Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-10-23

take position for direct primaries in the
interest some candidate This would be equivalent to
saving that the obecor did submit his candidacy to
of the people whole but preferred to depend upon
manipulated conventions with their possibility
special delegates and all that sort of thing fam
liar to Vermont voters of certain bygone ages.
The question of a choice of political primaries for Yer
mont be considered its merits alone though
the opposition express company champions and allied in
terests naturally predspOse the people adoption
of what the special interests fear menace to their own
power That fear has been that the Interests
have objected to fair presentation of both sides OF the
primary question for and against.
The spectacle of few thousand voters forcing the
nation Governor William Suzer for the Legisla
tue under the very of Boss Charles F. Murphy with
New Yorks notorious law miscaled direct primary lnd
Gates what be done by the voters when thoroughly
despite all restrictions let alone when aided by real
direct nomination system
Whether direct primary what Vermont needs is the
question which voters will decide for themselves in few
months and aim is to have them consider the problem
carefully from all sides their verdict in the referendum
this question the coming March will be intelligent and
therefore conclusive and decisive one way or another
The form in which the direct primary may be adopted
is almost various the number of States which have adopt
ed it. Under the typical direct primary individual who
desires to become candidate for office at the hands OF
political party certain number OF signatures TO
petition which filed with the secretary of State or county
clerk other proper officials certain number of days be-
fore the date of the primary election AS result no can
ddate be squeezed out of the running unless he fails to
enough to his petition in which he mani
testify ought not to
On the date of the primary the voters to the voting
places and make choice of their candidate for the party
nomination. the though they voting regular
election If they satisfied with those candidates
who have filed petitions they write the name of can
ddate of their which leaves the whole matter absolutely
open.
The chief objection to the New York primary is that
candidates for party nomination designated by the
political committees and the must overthrow the choice
of the party organization if they other than
the machine candidate in the primary election
n
practically all elective Offices while in others only
delegates to nominating conventions Between these two
may be found almost endless variety of linn
ations of such application In still other States the
ton is abolished entirely and candidates nominated by
direct primary alone Massachusetts, the convention deal
ing with party platform and party organization matters
When Vermont expresses choice between primary sys
does not necessarily consider particular form of
the direct primary On the other hand we know what the
system involves and the preferential primary mani
testify retains convention, the delegates chosen the
primary being instructed to choice of candidates. 1t fol-
matter of that the direct primary be
wider from present system than the prefer
entail primary
Rays book on political Subjects already reviewed
columns has we'll summed the arguments for and against
the direct primary Most direct primaries in different States
have these points in common Primaries of the different
parties held at the time and place Some form of
the Australian ballot is used Ballots are uniform in size
and shape Regular election officers preside and they
paid of the public funds Polls remain the
hours as at regular election.
Points worthy of particular attention that nominal
tons generally made by plurality vote although in
States certain percentage of the whole vote required
What is desirable than almost other feature,
provisions against corrupt practices at elections extended
to these primary elections.
Among advantages claimed the direct primary
the following 1t enables the individual
an increased influence the choice of both candidates and
party who also voted for directly by the
voters a whole.
bring larger at the primaries, and
therefore makes manipulation difficult while interesting
people in affairs of government.
1t is simpler than the convention under the
system there primaries just the and then various
conventions whereas rule days direct primary set
ties nominations
1t promotes true party leadership by clothing leaders
with authority direct from the voters whole.
1t secures the nomination of better rule, they
depend their presentation of their claims to the
instead of upon secret manipulation in and
conventions.
genuine direct primary takes away control of
nations bosses and places that control nearly in
the hands of the people.
Later shall consider of the objections to the