Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-07-10

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are to represent him officially. This principle has been
|recognized and followed In the framing Of regulations fol
the selection OF persons to nerve the general public al
koffictals Of the state, and also In the making OF regula-
tons providing for the government Of political parties
The political party 10 q governmental agency. voluntary
IN Its membership. ana at liberty to adopt such policies
the purpose Of political action. and that action leads to
the framing OF laws and the selection Of persons to ad-
minister them. Hence it has been considered wise to ap.
ply to the political party the same principles Of govern
nent that are applied to the state itself.
Most Of us can remember when there was no Aus
tralian ballot Election tickets were prepared by indi.
viduais or political parties, ana each voter came to the
polls with his ticket in his pocket, or received q ticket
from some worker at the polling place. The practice
then followed deprived an election Of its privacy and
made easy the way for bribery and corruption Of all
kinds. The Australian ballot law. modified and amend.
ed from time to time, was intended to enable the voter
to cast his own ballot in secret, and unless the law is
grossly violated it is now impossible for the voter, even
If he wishes to do so, to prove to any one that he voted
for this or that candidate.
Party candidates were at one time selected by means
Of caucuses and conventions Of which the law took no
cognizance. These gatherings were considered outside
Of the law. and it was not considered any Of the business
Of the public authorities by what means these caucuses
ana conventions were controlled. Abuses were numer.
GUS. There was no assurance that. the individual would
have proper opportunity to vote On matters which con-
cerned him as a party member, or that his vote. II cast
would be fairly counted. Steps were therefore taken I'd
bring party action under the supervision of law. Regu-
lations were made for the holding Of all party gather
ings. Proper publicity must be given. Ample notice
must be provided for The hours during which party
polls remained open were fixed. Again the purpose was
to secure to the individual tho proper expression Of his
wishes.
Defects were found in the working Of the law. The
county convention as an Intermediary between the pre-
cinct caucus and the stats convention gave opportunity
for trading. Where several candidates were to be nomi-
mated interest was apt to center around only one. and
the voter often had no way Of expressing himself with
references to the others. To correct this the primary law
was enacted. That law requires that party nominations
shall be made by the direct vote Of the individual MEM
bers Of the party. Wherever the primary law applies the
voter has the right to vote. directly on the nomination of
every candidate to be placed as the candidate of his party
or group before the general public.
The whole system Of operation which a few cunning
men have devised for the Nonpartisan league is a direct
violation Of this principle, and a bold invasion Of popular
rights. The Nonpartisan league is. in fact and in name,
d political Organization. It is not q political party within
the meaning of the law, because its managers have
shrewdly avoided the steps necessary to mdke 1t SO. But
1t performs, as it is intended to perform, All the functions
Of a political party. And in the whole organization and
operation OF the society there is not q shred or senblance
of popular. government. Instead Of operating in a man
ner consistent with the primary election law, which, with
ali It's defects, does give to the individual the opportu-
nifty to express himself formally and effectively, it pro-
vtdes no means for the individual member to express
himself III a single subject, whether It relates to the gov
eminent Of the society itself, to the formulation of its
policies, or to the selection Of the men Who are to be Its
Observation-Disclosures in a campaign. Never before, under
any system, on any considerable scale. has power so alb
solute been welded as is now welded by A. G. Townley
in shaping the action, determining the policies, and NAM
ing the candidates Of the Nonpartisan league.