Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-07-26
TnK galaAaY Is HERK 10 star

TmR PRIMARY is HERR 10 STAY
of interest to Anne Arundel
County and, in fact. 10 al sections
81 the state, Is the plan recently
adopted in Frederick ounty to-
discard the primary election pro-
cetlurc for nominating candidates
Alter i long discussion of the
political situation III that county
the Democratic county central
committee las decided To return
to the convention system 81 nam
ing county ticket for the fall
election. On Auglist d primary
Will Sc held throughout the coun-
nv for the choosing Of delegates
To i county convention which is to-
meet on August 16 and name the
ticket
Ii IS expected that the action
Of the convention will be acquies-
ccd in by the Democrats voters
iii the primary OH September 4,
provided for BY the State law. and
which III this instance Is to be a
mere form. Justice AIl1an NJ
Wood. who several weeks ago
formulated the plan that has been
adopted hv the county central
committee. declared ali the last
meeting III the committee that the
primary law, theoretically, IL per
feet, but that its operation has
been attended by party soreness.
and disaster, and It has often re-.
suited ii palpablc injustice and
the nomination Of candidates who
were not the choice Of i majority.
Former States Attorney Samuel
AL Lewis. on the other hand, de-
Tended the primary law and led
the opposition ii the Wood plan.
Mr. Lewis is one af the several
Democratic candidates for norni-
nation as States Attorney
1t cannot ie denied that III some
parts Of the State the operation.
OF tho primary law has been dis
appointing and attended with OBJ
jcctions. and that some prominent
Democrats look back longingly to
the fnueh-abused and repudiated|
convention svsaps. Its faults arc
forgotten, but Is virtues are re-
nlcmbered, In New York. Indi-
ana. Idaho and other States a
backward step has been taken
in amending the primary law So
as to provide for Il return. of con-
vcntions
However. We believe that a
great deal Of the objurgations lev
eled against the primary are with
ont much force aud reason. It's
fundamental principle cannot be.
successfully assailcd. The right
eff every aspirant and of the
friends of every aspirant to sub
nit his CLAIMS for nomination.
70 the party voters IN a popular
primary under all the safeguards
Of the election LAWS. IS indisput-
able Il may be that one man, or
! combination 81 men. would pick
acceptable candidates Or conduct
party affairs to the general salts
faction but government in this
country is based on the consent
of the governed, and the acts and
opinions III M one man or set of
men ought 70 BE substituted for
the freely expressed will of all the
parts voters Public affairs iii
this city or this county, iii this
State. Ut tins nation, arc not to
be entrusted solely to our most
intelligent men. or our most
wealthy men. iii cur best educated i
men Neither are they 20 be en-
trusted 10 men because Of their
ignorance Or their poverty, or
their prejudice There should be
no class distinctions Hi party Or
public government The red
headed man has no advantage
.uver the black headed nan, if IN
character integrity and honest
purpose they are equal
The evils Of the primary have
been very apparent to candidate !
who Get less Votes All the general
election than he received at the
primary as has happened in Kent. /
and N ASicomieo. where a minori-
iii Of voters have named i caRdi-
date The law ought not ID be
blamed for these results. but tho !
men who have made them posi-
bic For many years before the
adoption of tho primary law, the /
Crawford County System had /