The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-11-27
OWlSSO, MICH. NOV. 81, 1914.
Party Organization Essential.

AO pSOplo VI miCulSdH arc uoBih
olng 10 realize that our primary law is
radically defectiye in one particular at
Jssss-it ignores parties. When Re
gUhlicans are IN power and their op-
p0nents are OUT, the latter raise a
sbout for mon PARTISAN" nomina.
siCas Were the reverse true, doubtless
7ns REPUBLICANS would be advo-
yates of mon .PARTISANSHIP, "
BOTH contentious are UNPATRIOTIC,
SELFISH, and HYPOCRITICAL.
Inpatriotic because no government
lshs ours can be run without PARTIES
Aad ordinarily TWO parties are enough
The people know this and THIRD
rsg:,ss soon disappear. PARTIES
Aaing essential to GOOD GOVERN.
41tNT, any attempt TO BREAK UP
RI DISORGANIZE organized parties
s Gppatriotic because it is opposed to
good government
This out cry against party is selfish
2e.aase in ninety niue cases out Of
2DAared, it comes from some political
n aorist without practical experience in
Zoyasnment or from some disappointed
pllIgician who thinks the SYSTEM
wrong because HE failed OF nomination,
N from some member of an opposition
garry who sees in the OVERTHR wv
* me party in power a chance for
Ram and HIS party. Any law which
ss20s TO disorganize parties tends to
1s'sat The party III power.
I: a "hypocriticaP" because private
.r-.rlciy gain and not better govern
12srt of public service is its real
z2qtiye,
BEFORE the primary law was adopt
IA, avery party opposed to the Republi.
til party then in power fairly HOWL.
Va for primary reform. AS soon as
n3c law was enacted, these same
Iszsies either refused 10 come under it's
provisions or made farce of the law
80 selecting candidates in advance.
Finally COMPULSORY primary
.&Sv with party enrolment was enacted,
2,aa the theorists and self seeking poll
z tsus were not yet satisfied, and the
ENROLMENT feature was repealed.
p Enis means the polls were thrown
agan 90 that any party could assist in
eliminating candidates for ANOTHER
r~-Ey.
Viewer was the farcial character of
stss present law better illustrated than
iCEae last campaign. While the can.
&llhtes of ALL parties were selected at
IiIs primary, there were almost NO
SSsss- for any but REPUBLICAN
eaU{sdstes, Why, because there being
fRle or no contest amons Democratic
Kad Progressive candidates they were
selected IN most cases by committees of
fnese. parties and only one name ap-
pared on the ballot. SO thousands of
Democrats, Progressives, SOCIALISTS, etc,
pSs1 20 help nominate REPUBLICAN
candidates in many instances with no
:nEyation of assisting in electing Re-
suolican candidates at the polls.
Doubtless had conditions been re-
yS.sed and the Republicans in the
minority THEY would have done the
sJns thing.
This is not a partisan argument, but
i Is a party argument. The Herald
believes in parties and it believes that
gOIHING is more disorganizing to
parties than a primary law by which
On Z party can help nominate the
candidates of ANOTHER
4 law should be passed which recog.
1lzes the party organization of each
yayty IN the selection of candidates aud
absolutely prevents any party from
batting in" or interfering in any way
N Farty nominations of any other party.
CIratiot County Herald.