidate secures maJo n.
| al, the votes cast in the eiec.'o" ~,
tho poll of the first-cholce vv
- .,acted then and there ana the -,
-. ends. If no candidate secuie'
this majority, then the frst- ana a,date
eaa- choice votes of EACH caholua -
ars added together. If still no can .ha
az aate secures "a majority. then a sde
first. and secend-choice votes a TIVE
"a - the third choice votes. . .ns
eu ca, man wins. The result is, as nas
hse. = stated, generally ma'u .,nn,
choice. hhpess by some pecal,a nas.
nanstance the. list of candidates. a,ssv
t.ins nSyone. alpon whom 9 NAM o,;sn .T :,
- free rec field and after fun opp pat
| tnnity-can unite. This is clea.y the,
81 a,;lt Of The. system. But even en-, ,m.s If
s,ces Of this unusual sompin az next
n;rc,,mstances the voters get w univ
,,n.t tning-the election OF the on,s
oossible candidate. in the iis1 z n,u-
pa 'nnts--certainly a iegitimate p''
Irality choice a. 81. LA: Ia, form
Tn,s. In. brief is the genera .t,rr
Of the preferential plan Oh found
C =. slight qualifications ars s. a 10
S :, most. ST the charters, in3ectsu a.
,neet some real eor fanciea i os.,a. Of
mand. In Alabama. in the , o..
Mobile. Montgomery, ana rrafer-
l - ,;x,,;ted system OF the