Evening star., 1919-04-25
Use Both Old Parties.

three. In North Dakota the nom
partisan league simply selected the
republican primary. took the name
been running it ever since. In Min
nesota it put at the head Of its
gubernatorial ticket a democrat who
had been defeated in the democratic
primary.
ruption of the parties here, and the
Idaho legislature responded to the
claim for amendment. The non-parti-
san league itself has made little head
way in Idaho. The electoral system
now is something like this: The peo-
or democratic or non-partisan league
organization il it cares to enter as
a political party. The present chair
man selects q man from each county
to be a member of the state central
committee of the democratic or re-
publican or non-partisan league party.
The state central committee acts as
Judge Of the qualifications for eligi-
bility Of the men elected from the
counties. so that II the non-partisan
the county machinery. for example.
Of the erepublican party. and does
not in fact represent that organiza-
tion. then a contesting delegation may
be seated. In the committee which
manages the state convention Of the
the way of the non-partisan 1eaguers
to organize a party of their own, but
they are enjoined from playing havoc
with the old parties and posing be-
soring the regular selections Of the
same parties.
West Tired Of Direct Primary.
Dissatisfaction with the primary is
xry{Hn
had a freak election last time, for ex-
ample. In which democrat who en-
tered both the republican and demo-
cratic primaries was bested in the re-
publican primary and was not per-
mitted to run, therefore. on the demo-
cratic ticket at all. So the election
went to. the republican by default.
Other objections to the primary which
one hears In this section of the coun-
try is the fact that men with money
can beat the regular machine ticket,
but the average man cannot. because
the organization, be it democrat or
republican, can poll the vote in q pri-
organization to back anybody without
feeling responsible for the selection.
Under the convention system, respon-
sibility for selection. 1t 10 urged, Is
definitely located. The delegates are
amicable to the wishes Of their con-
stituents or eventually are ousted.
The primary IL generally blamed for
the inferior character Of 80 many cleo
tive ofiicers whose names appear now
adays on the ticket of all the parties.
An appearance of public sanction is
given to the choice of a primary.
I remember with what amusement
of self-indulged irony Senator Pen
rose of Pennsylvania exulted over his
selection for the Senate by thS direct
primary system. He said he feared
-
tion. as the tight against him among
the party leaders was by no means
inconseQuential. When the primary
came along. Mr.. Penrose. with his
control Of the organization. easily
captured the nomination. He 10 often
quoted as having laughingly remark.
ed: "A convention might never have
nominated me again, but the people
in the primary did"
Explain Abuses Of Primary.
Most Of the governors Of the differ
ent states through which / am pass
ing explain in great detail the abuses
of the primary system and seem to
feel that the party convention. with
the only solution. though some OF
them advocate the outright repeal
of the whole primary system. and
this outcry 10 but the protest OF the
west. whence the system originated
or frst gained ground. Newspaper
support has been vital in these pri-
mary campaigns. and unless q can
didate should rely on that. he was
obligated to work UP an organization
Of his own. canvass the community
An election in this. the second
largest city of the state and the big
gest labor center In Idaho. furnished
the exception to prove tho rule. and
newspaper support may be. II unjustly
handled. The democrats elected
their entire ticket because of the ir-
rational statements made by the sin
gle republican newspaper which sup
ported Mayor Bean. The latter. I am
reelected II the Newspaper support
ing him had not referred to railroad
| men hereaboute as Weary Willies"
and "transients." Most of the voters
their woman relatives got together
| and elected railroad engineer as
mayor and half the city council.
Labor simply exercised the ballot
the same crowd that polled the cleo
ton for President Wilson in 1915 ap-
peared in yesterdays contest. The
railroad employees are ardent in their
praises of Mr.. Wilson. and even Sen
ator Borah would ind it hard to win
state. Senator Nugent. democrat, has
been travelling from town to town
and has been drawing large crowds.
Whenever the league plan is thor
| oughly explained to the people they
| seem to favor II. The women espec-
tally are enthusiasNo for . league of
nations. because they look upon It a.
| means Of preventing war. II can
not be said that the public generally
has analysed the covenant carefully
| or that 1t 10 at all Informed on the
intricate questions involved in the
| making of peace.
Business IL good and Of industrial
trouble there 10 nothing abnormal.
Politically ono would hardly call