Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-03-03
HOWE FAVoRs PRIMARY LAW.
Explains Provisions, Which Arc SIM
pie and Easy-Small Towns Not at
Disadvantage

The fight over prohibition and 9th I
err town meeting interests should not
cause the voters to forget that the
issue whether or not Vermont is to
have a primary law is to be decided
by the voters ON Tuesday, March 7.
The question before the voters Is
whether or not to accept the provisions
Of the primary nominations bill, passed
by the legislature last winter, with
referendum clause attached. If the
voters are satisfied with the old sys-
TEN of nominations by convention
they should vote emo If they are
not satisfied and would like to try the
system of selecting nominees by direct
vote they should vote eyes.
In spite of all that has been said
and written on the question there are
still a good many people who do not
understand the working of Il primary
! law although il is simple and easily
Voters. who desire to support n
certain candidate FOR state Office. Unit
| ed States senator, member Of congress,
or county. official can circulate a petit
ton asking that the mans name 90
on the primary ballot. 1t takes 800
names to get man S name on the
| ballot for governor or other state Office
or for United States senator. For Nom
. Der of congress it takes $50 names and
for county office it takes number of
names equal to two per cent of the
vote cast at the last election.
With the names thus presented by
the voters themselves an election bal
lot is made up for the primary cleo
ton which is set for the second Tues
day in September.
From the names offered for the Vari-
Gus places the voters make their Sc
lection for each place and the man who
gets most votes is the nominee. The
candidates of each party are in sepa-
rate columns and the voter must con-
fine his marking to the column of one
party or invalidate his ballot.
The primary election is held at the
same place and under practically the
same rules as q regular election and
J the laws regulating a regular election
, apply to primary, including penalties
for bribery, intimidation, use of liquor,
etc. In addition the primary bill also
provides a penalty for the voter who
soicits bride or any other thing of
e value.
, 1t will be seen that in this way
every voter gets a chance to vote for
a candidate for every place on the
ticket. Under the caucus and conven-
ton system the fight in the caucus is
almost always over the candidate for
governor or some other one place on
the ticket and the voters get no chance
to express preference as to the other
places. The primary gives him a
chance for an emphatic vote, for OF
against every man proposed. With all
l the candidates on the state, congress
sional and county ticket to be consider
ed the interest in the primary is or
: dinarily much greater than in the eau
e Gus and in this way much more gen
{ eral expression is secured.
1t is well known that under the eau
| Gus and convention system the delegates
sent TO the state, district and
county convention, are about the same
/ men year after year and some of them
, get expert in slate making and wire
2 pulling to secure the nominee they
/ want rather than tho one whom vot
ers would prefer. Wouldn't it he fa1
|. better and more satisfactory to ALLOW
all voters to 90 to their regular poll
n ing places and register choice Of can
$ didates as they now 90 there for th
g regular election? Those who bclicv
this direct vote is best should vote fo
g the primary law now proposed.
The opponents of the direct primar,
have made the statement that the pri
- mary is more expensive than tn
. caucus and convention system. Thi
- statement is incorrect. OF the tyc
- the primary system is considcra5l,
- less expensive. Most voters win re
=, member the campaign of 1902 whe
D. Mccullough Proctor, Clement an
! Webb were candidates for the Rcpui
d, lican nomination for governor. This
y believed to have been the most cXpen
= sivc, in proportion to the humble
e, Of voters. ever known in this part O
the country. This contest was undo
caucus AMI convention system. it
not on record that a direct primar
campaign anywhere ever cost at tn
same proportion AS u matter Of fec
n The cost of n campaign has always Dc
pended on the wealth Of the candidate
So and their inclination TO spend none
rather than any system Of nomiuatio
uscd. This Vermont primary on Whic
Is the voters are TO decide March cor
>, tains a provision compelling every CA;
n didatc, whether winner or loser to max
g, public his expenses and this publcit
Il, will do more to limit the unfair use 0
d money than any other one thing. On aC
:, count of this provision alone the lay
.e should be accepted by the voters i
1t view Of the scandals that have ON soy
t cral occasions attended Vermont can
If paigns
ii Under the provisions of the propose
o. primary, candidates for town repre-
IS sentative may or may not be sclecte
h. Just as the voters prefer. They ca
# leave the choice OF town representative
II candidates to n caucus TO be held late
if they prefer or TO independent file
# nominations such as are now used i
~ many towns. The primary does not az
20 ply TO town, city, village or schoc
r. district elections or to choice of justice
q. of the peace.
7 The proposed law provides for
~ convention of each party to prepar
a party platform and make nominee
for state and county Offices member
Of this convention. BY this motho
the men who have the platform t
carry out have n part in making tn
platform and in this way greater pan
., ty responsibility is secured.
- The friends of the direct primar
- make 10 claim that the primary is