Charlevoix county herald., 1916-09-22
Primary Law
Fails to Satisfy
Under it the People do not Rule
in Making Nominations.
Barry Co. Proves Law Does Not Work Well.
Too Expensive and Ineffective. The
Banner Suggests Some Remedies.
Hastings Banner.)

1
county, we would say that the present
primary law creates unnecessary
expense, is cumbersome, ineffective,
and utterly fails as a means of "letting
the people rule" in making party
nominations. We will not 90 outside
OF Barry county to prove our claims.
We are not partisan in our criticisms,
for the present statute was passed by a
republican legislature and signed by a
democratic governor. Responsibility
for the law must be shared by both
parties.
The Banner believes in 'letting the
people rule" and believes they will
generally make good choices where
they have the opportunity to know the
candidates. But in the case of state
and national officers, they cannot have
that opportunity; and even in county
matters, knowledge Of candidates is
| limited.
1t will cost Barry county taxpayers
fully 81 900 to hold the primary on
August 29 We believe that, for
small fraction of that sum- more salts
factory results could be obtained.
To show how completely the law fails
we will first instance the manner in
which the democrats of Barry county
named their candidates who appear on
their primary ballots. We are not say
ing what We do to critcise persons or
parties, but rather to point out defects
in the present primary law. Ordinarily
in November the democrats poll from
800 to 1900 fewer votes than the re-
publicans in Barry county, Ordinarily,
therefore an acceptable candidate on
the republican county ticket is reason
| ably sure OF election; and democratic
candidate for county office, unless
there be some special weakness in his
republican opponent, is reasonably
certain of defeat. That very situation
insures plenty of candidates on the re-
publican side, except where candidate
is clearly entitled to a denomination.
By the same token, that situation
makes democratic candidates very
scarce in Barry county. Few care to
sacrifice themselves or put up cam
.paign for an office where chances of
success depend on the weakness of an
opponent, or some friction in the
majority party.
This situation therefore, forces the
democratic leaders in Barry county to
do something in order 10 preserve their
party organization and to save their
party the humiliation of having no
candidates at the primary. Somebody
must set in motion the machinery that
will grind out names for the democratic
primary ballot. When no one seeks
the office, it is up to the leaders, who
are interested in their party, to ascer-
tain what democrats are willing to
allow their names to run.
Now as matter of fact, not because
they wanted to be arbitrary, but be-
cause the primary law compels them to
do so or see their party organization
collapse, less than a half dozen demo-
cratic leaders in Barry county nearly
all of them in this city, had to take il
upon themselves to see that a demo-
cratic primary ticket was named. They
did SO by telephoning or calling on lead
ing democrats in each township or
ward, to learn If there were any demo
cratic aspirants for office. They found
none. II then became necessary to
draft enough members of their party
who would be willing for the sake of
the party, to let their names appear on
the democratic ballot. 1t took not a
little persuading to get them. But the
primary theory of Letting the people
rule" did not obtain, and could not, in
the selection of democratic primary
nominees. The law practically forced
few democratic leaders to draft
enough democratic to fill the places on
the primary ticket. The people" had
nothing to do with it. II was ALTAR
ranged by half dozen men. Then
they prepared petitions and circulated
them, to secure the necessary names
to get their candidates on the primary
ballot. These petitions are parts of the
public records Of Barry county. They
will show that the same persons signed
all Of the petitions that put all the
democratic names on the primary ballot;
and that all the 70 signers appearing on
those petitions live in this city, Nash
vile, Middleyille and Woodland. The
16 townships Of this county are not
represented at all on the petitions.