Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-09
.eciai To Times Republican.

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quite large number of letters 10 men
of all partie. and former factions
asking whether they were satisfied
with the law. not simply in theory, blu.
i'll its practical application. and If no..
why. and whether they would recon =
mend change, and if so in what pa! :
IicularS Almost all responded ana
NOT one said he was entirely salts
fed. All but two or three expressed
thorough Dissatisfaction and dl>ap-
pointment Nearly all recommended
very radical changes many denounced
il a. SubVerSive OF repre- sentative gov
eminent and favored its repeal Many
nf those VINO We're its StaunCheSt adNo-
Yates n The beginning and VINO We're
in considerable measure responsible
for it, enactment wer as severe in
their criticism OF results as many u
those who never regarded i with ia
VOr.
Nobody Responsible For Results.
AS 60 the further practical ope!
alton OF the primary law it may BE-
said that nobody is responsible for re-
suits. Nobody dominates candidates
for public off zee. They select them
selves The question Of fitness is no.
dlscu, SEQ and passed upon by anybody.
'"hey are sound in the ie!d. Multi
piled thousands Of voters know npth-
.ne about their qualification" and d.
no. and can not take tn t!mc TO IN
yestigate If they could, 10 WI IN
.t,uu they go To everybody only.
Al.G everybody is nobody. Tae voter
s,np.y ratifi-s thr cand dates selecu",
do "
selecting the agents Of his governments
III, most intelligent voter does not
know l0W to mark his ballot below
;me mead u the ticket. II il nantes
nat :; would be batter i candidates
" ere selected by representatives. chosen
by the people in small units of govern
ment. Then there could be some can
yags as 10 illness Then r spOnsiDi.!IE
could be located. Then the people
would indeed select their candidates.
That would De democratic. Ii - mt
democratic where The voter expresses
no opinion as to nearsy me "no!e ol
the ticket he casts. He makes no Sc
lection. He votes blindiy. He Simply
makes a thrust in the dai X. ny IN
slst tnar he wait until he IS y years o.
age before ne does this? He could 90
il a., well al II. Or why INSIST that
the vOrer be mae? \ 16-year-old
girl could make stab at the Ae.u
with lust as much certainty OF impal-
ing the best man. That it i mostly
a chance a lottery, was humiIiatlnguN
admitted when the legislature ordered
a rotation Of the names on the ballot.
That t could be nothing else was con-
NyhE, M npttef
results followed There could not pos
sibly be greater delu'ion man that a
repeal II the primary laws would Dc
prive the people Of their power Oh a.
rect participation in thHir governments
The fact = that III" primary prevents
that very thing. The people can nos
proceed with the greatest Ell icleh'E'
precision and intelligence by multi
tudrS All experience establishes "''H
unshakahle certainty this fact, not
only in government hat III business
and every other department Of III"
where Iarg. issue. are involved. THIS
principle is recognized and acted upon
ever ywhere else but in government
where it ought TO obtain with greatest
force.
Affords No Security.
when this new plan and departure
from the original plan and structure
Of our government is carefully thought
out ii seems TO me. If | am not LhlIK
ing crookedlv. that it does not aford
security against misgovernment: that
its tendency is not beneficent; thatFit
IS constantly toward mediocrity: that
i vii! grow more inefficient and un-
t., ln a CO
that self government, genuine, orderly
capable government by the people VIII
he lost amidst the shouuings and con-
fusion of the multitude about an array
Of self selected, self-imposed cand4-
dates The thought Uf the office seek
ing the man. an ideal once cherished
has already persisted and is heid III
contemptuous deriSlOn. Discussion
and delibe ration as to party policy ana
candidates are not possible at the
polls--not possible where the electors
number hundreds OF thousands. The
people may in fact be left without any
potential voice in the destiny OF their
country or themselves. There may be
nobody on board capable Of navigating
the ship especially in the violence OF
storm. In a great emergency-and we
can not conclude it Will never rise
could there he any certainty. under the
Urinary system, that a. great strong,
forceful man. lost in his devotion to
mis- country, its inspiring traditions
and his belief in it's great destiny
could be chosen? The primary tends
to exclude the best, most unselnsh
and capable men. The rule is that
they will not undergo the methods
which seem necessary to success. The
meaningless circulation of petitions,
he harassing and long drawn out pri-
mary rampaign within the party,
tending to disrupt and weaken the
party. a great evil where government
must proceed by parties. the enormous
and disgraceful expenditure of money,
all tending to corrupt public morals,
lower and contaminate the political
and public ideals Of youth-all this
with reference to the questions that
must touch every citizen. really the
most :ac::ca:c@s question:. with which
he has to do. Then must follow the
campaign for the general election with
all OF the commissions and disappoint-
rnent and bitterness OF the primary
campaign carried over into it. The
tendency Of It all is to develop the
demagogue, lower to debasement the
tone Of our political life, deprive the
.=ountry OF great leadership, inspired
only by a desire for the common good
,eor commonwealth that shall be an
example and attract the admiration OF
the whole country-a leadership that is