The daily morning oasis. [volume] (Nogales, Ariz.) 1917-1920, 1920-08-12
EDITORIALS.
NOT EASILY SOLVED


Methods of nominating conventions in selecting
presidential candidates, have been given much at
tenton and rdicule at the hands of the press both
high brow publications, like The Saturday Evening
Post and Golfers and plain ordinary political dubs
like almost any of the great dulles. The first men,
toned kind casting great ridcue upon the pro-
ceedings, and demand establishment of a presidential
primary that shall be nation wide, in operation;
while the other kind assert chat operation of pres
idential primary in part of the states show that will
not serve fairly and justly
The high brOws rdicule .he blare and noise of
the big convention the hystercal parades of dele
cations around the aises in demonstrations for the
candidate they are supporting: the borrowed yell
leaders, who with college campus experience in rails
ing great and prolonged noise from the leather
Mnged undergraduate in masses has qualified him for
leading'an enthusiastic multitude of supporters of
favorite son in competition Of prolonged din and
clamor, to demonstrate how much longer their
pandemoniun can last than can that raised for the
other candidates. Haunting before the convention at
the supposed psychological moment great portrait
of the aspirant whose particular demonstration is
vociferating and all that murnmery and toufooIerv
which has become marked and Leading features of
conventions; while underneath it all is the smooth
slippery wire pulling, and the final 'put over" by
manipulators, at Chicago in June, when after the
delegations and delegates have become exhausted
with dnronrstrotion +i,'~d o' 90 home
in which tn, man predetermined bv little ring is
given the nomination with wonderful show of
spontaniety.
Those describing the methods outlined in the
foregoing paragraph generally terminate their dis
sertatens with recommendation of nation wide
presidential primary. Some Ct them just ask for
the primary with very vague ideas of the way it
would work Their idea seems to be to try anything
hoping it vii! prove better than present methods
Yet some of them propose elaborate plans for con-
duct OF such primary election that show their
originators nave devoted considerable speculation
10 the sttbect 1t nay as well he called speculation
for none of them far by the writer offer and
tangible proof that it would be- workable
One of the most pretentio,ls plans was presented
by Golfers this week. 1t suggests primary cleo
ton in each state in which voters m the respective
parties shall manifest their choice for the presidential
nomination. The voter may present his first Sec
ond and third choices At the state capital return
-" BOARD t7tulaes the votes, and certfies I'D to
national party convention the three aspirants who
in their aggregate vote are first second and third
choices. Then the convention makes it's choice of
nominees from the three aspirants whom tabula-
ton of returns from the respective states are shown
to be respective first second and third choices in
the entire nation. 1t sounds fine does il not But
friend suggests that to work cut the plan and de-
termine candidate would require service from
special committee including lighting calculator,
certified auditor, and bank accountant working
with battery of Burroughs calculating machines
and Chinese abscus.
But even when all that is worked out, into a
>'o' lat would operate, where would there be any
guard against the secret manipulation described at
Chicago wherein Harding was 'put over' in the face
Of large and enthusiastic demands for other
aspirants? Manipulators would find some way of
getting up to the final choice one they wanted: and
it would seem that the process Of automatic emina-
ton OF aspirants through mathematical computation
Of IN o1,
the work at the final show down.
Those neWspapers opposing nation wide pres