Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-09-08
SHALL WE SAVE THE PRIMARIES, OR SHALL WE
ABANDON THEM?

all the this
made ow the of people anna the peo
pie do not appreciate the same it would not surprise the
system a Modified form Of the same 81 '' . ~
The above from interview given by of the lead
ing and most active Republican politicians of the state
coming it does along with frequent criticisms of the
like nature from Republican newspapers leads to the in
quiry Shall we save the primaries or shall we abandon
them?
1t is clearly the purpose of the reactionaries of both
parties to destroy the PRIMARIES they feel that they dare
to do 1t only fear of the consequences that will stay
their hand just fear of the people that caused
them, unwillingly, to enact the law.
Who complains of the primary law is it the people, or
is it the politicians? Is the primary law hardship upon
the people, it merely hardship upon the candidates
who desire office?
There is of course but reply these inquiries 1t
is not the people who companing is the politicians
and the the complaining because costs
them to make their influence felt and because that
influence when is felt is much less than used be
under the old convention SYSTEM the other because has
caused HIM to eXpend large of money order to
cure the unfair advantage his opposing candidates
that he formerly could secure with the expenditure of
much less money.
Neither complaint appeals to the people, In the first
place. the people do the influence the profess
slonal politician and political boss felt much it
IS now felt in nominations and in the other place. it
is clearly the personal fault of the candidate if he spends
large of money He argues that he do
nominated; reply that nobody but himself much
whether he is nominated not that far the public
is concerned he might keep his money.
There is only valid objection to the direct primary
law and that is the expense the public of conducting the
election The objection holds good the general
election, the only difference being that suggests
substitute for the general election expense while the po-
tcal bosses ready to suggest substitute for the
direct primary law.
We want to say however that the cost of running cleo
ton machinery is just objection to the incompetence of
our present partisan government but objection what
ever to the direct primary law
The political bosses, having unwillngly enacted the
direct primary law did they always do when they
unwilngly forced to enact reforms demanded by the
peopethey refused to devise any method whereby the
elections may be more economically conducted
This is fault that all the way through polti-
cal system Our political parties have been inter-
ested in finding jobs for party henchmen at public expense
than they have been in studying how to conduct govern
ment economical basis In fact, real study
has been made by the politicians for the purpose of
devising an economical scheme of government
Not only the direct primary election but the general
elections well can be conducted for approximately
half the present cost by the very simple expedent of pro-
dng expert ballot counters at the seat OF of
each county to do the counting Less than onehaf the
present number of precinct officers would be required and
their work would the end Of the eight hours that
the polls would nee, be open The work of counting
could be done by - of expert, efficient counters at
the county seat and the results would be known definitely
much quicker than is possible and with much less ex
pense.
1t is not necessary to suggest the details by which this
plan could be made effective except that 1T might be sug
gested that the sheriff of the county could be required c
ballot the