Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-12-01

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statesman win also furnish al the CO.
hesion necessary for a legitimate pol
itical party. Still further, we contend
that majority rule is impossible as
long as political party names are rec
ognized on the official ballot. The last
contention Is somewhat ahead Of the
times, perhaps, but good start has
been made in Minnesota in judicial,
legislative and local election laws.
The journal urges that step back
wards into the Iowa hodge-podge
would cure all the Ills of the primary
law and secure majority rule. There
exists no warrant for such assump-
ton. In the first place the Iowa law
specifically recognizes minority rule
down to thirty-five per cent, and in
the second place what guarantee have
you that the compromises and trades
which usually determine the result Of
convention where there are many
candidates in the field will meet with
the approval Of the majority? Then
in the final election with six or seven
party ballots in the field, what will
become of your boosted majority rule?
Our present primary law is not I'M
workable. The mistake has been made
by many to consider that conventions
or other means Of crystalizing senti-
ment are contrary to the spirit Of the
primary. Such ideas are wrong and
have contributed to the abuse of the
law. The more public discussion
which takes place and the more elm
nation meetings held, the better post
ed the voters will be to make the final
decision. If there are two different
ideas fighting for the mastery WITHIN
party two elimination conventions
might be necessary before the prinl-
airy to determine which men shall re-
present such ideas in the primary.
Any system which gives the politicians
the chance to eliminate after the prim-
airy will be found wanting. To main
tain that the direct primary is un-
workable is to say that the people are
unfit for self government.
The Journal re-iterates the old say
ing that government by parties is es-
sential to a democracy. That may be
true, but a party that is held together
simply by law enactment becomes
nothing more or less than political
machine organized for spoils and the
leaders of which change their pro-
gram with every wind that blows in
order to catch the most suckers to
vote it's ticket.
To insure a majority election, it
would be necessary to limit by law the
number of parties to two at the final
election. Every state in the Union
which has been organized for mum.
Der of years can furnish examples of
how easily the bosses Of two dominant
parties can jointly control everything
political.
The remedy is not more election
laws, but less. Give the people the
chance, and they will take care OF
themselves. Minnesota leads the I'm
ion in progressive election laws. Her
Australian ballot was designed to fac
ihtate independent voting, and the
non!partisan legislative and county
ballots are the natural growth. The
idea should be extended to the State
ballot thus giving the assurance OF
the elimination of all but two candi'
dates for each Office for the final cleo
ton. The minority parties could then
contest for the honor Of furnishing
the opposition candidate to the one
naturally nominated by the dominant
party. Don't face about now and re-
turn to the old system. II the Min
neapolis Journal wishes to be consid.
cred a progressive newspaper she
should not help the stand-patters pull
their chestnuts out of the fire.