Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1913-02-13
y A LOCALIZED PRIMARY.
News and Observer.

mere Is no doubt about the at
titude OF the people of North Car.
olina as to legal'zed primary.
They are determined that in any
contest IN which they are deeply
interested, every voter shall have
the privilegein casting his ballot.
making the vote of the hum hlest
man count as much as the vote of
the most Influential man in the
State. The test of the sentiment OF
the people OF the State was 10 the
matter Of seclerting q United
States Senator last year. There
were four distinguished candi-
dates for this great office. There
never was any question that the
people were determined to settle
this matter themselves, and not
to leave 1t to any COMMITTEES or
legislators or representatives.
From the beginning of the con
test the people demanded t b 9
right TO vote on it and in a direct
primary. The four candidates
were engaged in contest to gee
which could declare for it t h E
strongest ano which candida te
was most favorable to the prl-
mary. The only contest was az
to the rules governing the pri
mary. Every voter had a chance
to cast his vote and, when the
matter was settled, it was acqui-
in by everybody. That shows
that in a matter ofgreat concern
the people are not willing to trust
anybody to attend their affairs
except themselves.
Every Staten the Union except
a few has a legaIizpd primary,
and in those few Sta les the move.
ment is strong to have a legaliz.
ed primary on the same day Tor
nominations OF all political par.
ties. The universal adoption of
the primary plan is proof that
the thought of America is that il
s the bs't way to let the paople
rule. The people may rule and
generally do rule, whatever the
plan is, hut in North Carolina in
nearly every county IN which we
have a large population, begin.
ming with Mecklenburg. Wake,
New Hanover, Buncombe, Gull
ford and Durham, legalized pri
mary has Leen ordered, and in
Wake county, there is a law re.
quiring a primary for both par.
ties. We have a hybrid system
in North Carolina. The big coun.
ties and most progressive coun.
ties, where there have been warm
contests for nomination, have
legalized primaries. Most other
counties haye the convention.
still other counties have the mass
meeting. There should not he q
division. There ought to be one
system in the State and q legaliz-
ed primary should be held on Il
common day for all parties, the
law to be rs simple and direct. rs
possible. 1t ought not to have in
it any drastic provisions. There
are only three essentials.
First: That the primary be held
on a common day, in every coun.
ty in the State;
Second: That nominations for
candidates for all political par.
ties shall be made on the same
day.
Third: The expense OF the pri-
mary should be paid for by the
State or county.
These are tho three essentials
in any Iegalized primary that is
worth the paper it is written on.
Optional primaries, primaries for
one party, primaries where the
candidates furnish the ballots are
all makeshifts and often miserable.
makeshifts. Let US either have a
primary With these three essen.
tials, which experience in forty
States has found to he necessary