The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-12-25

over the names on the ticket. If for
tunate, he may have speaking ac-
quaintance with perhaps twenty-five
per cent of the candidates on the
ticket, and may know something of
the qualifications for office of half of
! these. For the balance of the per-
sons on the ticket he has no uuali6-
cations as an elector fitting him to
act lntelligently in his choice between
the persons named. He is apt to vote
tor any person whose name he has
heard mentioned, and on that account
alone. 1t he neither knows or has
heard of any of the candidates. the
choice will probably be decided by
the locality from which the candidate
comes, by the spelling of his name. or
by the nationality indicated by such
spelling. On such small things do
nominations sometimes depend under
the primary law. There is no party
endorsement behind any one on the
ticket to guide him. 1t is a scramble
OF individuals. The choice of the
average voter will probably be de-
termined by, first: the persons known
to him personally; second: those
whose names have been recommended
by some friend; third: those whose
names he has heard or seen in print;
fourth: those whose names he has not
heard, but live closest to him; fifth:
those whose names or nationality he
lkes best. l say these are the pro-
bable reasons which account for many
Of the votes cast at the primaries.
lhis is not said in disparagement OF
the intelligence of the voters, but to
show the faults and shortcomings of
the primary law.
Minnritu Nnra;raA;
The vote is cast and counted. The
candidates for each office on each
party are nominated. In cases of con-
test the nominations are probably
made by minority vote of those
cast at the primary, and in nearly all
cases OF contest, by decided minor
lty 1.-THE party strength. This is the
hrst law whereby person could be
nominated by minority vote of
party. In primary elections but one
ballot can be taken. Under the dis
carded convention system under which
the entire party strength was voted
by representatives of the voters them
selves, no one could be nominated
and receive the party endorsement I'M
less the candidate received the pro-
portion of the total vote required by !
the convention rules, never less than |
a majority. He was tried by fire in |
the crucible of the party convention,
and was discarded if found wanting. |
Ballot after ballot is taken, if needed |
and a candidate who received the |
same minority vote that would nomi- |
nate him in our primaries, might be |
rejected as unfit by a convention, and |
better man nominated. At least no |
opposition voter would be allowed to |
take part. land dictate the nomination
of a weak candidate
Bunching Offices.
The ticket is thus made up for the |
voters at the general election. In
looking over those nominated it is |
found that the tendency of the aver
age voter to vote for those known to |
him, or of whom he has heard, or who |
have been recommended by a friend, |
has worked its logical result. The |
nominations go to the centers Of |
population in both county and state
offices. A just geographical distribu-
ton is lost. The county offices are |
conferred in the large town of the |
county, and the state officers largely |
in Boise. Another tendency of this |
method is to perpetuate men in office. |
An ofhceholder is known to more of !
the voters than new man, and gets |
more votes. 1t is hard for a new and |
unknown man to get into politics, and |
this keeps many good men out to the |
detriment of our public affairs
Statistics.
U. S. Senator.