The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-12-24
REAL ELECTION DAY REFORM

direct primary is theoretically perfect and thus far, in actual
= operation, a failure as an Improvement in the character OF men
chosen TO fiji public offices. The short ballot has not been NJ. into
practical operation. 1t is all theory The direct primary must be
improved, in its operation or in its results, or both, or i will presently
be thrown into the discard.
The trouble with both these systems for lettering political con-
diions and advancing election methods in our nation, is that neither
of them offer any thing practical in the way OF what our reformers
are fond OF referring to as "the purifying politics"
Before we get anywhere in the way of purifying politics we
have got to make up our minds to quit regarding politics as a disease
and look on it as a duty. We must stop condemnng as evil ard
selfish and dangerous every man who takes an active, aggressive,
personal interest in politics, and find out for ourselves what the man
is thinking and doing and why he is doing it. If we go that far in
personal investigation, we will begin doing ourselves what the poll
ticians are doing. Then our troubles will be very largely over.
win Hays, the brilliant republican national Chairman, has said
all this in his famous demand for more interest in politics. Hays
has no use for the manor woman, who say1, Politics is a dirty
game; / take no interest in it, Hays is right.
We will be prepared to be criticized, but we have no hestancy in
asserting that there is more genuine, practical, Hooper cent, operat-
ing pratbotism in the average American precinct politician that can
be assayed out Of the average of our men and women who REFUSE TO
have anything to do with politics.
AS a matter Of fact there are very &c v men and women who re-
frain from having something to do with politics. around election
time. Then all the reforms are out with their remedies. The dem,
agogues are beating the drums, the candidates are ballyhooing ana
the bosses are cracking the whip Pretty much everybody is reached
by one influence or another. 1t is a time when few people, especially
those who take no interest in politics" between elections, have any
opportunity TO secure reliable information or are able to reason
clearly, What we need most is an active, personal interest in pol
That matter of personal, continuous interest is the first and most
important essential for better political conditions others have TO
lions These can be improved, not only in New Mexico but IN every
An American who knows a great deal about the actual conduct
Of elections has proposed recently that we do away with the voting
booths as we know them now. He says this is especially necessary
since our wives and mothers and sisters are required by their oblga-
ton Of citizenship to go and vote, They should not be required to
stand in a sandstone in New Mexico, OF in a rain in New York The
surroundings Of the voting place, says this practical politician, should
be as dignifed, as attractive and as conducive to conscientious re-
Election as the inside Of a church. In a word, he would increase the
sense Of solemnity that goes with casting the ballot.
He proposes three suggestions which he thinks will improve cleo
ton conditions in the United States. They are;
1.--Aake election day a legal holiday. Close all business so no
citizen need be hurried.
2-Abandon the temporary, hurriedly constructed voting booth
and transfer the baloing permanently to the school houses of the
respective precincts.
3-Do away with the election day board, chosen usually by po-
l.ical organizations or through their influence, and substitute a per-
manent. election commission in each precinct, or voting division, con-
sishne Of the school officers Of the division.
The argumen: this man makes is that the very fact of bringing
men and women 10 do their balloting in a public school will cause
them 10 think Of their hrst responsibility; that to the children of the
community. It'll difficult for man or woman to think calouslys or 70
refuse 10 think when the interests OF childhood are at steke.