Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1915-09-23
I'll SHORT BALLOT.

Yes, the ballot is too Iong-aItogcther too long. Every
body realizes it when he goes into the booth to prepare it i'll
accordance with the dictates Of his conscience
But Senator Roots embcllshing announcement that the
short ballot is the cure for the ''~invsible' government that
we hear SO much about, and a remedy for the boss rule that
we read SO much about strikes IS rs too iudicrous TO he even
ridiculous.
We don't know what the remedy for invisible government
and boss rule is, unless the people themselves quit permitting
themselves to be fooled during campalgns-and four thousand
years of recorded experience does not seem to Justify the
nope that they are likely to quit for at least a generation or
two.
The short ballot, as understood by New York and the
country, means that but few offices shall be filled by election
while the great majority of them shall be filled by appointment.
In other words, We elect the governor and perhaps the
lieutenant governor, and, as in the proposition pending before
the people of New York, the attorney general and one other
state officer, and permit the governor to appoint all the others.
That's the remedy for invisible government and boss rule,
according to Senator Roots eloquent plea. That, also, accord
ing to Theodore Roosevelt, would help to wipe out invisible
government. Possibly it would!
We have noticed that under the old fashioned convention
me chief ann OF those seeking to dictate party politics was to
secure control of the convention and then to name a set Of
candidates IN harmony with the controlling forces.
We have observed that under the primary system a set of
1ellows VIII get together IN some dark corner and agree upon
q set Of candidates who represent their faction, and then all
pull together for the nominating of those chosen.
If one faction wins throughout, as is frequently the case.
everything is lovely and the goose hangs high.
The invisible government that Mr.. Roosevelt so eloquently
denounees and which Senator Root so forcibly condemns is
there IN all It's pristine glory under either system.
The chief difference is that under the primary it is a little
more dlIncult to round up the cohorts than under the sys-
tenn OF nominating by convention.
By. reducing the number of nominees, thereby shortening
me ballot, we simply increase the power of the officers chosen
without in the least striking a blow at invisible government,
so Tar as we are able to discern.
Put, perhaps We are mistaken. We shall watch New
1ork's experiment with some degree of interest. provided
the people adopt the short ballot which the distinguished
New Yorker 50 vigorously urges.
The stipulation regarding the billion dollar loan is that
none oflt snail pc used Tor paying for munitions. It's a tech
n1callty equal IN point OF fneness to some that courts have to
deal with now and then. True, we are easing M on our con-
sciences by saying that none of the money we lend the Euro
peans shall be used to purchase guns or ammunition. But
we also remember that it they don't have to use the money
they already have for providing them with things to eat they
can ufli1ze It Tor munitions, SO it's about as broad as it is long
ana about as long as It IS broad. But we've satisfied our con
sciencel
Von Hlndenburg is still chasing the Russians. Won is the
chap, At our memory serves us well, who WASH in good stand
lng with the kaiser at the outbreak Of the war.
Teddy went about denouncing Invisible, government ia
l9l2 Now MI. Root has joined in the 3Rooseyeltan chorus
Does II imply ~anythings