El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-02-17
The Direct Primary

low about the direct primary? Like the initiative, ref
erendum and recall the direct primary has been looked
upon means or giving the Whole people more COM
plete governing power
In Arizona the recall Is looked upon dismal failure.
It unsatisfactory in Texas In some OF the eastern
states which have it. dissatisfaction has been voiced
There are bills IN the Texas legislature to remedy
the obvious defects in the Texas primary law It is the
same in Arizona
In the latter state the primary law is cumbersome and
inefficient It has resulted in bringing out many cand
dates Of Indifferent qualifications and Of these have
gone into office The state being Democratic by large
majority that majority has accused the Republican minor
iv Of Machavean tactics One is that the Republicans
have oozed into Democratic primaries IN order TO defeat
Democratic Tadcahsm and secure the nomination OF con-
servative Democrats since Democrats most likely TO
be elected, anyway
The other is that the Republicans have voted in Demo
catic primaries so that the weakest Democrats might
cuIe nomination, making Republican success in the gen
eral election more probable.
At any rate Democratic observers profess to be
WINGED that the Republicans putting over something's
otherwise, why aren't they voting their primaries
which they evidently not? Arizona Republicans have
primary in only giving It absent treatment. They
nominate their candidates IN central committee meetings
which very closely approach, in organization and results
the old-fashioned convention system.
Here the facts Of the The Democrats, adher
ing the primary system that allows every Tom, Dick
and Harry get into the race matter what their lack
CT qualifications bound to nominate whomever Of those
candidates receives plurality OF votes The Republicans
survey the ranks Of their party pick the strongest for
each Office and him The result has been that many
Democrats disguised with the offerings in their own par
y have voted for Republicans and many Republicans have
been elected IN strongly Democratic counties An instance
the election last November Of the entire Republican
legislative ticket IN MaTicopa county. Marcopa is
mally Democratic county
To remedy these disastrous conditions, Democratic
leaders have been taking counsel and devsng ways and
means. The result Is election code, introduced in
the legislature by state Milford Winsor
county Il IS understood TO have been passed upon and
approved at recent Of Democratic senator's It is
based the California code and makes the primary law
sitter than IS. When voter registers prior the
primary he must, according to the proposed CODE make al
dav1t OF his party aaton and he change his al
stion during the registration period State candidates
It the primaries must receive SIS percent Of the ballots cast
ma ror county orce 90 percent The affidavit is to
vent Republicans from voting IN the Democratic primary
md the percentage provision is intended make so that
candidate VII have 10 be strong receive than
a the total votes cast There are other provisions in the
ode but these are the principal If the primary is to
e retained this looks Ike fairly good code which
would accomplish what the Democratic leaders
ompish- But there would be cast amount of bother if
lone but mediocre candidates appeared the ballot and
lone received the requisite so percent Of the votes
asst There could be election And suppose another
lection held, and possibly another after that
ore candidate received the proper number Of votes
he end, only mediocre would receive the nomination
all lacked excellence. And It would appear that any
ne OF 40 or more candidates the state and county
leketss IN the Democratic primary failed to receive the
? OF oO percent OF the total vote another parposs
y many Of them-would have be held OF the one or
more offices involved would be blank the Democratic
ide Of the general election ballot
Er Wiusor's bill IS not the only one that bears
the subject Of elections Representative Howard has in
reduced in the house bill which would practically wine
ut the primary and restore the old convention system of
loosing candidates.
Which shall be- the convention system or the direct
rmary2 Having experienced both It is up to Arizona to
eclde which makes for better government Texas people
no also have been having their troubles with the primary
7ste and New Mexico people who have been devoting
uch thought the workings of the primary should keep
eye developments in Arizona and see what that state
nally decides to do.