Omaha daily bee., 1914-09-11
Short Ballot Talk

Blair Pilot: One Of the needed instruments OF
democracy IL the short ballot. Democracy means in
telligent selfgovernment selfgovernment through a
| seven-foot ballot IL a misnomer a long ballot means
multitude Of elective offices with divided response
blity and the majority Of them obscure that the
average voter cannot know how the duties are per
formed. Such system IL breeding ground for our
modern professional politicians and sleek lobbyists
The longer the ballot the better the opportunity OF
the political manpulators The shorter the ballot the
greater the chance for the people Intelligently
select men who will carry out their orders What Of
Nebraska7 For years the ballot has been overly
complicated and loaded with names OF candidates
Our most enlightened citizens have time and again
expressed themselves unable ntellgenty TO pick
the tit from the myriad Of aspirants for office This
condition exists both the primary and final cleo
tons. II anything, II IL worse at the primary cleo
tons, because there is under the present law
Limitation 70 the number OF candidates for nomina
ton Nebraska must have the short ballot in order to
make possible closer scrutiny in the selection of public
ofncialsi and more in order to fix and centraze
responsibility Cut off the ballot the offices that
have to do merely with routine and clerical work.
Call on the voter only to I'm the offices that control
policies.
Tekamah Herald The primary law amendment is
now live topic. Some to confine It to county
Officers and let the state officials be chosen by
vention. That would not meet with approval
The statement that the average voter does know
who no is voting for falls flat when prl-
mary vote Is analysed. In nearly every the
people got what they wanted.
Sutton Register There lie a good deal OF dissatis-
faction among politicians and defeated candidates
with primary law: some want to repeal it and go
back to the old convention system while others want
TO amend the law 81 to keep so many names from
going on the primary ballot One way would be to
combine the convention and primary systems Have
each party state convention cand dates for
each state office whose go on the primary
ballot, and the receiving the majority in the
primary shall be the party candidate in the general
election as at present II could said that
the nominee was a minority candidate. as he would
have endorsement OF his party at the convention and
at the primary. The Register makes this as a sug-
gestion only. Maybe you make a better one
Lincoln Journal: Quite properly considering the
states recent tussle with endless primary ballot
the necessity OF reducing of elective pub
Tic OFFICIALS Is now clear TO an increased number of
people The Omaha Bee now gives its support to the
short ballot idea and presents specific suggestions
This would be wholesome scing down Of the ballot
il the public will only how its control of public
affairs would be increased by this trimming of the
ballot. II would be possible to 20 stil further The
short ballot philosophy should be remembered is
not mere mechanical plan for reducing the length
and completely the ballot That is Incidental The
philosophy Of the short ballot s the working out OF
logical system of organizing government with q
view to the greatest popular control coupled with
maximum Of efficiency. This system means the cleo
ton OF officials responsible public policies and
administration who In turn appoint officials to per
form the administrative labors OF government FOR
THESE appointments the elected official responsible
to the voters and his responsibility kept alive and
keen by the existence Of the popular recall,