Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-11

'CFSTnCT w. L. = ~ Sif'S-
as il does. the fundamental Ian o
the commonwealth, and that you sur
round the passage OF this amenGme EN-
through your body. and its submission
to the people. with every safeguard
and precauiion necessary to aVolC
any technical defect or irresularity
and 10 secure free and fair e1
preston OF the will OF the people.
Recent events have demonstrated
our total lack Al preparedness &c
withstand assault from without. ET
cry male citizens without reference
TO his station in life. should be MADE
20 understand that he has a duty 70
his country. and should be trained &c
perform that duty we'll. The burden
o. defense should not rest wholly on
the shoulders o; those who shall vol
ua1eer. nor should we depend upon
that accident 10 secure the training
necessary TO discharge that burden
efficiently. Might it not be possible 10
make our present common school sys
TEN the agency by which this may be
accomplished in connection with the
National Guard. which should be pre-,
served?
The ares o. patriotism cannot be
hghted too early nor fed too fire.
quentlv Might not the public school
system adopt a course by which the
impulses. which make efficiency in
this respect a glad duty, would be in
culcated in the breasts Of the youth
II has been seriously proposed by
some that the primary principle be
abandoned by this commonwealth
and that election laws embodying that
principle be repealed. The same Pro
posal has been made touching the
same principle as applied to the non
partisan selection OF the judiciary.
When the Fathers drew the Declar
alton Of independence and framed the
Constitution. upon which our liberties
rest, they declared new confidence
in the individual, and in the capacity
Of power and responsibility in fran
ing the laws of his government. and
In choosing the men who should ad.
minister them.
Since those great days in the his
tory OF freedom, every piece OF ma
chinery which has been designed 10
enlarge that participation by the PEG.
pie. has justified itself. by the ca.
pacity which it has developed in the
people for its employment TO that
end. and the force OF public opinion
is a vital one in just the degree that
such machinery has been developed
for its exertion.
The primary principle is tunda'
mental. By it. the unit for the ex-
preston OF public opinion has been
reduced from the mass meeting 10 the
individual. and no mans voice need
be drowned by the crowd. His right
to be heard. and to be counted, has
been transferred from rhe vii! OF the
presiding officer TO the quiet protec
ton Of the ballot box. and this right
to be so heard in the preliminary Sc
lection accomplished by the primary
is as sacred TO the individual, and as
valuable 10 :hc commonwealth as the
major right Of suffrage
The arguments for repeal are fund
amental. and Of great antiquity Their
base is the distrusJ which the Tory
OF all ages has felt OF the populace
That feeling has made war upon ev
ery enlargement o. the franchise. II
Is the essential belief Of those who
hold that the people must be trusted
that a confession that they cannot be
is a confession that our form OF gov
eminent is doomed This does not
assert that the people make no mis-
takes, but that they learn to use pow
er rightly BY being given it to use.
The use of the primary will better
it. Even now. there speaks for its
retention one great fact which out
weighs all objections made-that II
is better for the State, that those
who administer its affairs cannot
know with dangerous exactness where
their redeemer liveth-that he Is best
guarded against giving what he has
! iii trust, 20 satisfy sense OF ohiiEa
| ton. who Is obliged 10 unknown
| thousands.
! If you shall feel, as do. that the
! preservation Of this principle is vital
! l am sure you will. no more than I
hear with patience. pleas for saving
money by abolishing the machinery
! - =;:!:;:; I: 3 given play.
No saving of money which involve:
curtaiIing the liberty and power o.
the individual citizen is an economy
A statement that one favors "goot
roads" is no contribution to politica
thought, and no guide to solving The
| problem OF how best and most eco
nomically to get them. We all wan
the best roads we can pay for. w,
all want every dollar of our money =
| produce dollars worth Of permanen
betterment in road conditions.
In the recent campaign which hal