The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-02-26

caucus and convention system the dele
gates 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
| pulling to secure the nominee they
want rather than the one whom vot.
ers would prefer. Wouldn't 1t be far
better and more satisfactory to allow
all voters to go to their regular poll
ing place and register choice of can
didates as they now go there for the
this direct vote Is best should vote for
the Primary law now proposed.
The opponents OF the direct Pri-
mary have made the statement that
the Primary is more expensive than
the caucus and convention system.
This statement is incorrect. OF the
two, the Primary system is consider
ably less expensive. Most voters will
remember the campaign Of 1902 when
Mccullough, Proctor. Clement and
Webb were candidates for the Repub-
lean nomination for governor. This ia
believed to have been the most ex-
pensive, In proportion to the number
of voters, ever known in this part OF
the country. This contest was under
caucus and convention system. 1t Is
not on record that direct Primary
campaign anywhere ever cost at the
same proportion. AS matter OF
fact the cost OF campaign has al
ways depended on the wealth OF the
candidates and their inclination to
spend money rather than any system
of nomination used. This Vermont
primary ON which the voters are to
decide March 7th contains provision
compelling every candidate, whether
winner or loser to make public his ex-
penses and this publicity will do more
to limit the unfair use Of money than
any other one thing On account OF
this provision alone the law should
be accepted by the voters in view OF
the scandals that have on several oc-
casions attended Vermont campaigns.
Under the provisions of the pro-
posed primary. candidates for town
representative may or may not be Sc
lected just as the voters prefer. They
can leave the choice Of town represen-
tative candidates to a caucus to be
held later IL they prefer or to inde-
pendent filed nominations such as are
now used in many towns. The ,pri-
mary does not apply to town. city. viii
lage or school district elections or to
choice of justices of the peace.
The proposed law provides for
convention of each party to prepare
party platform and makes nominees
for state and county Offices members
Of this convention. BY this method
the men who have the platform to
carry out have a part In making the
platform and in this way greater par
ty responsibility is secured. ,i..-,ff
The friends OF the direct primary
make no claim that the primary is
a panacea or cure for all political
evils but they do feel sure that It will
give voters direct control OF making
their own nominations and in this
way a firmer hand In the government
OF their state
The statement has been made In
some quarters that direct nominations
were unduly favorable to the large
towns and give them advantage over
the small towns. This statement is
absolutely untrue. Nominations by
direct primary are now made in 40 OF
the 4S states of the Union and IN not
one single case have the primary laws
been found to be of special advantage
to large towns and cities or OF any
disadvantage to the small towns.
So far as my own personal obserEa-
ton goes / have found the most ear
nest opponents of the direct primary
to be those who had some selfish rea-
son for trying to control nominations
and elections, corporation lawyers,
politicians who work for hire and
those who are not willing to trust
the plain people. There are also many
good citizens who hesitate to vote for
a direct primary because they are
naturally conservative and fear lest
they make mistake but feel sure
that II the bill becomes law 1t will
prove force in bettering the govern
mental affairs OF Vermont.
Respectfully yours,
Frank e. Howe.
Bennington, VT. Feb. 81. 1916.