Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-02-25
TESTING A REFORM

Political experiments should be made
with deliberation, and only after care
ful forecast of sill OF the probable re-
sults. In this country, however, such
Experiments are too often made hastily /
and impatientIy, with only the slightest
coneideratlon of the consequences The
people discover an abuse that fills 1
them with indignation; they demand q !
reform and catch ct the first remedy |
suggested, and In many cases they find
that the change ID not an Improvement |
This year several states are to try
the plan OF presidential primaries.
The voters win express their prefer
ences for party candidates and choose
by direct vote the delegates to the ma
tional conventions. In purpose the
plan ID excellent. Theoretically, 1t
gives the members OF each party the
power to select their candidates by
purely democratic system. We shall
Sos how 1t works ont. But even now,
before single vote Is cast, we have
already discovered that, even Ii the
change abolishss many OF tho evils Of
the convention system, 1t win bring the
voters face 70 Iace with new and serious
difficulties.
In the first place, they may not be
able to express their preferences efTec-
lively, because they can choose only
among those whose names are on the
Official ballot, whereas their choice may
be man whose name does not appear
there. TO illustrate: There lie known
10 be great host Of men ell over the
country who. II they could, would de-
clare themselves In favor Of the nom
ination Of Theodore Roosevelt; but as
the former President refuses to permit
his name to be printed on the pallot,
they are pracluded from expressing
their preferences for him.
Again, Ia Massachusetts,, and perhaps
in other states. there ID no party enrol
ment. Thus. any democrat may help
20 nominate the Republican candidates.
and any Republican to name the Demo.
cratic candidates. Since there is no
contest on the Democratic side, the eff
feet Of the lsw Is to invite Democrats
TO fasten upon tins opposition the most
unpopular candidate they can discover
on the ballot.
Again, the voters have no assurance
that the delegates chosen &C the pri-
maries win carry out their will any
better than delegates chosen bp caucuses
and convention. Il Ia o mistake to
assume that changing the form Of q
vote Ii an effective innovation IL II
leaves the person intrnsted with the
vote the same. The caucus system
would be admirable IL all good men
would attend the caucuaes. There il
no assurance that all good men will at
tend the primaries. Experience thus
far shows that only part of them will
attend; and until more Of them attent
than used TO attend the caucus, Their,
viii be no reform. even though Their,
viii be Change.
These criticisms are neither partisan
nor reactionary, for the grand object o
all OF us Ii to find and 20 adopt tn
aureet way 70 put the best man forwar,
In the government; and no party an
no group Of men can have a monopol
either OF wisdom or Of righteousness
1t would be reacsionary to insist tina
the recent reform il perfect, and equal
" resctiouary 10 propose an immsdiat
retnrn 70 the system that we have dis
carded. What we need TO do is /
seaaeh ont the defects OF the primar
and TO make changes that win elm
nate them. Youths Companion.