The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-09-18
THE PRIMARY LAW.

presses very clearly forcefuy public sentiment on the
direct primary law. The Call is in line with nearly every
newspaper that The Tribune Office To date the
Capital News the only newspaper in Idaho which thinks
the direct primary system the better The Call says
Almost without exception the newspapers of Idaho that
have said anything about the primary election have
demned the practical workings of the primary law mainly
$50 infer) the ground that it tends dis
ntegrae the party organizations and that is subverve
of good service in public Office.
There can be doubt, in mind that the primary
law does tend to dsntegrate party organization There
will be those perhaps who will argue that this is good
thing 1t may be-we do not know But what do know
that the law stands sefcondemned because inue
Anything that is useless is unnecessary.
The primary does not bring the popular vote In
this county there but small percentage of the farmers
who took enough interest in the selection of candidates
get out and cast ballot Of course this
farmer busy and it may be that better showing
would be made the election held month earlier
The great argument for the primary was that it
took the management of party affairs of the hands of
few politicians and it to the peope-where it belongs
But venture the assertion (and do believe we
can be dspued that in any precinct in Twin Falls county
the attendance at gathering select delegates to
county conventon-as done under the old system
would have called big crowd voted at the pri-
mary election.
There objection too to the law that cannot be
overcome 1t practically requires declaration the part
of the voter that he will at the general election
ticket he calls for the primary We know that in seven
cases out of ten he will do nothing of the kind Few
vote straight tickets in these mugwampsh days.
The operation of the law both expensive and cumber
some Neither of these valid objections however if
the primary accomplished what was claimed it would do
But they of considerable when it fails in other
respects.
The one thing certain is that the primary law needs
lot of overhaung-here are some holes in that are
badly in need of caukng And it either be repealed
or radically amended 1t is failure it stands.
THE SAFEST AND SUREsr WAY.
! 1t is with feeling of satisfaction that the American
Economist notes the public declaration bv Mr. Underwood
chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means
and presumably the influential member of the pres
en House majority, that he is favor of the policy of
discriminating duties the and most effective
method of restoring the American merchant marine In
the New York American of August 10 Mr. Underwood is
quoted as saying
Let us hope that the sentiment of to-day in favor of
rebuilding our merchant marine is not the mere idle
PROMISE of the hour but has to STAY and that
Congresses Will respond to enlightened sentiment of
people that will ultimately write on the statute books
permanent legislation that will establish carriers of our
own.
The country should realize that the bill passed by
Congress to admit foreign ships to American registry
only emergency legislation!
Although it may relieve the needs of the hour in the
end 1t will not build up and maintain permanent American
merchant marine. Our ships driven from the seas
because our foreign rivals disseminated favor of their
shipS we neglected ours. No matter how
egn bottoms may take the American flag no matter how
many ships we build in own shipyards when the
war IN Europe is and the world returns to
conditions other nations of the world continue to paw
their ships subsidies when they pass through the Suez
and Panama canals, if they continue to discriminate in
favor OF them their home railroads. if they continue to
furnish the capital for building Them and in many other
ways discriminate in their favor ships will not
be able to compete unless adopt methods of our
own that will give the American ships an equal showing
to carry the freights of the world
Il have favored in the past determinations in favor Of
our shipping and believe that the safest and most
SO anxious to build up merchant marine that if others
are not willing to travel my road am willing to go
with them reasonable road that will lead us to the
desired result and have the faith to believe that the
accomplishment of our purpose is hand"
Progress toward the creation and maintenance of an
American merchant marine will have been made when the
sound principle of discriminating duties to that
end shall have been established For his firm stand on
that sound principle Mr. Underwood is commended
The enforcement of that policy beginning with the law
of 1920 and continuing for rs years. gave American
ships 90 per of American carrying trade The
law of 1870 added 10 per of Tariff duties to all mer-
chandise imported in other than American ships That
made cheaper to ship in American than in foreign
sells The law would produce the results 1t
would create and maintain American merchant marine
Day. Pence and Gpson given satisfaction to
their respective political parties They reelected
state chairman without opposition.