Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-12

| develop great CltlZenSnlp ana DullO
states upon enduring foundations. Let
this be called ideal. 1t is the hope Of
America. But yonder is the dstan,
! day. Yonder is the great population
of hundreds of millions. There lie the
great questions of the future. WI
have had nothing like them yet. 1t is
not to early to turn back to the people
back to them in their strong repre-
sentative capacity. where they can
speak in their potent, discriminative
really democratic. selective, elective
force. thing which they do not and
cannot now do.
System Gets Worse.
'"The tendency of our present system
| is to grow worse. Such has been the
result
$50 far as the presidential prefer
ence primary law is concerned, it has
| been rightly called farce.
| THE bipartisan judiciary law, as
it stands, has also demonstrated its
utter futility to effect its purpose. 1t
has moved the judiciary into politics.
1t invites into political game that has
not one thing to commend it. but
everything to condemn it. The field
is open for every mediocre to become
a candidate. 1t invites to the art of
the demagogue to gain judgeship 1t
may easily lead eventually to the loss
Of the fitness. ability and courage on
the bench
This law ought to be repealed. The
Office of Judge should be appointive. 1t
is so in every country on earth but
Switzerland and the United States and
is so in eight of our states
While there may be and have been
abuses under every system. the oppor-
tunity and temptation ought to be
made as difficult as possible. The
trouble with the old caucus system
which naturally aroused public indig-
nation was that it was not born Of the
law and was subjected to no regula-
tons. Is it not possible to devise a
method of party procedure and gov
eminent that will realize the distinc-
tive purposes and genius of our form
of government? 1t has not been done
yet in its best sense. This is the ques-
ton for this legislature. Once be-
lever in the direct primary, expert.
ence and reflection have forced me to
the conclusions already expressed. My
interest in the progress and the future
good government Of this common
wealth forces me 10 recommend its re-
peal. Not an attempt to patch it up,
for that would be unsatisfa Glory, but to
start on new basis.
Take the Lead.
81 should like to see Iowa assume
leadership back to true. popular. repre-
sentative government. This Iegisla-
ture should provide law for d pri-
mary in the township or precinct
where all the voters can have direct
vote, at which all candidates for town
ship or precinct Offices could be nomi-
mated and, if deemed best, county Off
GERS. At this primary election dele
gates to- the county convention and al
ternates could be selected and their
election properly certified to the coun-
ty convention. For this primary the
Law should fix day for all parties uni
form throughout the state strictly reg
ulated as to notice of time Of
opening and closing. method of
selecting judges and clerks. the
right to participate, providing per-
haps that ten days before the
voter should declare his party affilia-
ton and that having once voted at a |
primary and thus fixed his party affili- |
ations he could not vote in any other |
unless thirty days prior he had filed a |
declaration under oath of change of |
party affiliation; and providing, also |
that no name Of a candidate Of one
party could be written, printed or past
ed upon the ballot Of another under
penalty Of rejection of the ballot: and !
al ho If M 10
ton in the selection of delegates to the ,
county convention. fixing the date of !
such convention and it's time Of meet !,
ing. uniform throughout the state, to
nominate officers. if not nominated at !!
the township and precinct primary,
and to nominate state representative
and select delegates and alternates to
he state convention and fixing the
lime for holding it and declaring the
ratio Of representation to all these con.
ventions. The delegates to all these
should be properly certi-
led and he required to attend and no
proxies should be permitted. In the
case of absence or inability to attend
IN the part of delegate and alternate
o take his place, the law fixing the or
Ter in which alternates would be per
nitted to take the place Of the regu. T.
ar delegates and no other persons
should have any voice or vote in any
The law should also pro.
tide that these delegates and alter
lates should he regarded as officers. ;
heir tenure being from the time Of
heir election until the next election
If delegates SO that in the event Of (
reed. any convention could be reas-
embed on notice and another cam {
'aign and expense avoided. Under {
his kind of legalized procedure it is
lard to see how there could be any
# the old time nlanipnlations. sharp I
PRACTICES and packing Of caucuses and ,
and in my judgment, it
hould be worked out and the principle
nd purpose develoned as your COM I
lined wisdom may dictate. The legis-
alive branch Of the government should 7
re made as strong as possible because :
is power is unlimited and / believe
Is candidates should be carefully Sc !
ected by delegate conventions.
Another consideration. slight how I
yer. in comparison with the reasons I
lready given why the laws referred r