Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-01
vetmonts Wisdom In Referendum on Primary Changes.

That the Legislature of wise in submitting
the people and city elections next March in time for
methods of making nominations whether by preferential nomn
atoms by the present modified o,o FORM st,o political
In some instances been discovered that primary laws
are arranged that party a init o can one or more
the primary for of the selected by the
the trouble of writing the of the nominee
of their other States cunning provisions have been
incorporated in the primary legislation that the voters
Vermont will fast have States in the
changing of primary laws for cacuses
legislation would have caused the side for Taft the
last presidential contest and the law prevailed in the
that Roosevelt carried those that preferred Taft showing
that sentiment had free play we'll as fair expression
Indeed laws make difficult for members of party
interested enough to provide for check list and it
fact that of the States have primary laws making
possible for one party to dictate the choice OF candidates to an
other wa party bsiov w .on,d 90 st further however md .
possible for towns desiring primary preferential otherwise
to have within their to provide therefor upon the na
the fullest possible freedom preferential primary
does not necessarily provide for that but is step the right
direction which be easily supplemented by other provisions
When experimenting with political primaries will be
discovered that Vermont has the right fundamental idea
shall have party check lists If the voters of any party any
any particular kind of primary should be possible
with the harmonious working of the primary system of the
State whole, For example town manifcstly could
nominate candidates for county Offices by direct while
another town chose to send delegates county
nominate candidates for county Offices There drec
tons however which the could have absolute home
in this matter and that is the Of genuine self rule by the
people
The idea of nominations which are not to be confused
with preferential primaries is not by any On the
contrary the direct primary system locally in PennsyI
tenn has been in operation for considerable period in number
election the attention of the people Of Vermont was first favor
ably drawn to the idea by Governor Hughes of New York whose
fight for direct primaries the county
boss system temporarily blocked by President Roosevelt
The fight for direct primaries has had many trials and tibu
aos One OF the first northern States to try the direct primary
system was Illinois which made its initial test Of the principal in
1908 At this time opponents the law charged that
the least desirable candidate chosen because the of
the better element divided between desirable while the
politicians and special interests united their strength and chose
candidate who would be their tool In Chicago wholesale fraud
was charged and grand jury returned eehone indictments
OF henchmen Of loaned politicians the
opposing party for use in different precincts.
In Kansas the other hand the system resulted in
the nomination of independent candidates. In Washington
ried through
Governor HadIey of Missouri executives
to the extent advocated by Governor Morn of Wisconsin, who
declared this not country of parties and that the should
Governor Iadley like Governor Dincen of Illinois, insisted
that the direct primary should apply to every office for
should be proud to indicate his party affiliations.
From that time to this States have adopting primary
laws and changing Them and to all appearances
has not been said best primary system Mistakes have
been made and some Of them still be corrected
does not lessen the value of the principle
All this tends to show that all change is reform
ultimately the most satisfactory method Of selecting
candidates for public office
If Vermont is to adopt the direct primary system we
must make up minds that it will be expensive The direct
primary for nominations means first registration of voters
that primaries shall be regular then the primary election
nomination by each and finally election by
between parties Direct primaries also found to be expensive
for candidates. and this makes difficult poor
run for office Direct primaries sometimes result the victory
minoties maoes, through multiplication of candidates.
These considerations fully offset by the fact that direct
tend to weaken corporate power politics particularly
in large enters of population and to check the of party
bosses
From time to time during the coming hope our
readers may canddy discuss question primary changes
through columns order that be prepared say
next March whether the choice presented satisfactory
whether want other system yet provided for