The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-03-22
THE PRIMARY BuNcLE

The Dill ldDcitu uiIecL pilIiidIy,
which has passed the House under
pressure of Governor Gates, is not Il
genuine primary bill in its present
condition and should be promptly
killed by the Senate or restored SO
as to provide fair system of direct
nominations.
There is no serious objection to the
referendum placed on the bill if the
legislature feels timid about accept.
ing responsibility, but the amend
ments proposed by Mr.. Brown of Lun-
enburg and Mr.. Smith of Barre city
and voted by the House mutilate the
measure TO a degree that renders it
fit only for the scrap heap.
We cannot understand why, as
long as there is to be a referendum
on the bill, there should be any OBJ
lection to submitting to the people a
fair and decent primary bill written
by friends of the. direct nomination
system, instead Of submitting q bill
that has been hamstrung and hari-
karied by its enemies. If there is
any good reason it ought to be made
public.
The Brown amendments give evil
dence of having been written by a
clever lawyer opposed to direct nom
nations. The scope of these amend
ments ostensibly is to limit the prini
airy TO state and congressional ofiicers.
in effect they render the bill largely
imperative A direct primary in Or
der to be effective must concentrate
the political interest of campaign Ill
one settlement so that the most COM
plete possible expression may be Sc
cured. 1t is possible to leave out
town representatives from the prim-
airy but TO cut out the county tickle.
is n fatal error. The bill as it came
from the committee including town
representatives and county tickets
provided such splendid plan of Sc
curing party platform that really
means something that we should like
to see it tried though the nomination
Of representatives by primary is net
essential as is the inclusion of county
nominees.
The Smith amendment is in effect
to Tammanyize the primary and ought
not to be tolerated. Every voter
should have the right at election to
split his ballot. according TO his jude-
ment and conscience but an honest
votar doac ,,ot a,.np daeiro ~ ;ufar
fere with nominations except in his
own party. The Smith amendment
provides for dishonest voting and
ought to be eliminated.
The bill as it is sent to the Sen
ate is like offering man one leg of
a pair of trousers and even that one
leg ripped half its length, and telling
him TO try that with the promise that
if he likes he can have the other leg
when he can get it,
One misstatement that has been
made about the primary is that il i )
a product of recent political unrest
The direct primary has been in use in
this country nearly forty years ana
mas spread unlil IL is now III erect Ill |
more or less perfect form in 40 OF the |
IS states So far as we know it has |
never been discarded where once us.
eG
The Senate should change the bill |
back in the main as it was when re-
ported to the House by the commit
zee on elections except for the refer
sndum. or else should kill the bill. a
arge number of voters have expires
'ed themselves in favor OF a direct
Drimary--four-fths of those who vot-
I'd OH the question March 3, 1914 voted
II favor and as long as the question
S to be submitted again to the voters
he bill submitted should be written
~ the friends of the primary and not
~ those who are either openly ot
secretly opposed and who want the
ill in such shape as will lead to its
The supporters of direct nominal
ions ask the legislature for a square
leal.