Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-08-21
Press Comment
Would Amend Primary Law.
(Ellensburg Democracy

TIuudGy lIdWs
(Ellensburg Democrat.)
The recent experience in securing
desirable men as candidates for the
different state and county offices has
shown the weakness of the present
primary law as means of securing
desirable candidates. While the old
convention plan had it's faults, as a
rule party conventions were COM
PEELED to nominate their best men,
and candidates nominated by conven-
ton felt that they had the backing
of an organization behind them, and
they were responsible to the organi-
cation which chose them. The pri-
mary law has not worked out as it's
promoters hoped it would. Instead
of it bringing out the best men for
office, it has the tendency to bring
out a multitude of candidates of me-
diocre ability, who feel responsible
to no party or organization. And in
stead of it's giving every man an
equal chance, it has made it next to
impossible for poor man to become
candidate and make the campaign
necessary to any hope of success.
The primary law should be amend
ed, and If we are to continue using
the primary as means of selecting
candidates, there should be at least
preliminary convention that would
select limited number of candidates
for each office, who would have the
endorsement and backing of their
party, and who would feel their re-
sponsibility to the organization to
which they belonged. The coming
legislature could we'll put in it's time
in either repeating, or amending a
number of laws which in their pres
ent condition are farce rather than
in enacting into law any of the many
fool measures which have been pro-
posed. This state along with Oregon
and California has gone the limit in
freak legislation, and the people are
beginning to see that many of these
laws while beautiful in theory, are
absolutely impracticable in practice.
Here it isles Seen it!
(Sumner Index.)
The tight skirt, says an exchange,
is passing. Which is too true. One
passed the window a moment ago,
through which we saw wart on the
left hind leg of a perfectly strange
lady. That does seem little infor
NAL even in these rapid times. In
our grandmother's day no lady would
show the wart of the southwest quar-
ter of the east half of section four,
range six to a gentleman without at
least the formality of an introduce
ton. But now-we are going some.
Herein a Statement Of Facts.
(Skagit Co. Times.)
We learn that Frank e. Hart, we'll
known in this city, has purchased the
Arlington Chronicle, and took control
of the paper this week. The Chronicle
was started in that city some three
years ago and is said to be fairly we'll
equipped as far as material is con-
cerned. He Is an old newspaper man
and is a good rustler, and will no
doubt make an exccllent paper of the
Chronicle. Arlington is like the
most of the towns on this coast-it
has two newspapers, and about bust
ness enough for one. Where you
find this condition you look around
and will find it is brought about by
one of two reasons. The first and
worst element in this business is the
Office seeker with little money, who
wants to air some of his "isms" or
roast some individual, or defeat
given idea. The next Is the fellow
thing else, then breaks into the news
paper business. The school teacher
and the legal profession have fur
nished more newspaper men than all
the rest of the avocations combined,
and 10 times out of IL they 60 broke
eventually and knock the dickens out
of the business for some one that has
gained some knowledge before max
ing an investment. This is why the
most of the towns are overburdened
with newspapers, and not from the
point of good business judgment.
Advises Vote Against All Bills.
(Asotin Co. Sentinel.)
With the long list of initiative