The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-03-02

No law can be framed which will
adequately limit the expenditures OF
candidates, Everyone knows that The
active candidate begins work years
before the actual eaIppalgn and IL lie
has abundant money 10 spend ia thus
early advancing his candidacy he viii
spend il. Moreover there are many n
direct ways Of spending money which
IN states having the primary II has
been found impossible 10 reach by pub
licity laws.
Not only is the expense of candidacy
increased but the expense to the state
is doubled by virtue of the fact that a
second election is held In some OF
the states where direct primaries are
in force the states pay for publicity
pamphlet advertising the merits of the
different candidates and in other OF
the direct primary states there rs an
agitation for this so-called reform.
The party convention must be re- |
tanned to frame the party platform. |
The platform could not he framed by |
the nominees of the party as thus they |
would be given all the power of the
party and having been nominated the
party can have no redress If the plat
form fails TO express its principles.
The people should instruct the candi
dates, not Vice versa.
There has been q strong tendency IN
states having the direct primary for
the party managers to submit a COM
plete slate at the primary and through
the influence of their organization TO
nominate it in its entirety. This prac-
tee, common in certain states, makes
the nomination of a candidate oblec-
tionabie TO the party organization
practical impossibiitv as he would
have to build up an organization in
every district throughout the state TO
stand a chance against the firmly in
trenched party machine.
The following important elements of
party success can be considered in
making we'll balanced ticket at a
| convention but not at Il direct primary;
geographical distribution of the candi-
| iates; their nationality; their social
standing; the class represented; the
commercial, industrial and agricultural
interests, etc. that they stand for; the
shades of political idea entertained.
| The delegates to the convention be
| ing the prominent citizens Of the COM
| munitv are likely 10 have been members
| 81 the legislature and thus TO have be
come acquainted with the candidates
| for the minor offices who in reality
conduct most Of tire business Of the
state and regarding whom the ordinary
voter would have no knowledge.
The process of aelbcration and lie
bate in Il convention secures an atten-
lion To all the circumstances that a
primary cannot obtain. Under a pri-
mary system Seward. not Lincoln,
would have been nominated in 1860
Lincoln j. typical product Of the
| convention system.
The well known man regardless of
what he is noted for has an advantage
/ IN the race for the nomination over
one better qualified but less generally
known. II IS notorietv and not worth
that counts under the direct primary
: The people are compelled TO depend
; ,lmost entirely on what the newspapers
SAY about the candidates while undel
the convention system the people rep
: rcScntatlves 1T the convention meet
| he candidates and can form their owr
judgments ef them.
; Willingness on the part of adequat,
men TO serve the public in office il
!, rare enough IT best. and Willingness OF
, he part Of adequate men 10 unaerg,
pne protracted and necessarily eXpen<
We campaign Of personalities for I'll,
; light 70 undergo another protraete,
md expensive campaign for the .rign
: 20 serve the public in office is NOR
han can he expected normally exeep
e | from those at once very rich and Yer,
5 patriotic.
The, primary makes possible tn
hoice of i candidate bv a small fae
tion of the party decidedly in TIL
: minority. If there are six candidate
: and the vote is somewhat evenly iii
: vided IT is possible that the hghes
candidate may receive not more tina
: IL per cent of the total vote east
There is not sufficient guarantee tina
he successful candidate really CON
Q nanps gepelal support IN the party I
!, warrent his choice as representative
q ANY second choice system is too con
{ dictated to receive the consideration o
: practical men.
The direct primary increases til
power of the large towns at the e,
oense OF the small towns. AT a nomlr
y ason by direct vote of the people tn
J vote for Chittenden county would /
10 practically dominated by Burlingto
~ md Winooski and Washington count
:. by Barre and Montpelier and similf
&c domination by the large towns woul
ic be the result throughout the state. TT
: vote in Essex county would be mo-
than balanced by the vote of eith'
10 Bennington. Brattlehoro or ST. Jonn