The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1920-09-11

partisan3 at the primary election
when they call for republican bal
lots. J. c. Pnger, nonpartisan
county organizer, has stated that
plenty of alfidavits should be in
readiness, for the nonpartisan voters
expect to vote the republican ballot
In spite of any opposition.
So many Interpretations Of the law
regarding the calling for party bal
lots have been afloat, that the fol-
lowing excerpts from the law might
well be noted:
Every qualified person properly
registered as voter in his election
precinct shall be entitled to partici-
pate in the primary election. When
he desires to vote at said primary
each elector shall have the right to
receive the ballot only of the party
for which he asks; and in the latter
event he shall if challenged be re-
quired to make oath or affirmation
that he intends to affiliate with said
party at the ensuing election and in
tends to support it's candidates gen
orally.
"If any person whose vote is chal-
lenged under the provisions of this
act shall knowingly, wilfully and cor
ruptly swear or affirm falsely he
shall be deemed guilty of perjury
and on conviction thereof shall be
punished accordingly"
The following letter has been sent
out to democrats of the county by
the authority of the county orgaaizaT Z
tion, and is interesting in that it
indicates the intention of democrats
to stick to their own ticket in the
primary election:
To the democratic precinct COM
mitteemen and voters Of Stevens
county:
The 1920 primary election will be
held Tuesday, Sep. Ia. At this ell
ection the democrats will select their
candidates for congressional, state
and county offices. They will also
/ write in the name of the man or
woman to serve as the precinct COM
mitteeman for the ensuing two years.
The fact that there are but few
contests on the democratic primary
ticket is no excuse for staying away
from the polls. Every democrat
should vote at the primary election.
And as the organization of the party
starts with the precinct committee
man, every democrat should write in
the name of the democrat best fitted
to serve as precinct committeeman,
and do this without fail. The pre-
meet after the primary and organize
the county committee, which in turn
selects its representatives on the state
committees.
All voters are aware that new con-
ditions have arisen in this primary
election. 1t is not within the province
of the county chairman to tell demo-
Gratis how to vote, nor is it the de-
sire of the undersigned to advise
democrats how to talk, act, or vote.
But it should be remembered that
the success Of the democratic cause
this year is of much more vital inn
portance to the mass of the people,
in both state and nation, than is any
other element which enters into the
1920 campaign. The fights within
other parties have not been caused
by democrats, and can not be settled
by them, and it should be beyond the
dignity of democrat to pay any at
tention to the fights within other
parties so long as the democratic
party stands forth as the only or
ganizaton which is likely to put into
law those progressive ideals which
are now needed as continuation of
the progressive legislation of democ-
racy.
The democratic ticket, headed by
such strikingly progressive demo-
Gratis as Cox and Roosevelt, and with
a past record of progressive legisla-
ton unequaled in the history of this
nation, calls to its ranks every citi-
zen who believes that the public in
terest should take precedence over
private desires. And while other
parties are fighting for individuals
and for offices, let the democrats
continue their fight for principles.
By so doing, democracy can prove OF
continued benefit to this nation. BY
paying attention to the quarrels OF
others, democracy has everything to
lose and nothing to gain.
At election time, with clean
ticket from president clear down to
constable, the disappointed voters OF
other parties are likely to turn their
eyes to the party which steadfastly
holds to it's progressive principles,
and enters not into the. strife OF
others. To the extent that democrats