Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-31

dltei SIX y ClOch' lne nleTCndnIS Will DO
glad to close early. Won't you help7
A RETAIL EMPLOYE.
HumbuEgery OF the Primary Law.
OXFORD. Neb., March 3O-To the Edi-
tor of The Bee: Some time since /
wrote of our primary law as humbug.
and as It is belted up to grind out a
grist of candidates for 1915. let us no
tice how well 1t responds TO the wants
and needs of the people. Political par
ties are about to choose delegates to
their national conventions. and to elect
their national committee. Those organ
izations are deeply interested that those
selected for those positions are men of
honor. integrity and loyal to the party
and Its principles. Especially is this
true of their national committeeman.
whose personality and ability. coupled
with the loyalty ne holds TO the party.
will have much to do with success or
| defeat of his party in the state. How
| can such men. other than by mere
chance. be placed In those positions
under our primary law? The only re-
| auirement of a candidate Is. that he
| wants the Job. can raise the filing fee,
| and a statement that he HffiliAtes with
, the party. That he affiliated with the
party for reasonable intent. hoping to
| defeat its candidates. and even to pre-
| vent 1t from being represented on the
| general ballot. that 1t might lose its or
ganization before the law. Is no bar to
| his having his name appear on the ballot
as competent. loyal, party member.
No one will claim that a majority mem.
bership OF any political or religious or
ganization keep themselves posted as 20
details of their party machinery How
then can It be expected that they will be
ready to vote intelligently at the pri-
mary? What l have said of the above
candidates applies to all candidates on
the ballot. This Is no reflection on the
voter; 1t is well he is more profitably
employed but IL the law expects TO conf
| pei him to qualify, where shall he go for
his guide board? He finds his newspaper
where he has often gone for information
| in times past, has taken on a look of a
live stock journal just Defore the sales.
He scans the photographs reads the self
made pedigrees, and then turns TO the
editorial comments. only to find that all
candidates are registered full bloods, and
are doomed worth the money. Take the
presidential situation In this state-the
democratic party is for Wilson-not for
love oh no, II is because he alone holds
out a possibility OF keeping them in the
feed business. Conditions in the repub-
lican party are entirely different. They
regret their quarrel that split their party
and allowed the democrats to march
through the break, and take possession
of the national copitol. They desire to
kiss and make up and would have accom-
| hat mol
for the primary law. Everything points
to the fact that Hughes would be an IN
spring and get-together candidate for
their party, but here again the voters
find their wishes thwarted by the humbus
primary. for II has decreed that the re-
publican delegates shall go to Chicago
pledged to Cummins or Estabrook no
matter who the party choice is 1t u
true there will be a little rebellion and
Il will be worth while TO witness the
doughty editor Of The Bee standing with
both feet on about the middle OF mis-
primary ballot while he writes IN and
marks the name OF Hughes. There vii
others out through the state. but they
will be aware that the primary Is agalnst
them, that one-third who write In the
name will fail to mark II, one-tSefth Wi
so write It that the judges will credit tS
name will fail to mark It. one-twelfth
will also mark one OF the printed-in can
didates Just TO be certain their ballot will
not be thrown out.
In a former letter l pledged myself
not to vote for any candidate who tried tc
ride two parties into office. see Secre-
tary Poo has ruled in substance thai
It Is wicked and not in accordance tC
law TO file double and Il will not bt
tolerated. only In cases where the &C
eTuing benefit can be cashed In by the
democratic party. II is we'll Mr.. Poo
should worry. His party owns the trade
mark on catching votes by deception anC
hope he may be able 10 protect th'
democratic brand. Can anyone conceiv'
law that would lead 20 more politica
trickery or one that would be farthe
from making honesty and ability th'
first qualifications for office. am no
saying that good men do not so int
office under the primary. for they d.
in spite OF, and not because OF. its work
ings. After the primary with all IL
expense. ali It's fuss and feathers is over
then the people are compelled TO e
Il L.la IL