South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-18

party candidates az open primaries
Is a bad principle and that the prin-
ciple OF nOmina ting party candidates
through the secret processes or con-
ventlons is a good principle. For. IN
a conflict OF hostile and irreconcil-
able principles-and the present Is
sue Of convention versus primary
IS a conflict OF hostile and irrecOn-
ci.able principles-brave and hon
esq men viii fight 20 the death for
The principle they believe in.
"But II the leaders and managers
Of both parties look upon the repeal
~ the primary and the restoratic p
OF the convention not as a matter
OF principle, but. rather. as a mat
ter Of expediency, then they ought
20 abandon their project II they
find 10 unacceptable 20 any cOnsid-
cradle number Of their party voters
That is what the clever politician
who lasts long. always does in
every emergency that involves moth
ing more than questions OF policy
and 70 Isl Just because he does use
such good common sense, that he
succeeds in lasting a long time.
Nobody blames and everybody
applauds the political leader who
shows such sagacity; but everybody
condemns and nobody praises the
politician who insists on tanning
through a mere policy which does
not involve a principle. after IL be-
comes plain that IL is unwise, as a
practical matter. 20 press such a
policy. a politician OF this latter
kind is not considered 20 be deter
mined and wise but only bigheaded
rT fefr a r.nffefnfav4 g -
former kind is considered 10 be in
teuigent and statesmanlike When
such experienced and accomp lished
politicians. so utterly different IN
every other way. as Quay. McKin-
ley and Roosevelt. all habitually
used this sound method. Il would ap-
pear that politicians Of no greater
talents and practice might foil Ow
their example without loss OF pres
uge-in fact they might thereby in
crease their regulations for pOliti-
cal skill and judgment
Law Has shortcomings.
THE chief shortening OF the
T present law is that II does not 20
far enough; # arbitrarily directs that
certain nominations shall be made
by the party voters at the polls but
4 that certain other nominations OF
b NAdtAl1 the same hlllu cldt4 ne IIldut
f by delegates in conventions For
example there Is not the least diff
. ference in kind between the offices
/ OF governor and secretary Of state
or state audltOr-all belong 10 the
same class; yet the former Is nom
mated by the party voters al pri-
maries and the latter by delegates
/ I'm convention. On principle all
should be nominated by the same
method.
The same confusion OF policy and
principle is shown in the plan now
urged upon the legislature, TO NOM
I mate county officers by direct prim-
aries and all higher officers by con-
VcntiOn. one principle is applied TO
the nomination OF local officials and
an antagonistic principle is applied
+ 20 the nomination Of all other Of
icials. II is absurd, is IL not, 10 say
that party voters have sense enough
TO nominate their party's candidates
for sheriff or county treasurer. but
have not enough sense to nominate
their party's candidate for governor,
! or state treasurer
Must Not Include Bench
f There is only one class of officials
so unlike all others that they might
+ be excepted from the principle Of
the primary; I mean the judges of
our courts. Judges have TO do only
with the Interpretation of the con-
stitution and laws and the admins
tration OF justice. They are, or
should be men of learning with pecu-
liar qualities of mind and tempera-
Went-they are or should be special
lists in the best sense of that term.
Ages of experience have demonstrat-
ed that they should be made as in
dependent as possible.