Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-11-06

The rsgtstsr . i voter in soms one 81
sAs Political parties In the enrollment
Dook with the municipal or township
cisfx. This then entitles tho elector
y vote at the primary or party elee-
lion OF that party; but unless he is ems
rolled, he cahnot vote. There Is no
provision for a voter to swear in his
vote. II he could. there would be no
need OF having the enrolment at all
- q voter does not wish to take part
IN n party election. he. OF course,
need not register for the primary
election.
Tn next step under the law is Sec
tion 5S which provides for the ma
Jority faction and the minority faction
m each party to cali a mass meeting.
separately. at the court house In each
county, at 2 o'clock. D. M, on the
flrst Tuesday, tthe second day. Of
December, 1913. Each faction of the
party can hold a separate December
mass meeting, and each faction. by
majority vote of the members pre-
sent. can elect one proposal commit
teeman for each precinct in the coun-
" to represent that faction of the
party at the county proposal meet
ing, at i O'clock, p. M, on the first
Wednesday, (the 7th day. of Janu-
airy. 1914. At the December mass meet
ing there can also be elected one state
proposal committeeman to represent
each faction OF the party for the state
proposal meeting to be held In the
Capitol building 1t Pierre at 10
o'clock a. M, on the first Monday (the
9th day) of January. 1914. After this
year. there will be no moro mass meet
inss held, as the proposal committee
men will be elected by a direct vote
OF the people at eac primary cleo
ton to serve, in the initiatory meet
inss. for the next primary election.
1t Is therefore necessary to give the
new primary law two trials to de-
termine its value in results.
The next step is the state proposal
meetings held in the Capitol building
at Pierre at 10 o'clock a. M. on the
first Monday (the 5th day. of January.
1914. The minority faction of each
party meets in the Senat Chamber.
the majority faction in the House
Chamber, and are assigned separate
ommitt rooms, where each faction
openly ant publicly proposes candi-
dates and platforms, which are signed
by the candidates and filed with the
Secretary OF State. and recorded and
printed in the state publicity pamph-
let, which Is mailed to every voter.
After the state meetings, the next
step Is the County meetings, on the
first Wednesday (the 7th day. OF Jan
uary. 1914 at the Court House in each
county seat and are conducted In the
4 CI m . rSn ~ ~ n - IA ns thn - Or ~ ~ ocnl
meetings, except thai the filings Of
i the proposals are made with the Coun-
ty Auditor.
Persons not satisfied with the plat
forms and candidates of the minority
or majority faction can, within II
days after the proposal meetings, have
any candidate they wish, placed upon
the party ballot and who will run in
dependent, of any faction, in the first
column on the primary ballot, by fill
ing a petition, signed by two per cent.
or the party voters. with the Secretary
OF State, for state offices, or with the
County Auditor, for county Offices.
Then all the proposed platforms and
candidates are printed on the party
primary ballot and submitted to a d.
rect, vote of the party members at the
primary election on the fourth Tues
day tthe gath day. of March. 1914.
One OF the strongest points of the
new primary Law is the form of ballot
which is plain and simple. The econ
mic and personel phases Of the ball
lot are in plain sight. The platform
and the candidate are in a lineup on
the ballot 50 as to nominate the nee
eSS9rv machinery of thu .pDvprn-
ment to enact the laws. Each voter
can. at a glance. see and understand
just what principles the candidates.
he votes for. is pledged to support.
The arrangement of the new primary
ballot will no doubt tend toward ma
jortty rule and ultimately preclude the
necessity Of more than two political
parties to shove forward new public
policies: because the majority and
minority proposals. will contend for is
sues. by a popular majority vote, with
in the party, which will max the
party labor and give birth to conserva-
tive policies. Step by step every pro-
posal submitted to a popular vote
wiz De held up III the lie ut OF discus
sion and threshed out in open debate;
first within the party primaries and de-
termined by majority vote; then again
before all the voters at the general
election. between two parties. which
again gives majority rule and is GER
tain to produce sound results.
The foregoing provisions cover the
essential points pertaining to the maxi
ing and fling of platforms and candi-
dates under the new primary law. The
issues are promptly Joined during the
| P,sf 4do VIC -nf Tant,orv N.Y. .~ r. no ~ ~
paign starts. and lasts only 30 days;
and during a time of the year when
the people are not busy and have time
to listen and study public questions.
The reason that the new party law,
as a whole. appears somewhat lengthy
is because of the following party reg
ulations in addition to the regulations
of the primary election. For instance.
the law provides for Representatives
popular election of all the representa-
tiyes and officers of the regular par
ty organization by a direct vote at
the primary: also for a publicity
pamphlet which will give the voters a
straight printed statement OF the is
sues and arguments by the candidates;
also for a conservative party recall by
jury trial; also for popular endorse
ment OF party candidates for postmast-
er by primary election in which all
resident electors vote after the party
members have first nominated the can
dldates by petition; also for a legal
method Of party endorsement to other
appointive positions; also for a cor
rupt practice feature, with penalties
for willful violation of the law. All
these party regulations add to the
length Of the law. That part of the