St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-03-01
DIRECT NOMINATIONS
Reasons for Favoring Primary EIec-
tons for Vermont.
Editor of The Caledonian:-

Inc DSUI over anu ObAA-
er 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 18th.
The question before the voters is
whether or not to accept the provis-
ions of the Primary nominations BILL
passed by the legislature last winter,
with a referendum clause attached
If the voters are satisfied with the old
system of nominations by convention
they should vote no" If they are
not satisfied and would like to try
the system of selecting nominees by
direct vote they should vote yes"
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 a Pri-
mary law although it is simple and
easily understood. In brief it is as
follows: Voters, who desire to sup
port a certain candidate for state Of
flee, u. S. Senator, member of Con-
gress, or county official can circulate
a petition asking that the mans name
go on the primary ballot. It takes
500 names to get a mans name on
the ballot for governor or other state
office or for U. S. Senator. For mem
Der of Congress it takes ESQ names
and for county office it takes num-
Der of names equal to two percent 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
separate columns and the voter must
cOnfine his markings 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 a regular election and
the laws regulating a regular cleo
ton apply to Primary, including pen
alties for bribery, intimidation, use of
liquor, etc. In addition the Primary
bill also provides a penalty for the
voter who solicits a bride or any 9TH
err thing of value.
1t will be seen that in this way
every voter gets a chance to vote for
a candidate for every place on the
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 or against every man proposed.
With all the candidates on the state
congressional and county ticket to be
considered the interest in the Primary
is ordinarily much greater than in the
caucus and in this way a much more
general expression is secured.
1t is well known that under the
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 it 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
regular election? Those who believe
this direct vote is best should vote for
the Primary law now proposed.
AAC OPPOIC1LS VI Tie QlT0CL I'll
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-
ican nomination for governor. This
is 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. It is
not on record that a direct Primary
campaign anywhere ever cost at the
same proportion. AS matter of
fact the cost of a 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 a 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
Ills PAON1SlOA dlOn0 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 caucus to be
held later if they prefer or to indie
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 a
convention of each party to prepare
party platform and make nominees
for state and county offices members
OF this convention. BY this method
the men who have the platform to
inf n