The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-30
BRYAN LAW WILL
Be A BENEFIT
1t Will Make Politics Cleaner if 1t is
Honestly Carried Out
(Senator y. P. Bryan in the Tampa
Tribune1

Tribune)
Editor Tribune: In response to :
your invitation for an article in your
Christmas edition, | have decided to
discuss some features of the Urinary
election law passed by the last legis-
lature.
This act has been the subject of
much criticism by the newspapers.
On the whole l believe that the crit
icism has been favorable. The ad-'
verse criticism, it seems to ne, has
been the result of a failure to study
and comprehend the law.
The nomination of public officers
by primary election is in quite gen
eral use, and, instead of being re-
stricted. is more likely to be extend
ed. In 1897, the legislature of Flor
ida provided for voluntary primaries
by authorizing the executive commit
tee of any political party to pursue
this method OF nomination. The
original act has been amended many
times. but the voluntary feature re-
mained until the Legislature passed
! the act under consideration II 1913.
! Now We are to have compulsory pri-
maries, applicable alike TO all parties.
casting at the preceding general
election as much as ) per cent Of the
! total vote Cur experience has
shown that primaries heretofore held
have been expensive; that the lenal-
/ ties prescribed for violations OF the
! law have been so inadequate as hard
! y to justify a prosecution; and that
! because, usually, second primary
| has been necessary in order TO secure
nominations by majorities, many vot-
ers have stayed away from the first
primary.
Manifestly, then, the time vas op-
perfume to reduce, if possible, the
necessary expenses, abolish the sec
ond primary, and to throw further
safeguards about the selection OF the
nominees The law of 1913 under
ways: ID By providing a plan
| whereby candidates can reach the
voters without the necessity Of writ
ing letter to each voter and send
ing to each voter a platform or lit
erature designed to influence him, in
| aver CT the candidate sending it out.
1929 BY rendering unnecessary addi-
Is:onal campaign expenses after the
,oters have had an opportunity to
vote
In several OF our campaigns per-
sCnal letters and pamphlets hearing
two cent stamps have been sent to
every voter appearing upon the reg
:strat:on Lists When one candidate
Ices this the other candidates feel
hat it is necessary for them also.
Then the newspaper advertisements
thave been considerable. 4 very con-
zery ative estimate OF the cost of
mailing the letters. pamphlets, and
| Icing q moderate amount Of Dewspa-
per advertising for state Office, un-
Ter the old plan in vogue heretofore,
lis SO. 900, and the campaign be-
tween the first and second primaries
has added to this expense very large
ily, especially in newspaper adEertis-
ling. Therefore, there was incorpor-
lated in Chapter 6469, passed by the
last legislature, two provisions: ID
eliminating the second primary and
substituting in its place second
lchoice or preferential voting; and
f2) providing for a pamphlet to be
published under the supervision of
the secretary of state, and mailed to
each voter of the party TO which the
candidate belongs. The cost of this
pamphlet is intended to be met by
assessments upon the candidates.
The pamphlet takes the place of the
letters and pamphlets, and costs the
candidate not 10 exceed $500, where
as his expenses heretofore have been
many times that amount
But the candidate will want to be
8 sure that his claims to the Office he
seeks reach the voters. How is this