American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-12-24

I be nominated and receive the endorse
ment Of the party, without receivinI
that proportion Of the total vote pro
vided by the convention rules. neve
less than a majority. He was tried b,
fire In the crucible of the party conyol
tion. and discarded II found wanting
Ballot after ballot is taken. II needed
and many a candidate who recei 'et
the same minority that wouii hay.
nominated him In the primaries, hal
been rejected as unfit by Tho con,ch
ton and a better man named. H. tn,
convention system no opposition ,oiel
could take part and help hoIiinate Z
weak candidate.
B~uncbing Offices.
The ticket is thus named FOR the
voters at the general electnion. IN
looking over those nominated it IL
found that the tendency of the aver.
age voter is TO vote for those kno vi
to him, or of whom he has heard, or
who has been recommended by a
friend, has worked its logical result.
The nominations go to the centers of
population in both county and state
tickets. A a well known in Boise
has 5000 votes behind him at the start.
while IN equally good man, equally
well known I'm Podunk, has twenty. A
just geographical distribution is lost.
The county Offices go largely to the
Boise. Another tendency of this method
of voting Is to perpetuate men in Of
flee. An Office holder is known to more
men than a new man, and gets more
votes. This tendency makes 1t hard for
a new man to break into politics and
keeps many good men out to the det-
riment OF u public affairs at times.
In the table quoted below | have Sc
lected six representative counties I'm
the state from which l happen to have
full returns of the primary and gen.
eral election for the Offices of United
States senator, governor and secretary
of state. Two of these counties are
from the southeast section of the state,
two from the southwest and two from
the north. In each section one of the
counties was the home of one or more
candidates for state office, and also
had "A large town which dominated the
politics OF the county under the pri-
mary law. The other county selected
In each section had no such candi
dates and no dominating town. For the
purposes OF comparison | will group
the counties OF Ada, Bannock and La
tab, being the counties having candi-
dates and dominating towns into group
a." and the other three counties of
Washington, Lemhi and Lewis, into
group "2."
Comparisons and Percentages.
In the state at large the Republican
vote for the three offices named was
SO per cent as large at the primaries
as ut the general election. The Dem
ocratic vote was "a per cent as large.
For United States senator the Repub-
lican vote vas so per cent as large at
the primaries as at the general cleo
ton. The Democratic vote was 80
per cent as large, The same percent
ages for governor were Republican 90
per cent, and Democratic 81 per cent,
and for secretary of state, Republican
n per cent, and Democratic 80 per
cent.
In group u" the Republican vote
for senator was 90 per cent as large
in the primaries as at the general cleo
ton, and the Democratic "a per cent.
For governor the respective percent
ages were ll6 and "A per cent, and for
secretary of state 81 and 20 per cent
respectively.
In group "2" the Republican vote
for senator was 90 per cent as large
In he primaries as at the general cleo
tion and the Democratic 60 per cent.
For governor the respective percent
were 63 per rent and AZ per cent.
and for secretary of state i6 per cent
and 46 per cent.
From these figures IL would seem
that In the counties of group 81" from
~ per cent to 1l6 per cent of the
Republican strength voted at
primaries, while only "a per cent
to "a per cent OF the Democratic
strength voted then. On the other
hand II would seem that in group "2"
from @ to 63 per cent of the normal
strength voted at the pri-
maries, and from AZ to 60 per cent OF
The Democratic strength so voted. Does
think there was this difference?
The conclusion is obvious. II shows
that In localities having candidates
office on the state ticket. and in
counties having dominating towns.
hat people will vote the ticket of an
other party, either as n favor to their
candidate friend. or to help their own
In the general election by nom
n weak candidate on the oppo- (