Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-12-16
.AMorhgR ATTEMPT 70 De MADE
70 LEoisLArE TO CHANGE
EXISTING STATUTE.
WORK UNsArlsrAcroRlLx
ron ALL STATE OFFICIALS.
kiW,hsll Plan 70 Nominate County
y and District Officers in Primary and
State Candidates in Convention May
d Revised and Urged For Adoption
-Fermsr Governor cIark's Views.

Special 10 the Times Republican.
,Des Moines. Dec. 16.--Another at
tempt to amend the primary laws OF
Iowa probably will be made by the
coming general assembly.
Except for the prompt execution OF
the presidential preference primary
which was almost unanimously thrown
into the discard after its first and only
tryout in the spring Of 1915 no other
changes were made in the primary law
by the last legislature. There was ev-
cry indication during the earlier part
OF the season that important changes
would be made but divergence Of opin-
ion concerning what nominations
should be made in the primary and
which ones should be made in conven-
tion resulted in no action at all being
taken.
In the legislature two years ago Sem
ator Glenn kimball Of Council Bluffs,
was the most ardent champion Of pri-
mary reform and his bill came pretty
close to being adopted. 1t provided in
the main that state officers be nomi-
mated in conventions but district and
county officers in the primary.
The point made by Senator Kimball
and those favoring this bill was that
the primary works all right when vot-
crs know who they are voting for, as
they do in the selection Of county or
district officers. but when it comes to
the election Of state officers, nine vot-
ers out Of ten do not know~the candi-
dates nor their qualifications and
hence can not choose nominees as sat
isfactory as can a convention of dele
gates.
Anti Sentiment Growing.
Two years more Of primary expert
ence has not served to check the senti-
ment which seems to be growing
against the system as method for Sc
lecting nominees fbr official positions.
Former Governor George Clarke sew
verely arraigned the primary in his
message TO the legislature on his re-
tirement from the governors chair two
years ago. When the law was first
enacted Clarke favored it, but before
the end OF his second term as governor
he was out against it declaring that
, his observation had been that the class
Of men chosen Tor office under the pri-
mary was not so high as under the old
convention system.
Governor Clarke told the members
OF the Thirty seventh general assem-
bly, fl HIS official message that in the
practical operation of the primary laws
nobody ID responsible for results.
Nobody nominated candidates for
public office" he said. "They select
themselves. The question of fitness is
not discussed and passed upon by any
body. They are found in the field.
Multiplied thousands of voters know
nothing about the qualifications and do
not and cannot take the time to in
vestigate. II they could. to whom
could they go? To everybody only.
And everybody il nobody. The voter
simply ratifies the candidates selection
Of himself. He has nothing to do with
selecting the agents Of his government.
The most intelligent voter does not
know how to mark his ballot below the
head OF the ticket. 1t Is manifest that
IL would be better if candidates were
selected by representatives chosen by
the people in small units of govern
ment. Then there would be some can
vasS - to fitness. Then responsibility
could be located. Then the, people
would indeed select their candidates.
That would be democratic. 1t is not
democratic where the voter expresses
no opinion as to nearly the whole
ticket ne casts. He makes no selec-
ton. He votes blindly. He simply
makes q thrust in the dark"