The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-01-24
PRIMARY Law
Some OF Its Faults And Defects Point
ed Out BY Veteran Republican

ReIeTTlQS 10 the editorial ODSeTPa'
| tons of The Intelligencer of the Goth
inst, with regard to the inefficiency
Of the primary election law and sug-
costing return to the old delegate
convention system OF nominating, Col.
| George R. Latham, of Buckhannon. an
old Republican veteran, writes The In.
Itelligencer in commentator Of its
views, and encloses an article he
wrote on the same subject last year,
appearing in the Upshur Republican,
and which he believes is still peril.
nent to the matter. The article is
herewith appended
One Of the greatest objections TO tho
: primary system Is. where there are
more than TWO candidates for the same
! Office. the nominee is almost sure 10
| be minority candidate. There are now
about eight Republican candidates in
! this county for sheriff and almost rs
many for assessor. These candidates
would not he out if they had not IL
respectful following. Suppose there
be 1000 Republican votes pulled n the
| primary. An equal divide would give
each candidate $50 votes. But suppose
| six of the candidates get the ESQ votes
each. one OF the other two gets 249 votes
and the other 251 votes. This last
would be the nominee Of the party and
! the other seven are in honor bound 10
ura" OIL ana IoEallE support n!I'
! though he has but one vote more than
one-cighth Of the vote poled In the
| county.
But further. all intelligent voters will
have first, second. third. etc. choice
! between these eight candidates. but
] under the primary system they have no
, opportunity 70 give expression to such
! choice. Under the convention system,
hallotinG would continue until someone
| had majority Of all the delegate s
II 10 loo foe usnI hflI-
! opportunity TO support their second.
third or fourth choice if their first
choice be knocked out and tho final re-
snlt would often hr quite different from
that Of the primary election system.
| The above reasoning applies with equal
| force TO our three candidates for the
| United States Senate. All three are
popular and competent mon: il is not
likely that any ono Of them will receive
a majority Of the Republican votes
! polled in the primary. but We will have
ond choice. And s, with all other
positions for which there arc more than
two candidates.
The Tyler County Star says: "Onr
! fault of the primary election law is that
Of placing the burden Of expense upon
| tho candidates" The fault Of the whole
system so far as "Np"nse IS r4ncernsd
is that it is too expensive. whether pal
by the candidate ar lr III" taxpayers.
| Tho Star proceeds: "'rhr poor man nr
tho man Of snail means il virtually
I prnalizrGf by This provision Of the pri-
mary law. This should be amended $"
HS Ia direct tho stat" Ia pay The rrI-
mnry expenses ms III IL general election.
The. stale should have no control over
and moi hing tn tia with the expenses
preceding he general election.
| When tho aEiiHt Ion for tho primary
system was first introduced the answer
by its advocates la It's opponents was:
, "Wr want Ia yet tho government nearer
! To, the people" Is dcpriring tho people
mf tho privilege OLA second. third. etc.
rhnir" in q multiplicity Of candidates
making tho system expensive MS II
nStrnrizc mcritnrlous men of limited
means and erecting barrier against tho
candidacy Of any man who wishes 10
shy his hat into In" ring and has
friends. many or few. who wish to sup
port him" bringing tho government
nearer To tho people? Let the people
answer.
Four years ago q drsrrvedly popular
United States senator in california.
who's" term was about expiring. de-
rlnnd earnest solicitations to stand for
rr-el"rt ion. on the Grounil that H. could
not afford To pay tho expense Of tho pri-
mary campaign: and the assessed