The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-06-22
The Primary a Failure

OWllD 10 SOiiiV WY uliH"eASiuN
tory. not to say ridiculous results
of the contest of the 9th inst, sew
eral newspapers, notably the
jacksonville Metropolis, demand
the repeal of the Florida primary
law and a return to the conven-
ton system of nominating candi-
dates. The demand is supported
by good reasons, and The Herald
would be glad to join in it but for
the fact that its editor was de-
feated in the late primary and 1t
might be imagined that his oppo-
sition is instigated by disap-
Ipointment. Nevertheless, he will
risk the suspicion by stating the
reasons for his OPPOSITION to the
system, as they involve the funda-
mental principles of our system
of government as framed by our
forefathers and advocated by
Thomas jefferson, the apostle OF
lDelllOCIdCy LII hiiiOiANu'
First, it was never intended by
the founders Of this government
that United States senator's even,
much less the president, should be
chosen by direct vote of the peo-
ple. Representative government
was the underlying principle of
the whole thing.
What does that meant That
representatives chosen by the peo-
pie should elect the senators and
the president. 1t was never con-
templated that the people should
vote direct for these officials, but
they were given the privilege of
selecting by direct vote their rep
resentatives in the lower house OF
congress. The constitution OF
each state was modelled upon this
idea and plan. For over a hun
, dred years, it worked well; the
wisdom of our forefathers was
demonstrated by the fact that tht
methods suggested and adopted
by them gave us good govern
lment.
And the constitution and meth
DDS of government established ov
= err a hundred years ago, were
, dopted by the Democratic part!
in the state and nation and prov
= ed eminently satisfactory until, il
= these later years, there arose
. number of pseudo-reformers call
ing themselves Progressives, who
!. lthrusting themselves into both o
Y the great political parties, move
by a lust for office and power, en-
O ployed the articles of the demi
n gogue and succeeded in substitu
h ing for the spirit of our govern
# ment and the principles of Thon
v as jefferson a system that woul
- enable them to deceive and mi
IS lead the people and place then
r selves in power.
j. This was and is the primary
ia lection system, which has jul
w been tried out in Florida al
ii found TO- be the greatest polite
fraud of the age. BY it, 32,OC
Il voters out of $4,000 named go
ut ernor for a million of people.
e, bare majority of them named
Ii United States senator. Not on
We this, but where four or five ca
didates were running for the san
al office, the voters who cast bo'
s their first and second choice vot
lg for any except the two "hie
a. men," lost their votes and we
al practically disfranchised. Th1
so There were thousands who had a
is solutely no voice in naming Il
ht candidate for governor or Unite
is States senator, state comptroll
tie or railroad commissioner.
it. 1t is not intimated that Il
tie nominees are not good and cap
he BILE men, but it is demanded
to know wherein the results pro-
n the truth and force of the dem
gogues' battle-cry, 1.-THE Poop
ID, shall rule" No one can del
nv that the results show that a II
off nority can and does rule and tn
IN this minority may be influence
in by the wiles of demagogues.
mt The old convention system
of Florida never produced such !
suits, never gave us demagogu
or corrupt men for officials, new
made us appear to the world
Ike a lot of political Simpletons.
NO. In conclusion, The Herald q
on proves the suggestion of Jud
n1o Wills of Gainesville, that we ha
~; a convention to nominate state
w. ficialS and frame a platform a
% that the counties be given an
81 proved primary system for
-, nomination of county officials.
me -
DeSoto and Lee counties Sho