The Red Cloud chief., 1921-01-13
State Departments

AFTER reporting That the various
departments operated under tho civil
administrative code had kent within
the appropriations made by the legis-
lature and had S135,644S0 to be
turned back to the state, the COVER.
nor made a few recommendation fer
the further Improvement Of the de
partments. He recommended a sys
TEN Of limited civil service for the
civil administrative departments so
that standard qualifications and eli.
gible lists could be maintained for po
sitions with the state of those who
may pass satisfactory examinations or
qualify under the standard require.
ments." Employees would come into
the states service on one years pro
baton and after that time they could
not be discharged except for cause,
and would have the right of hearing.
Concentrating the purchase OF sup.
plies in order to save money was rec.
commended to include all state activL
ties.
The Direct Primary
Regarding the direct primary the
governor stated In part
THE thirty.seventh session of the
Legislature amended the primary law
In such way as to provide for the
nomination of all state offices under
governor at state convention, with
the further provision that delegates
to precinct and county conventions
should be elected by the direct vote
OF the people, and in turn only those
elected to the county convention
should be eligible for election to the
state convention.
These amendments were made in
good faith to extend the operations
OF the direct primary in such a way
as to make IL more practical in effect
than under the present system. II
remained, however, for the referen-
dunn to be exercised against a certain
section Of this law, which rendered
the balance OF 1t practically inopera-
tive, in that when the incentive was
removed to nominate these certain
state officers in the state convention,
the incentive was also removed to be
a candidate to the local or state con.
ventions. Only about two-fifths of
the vote for president was cast on
the referendum, and that 1t prevailed
by so large a majority may be taken
by some as significant that the pres.
ent primary law is in high favor. The
very opposite Is true, and the advo-
Gates of representative government
by majority expression cannot ap-
prove its operations.
1T Is not necessary to enter into
an extended discussion Of this sub
ject to remind even the most casual
observer that under the present sys-
TEN the nominees for the major
Offices are minority candidates, and
as these minorities become better
organized. 1t at once becomes posi-
BILE for them to practically dominate
the election OF the principle public
officials. Such system Is just as
dangerous to popular government as
was the old system OF nomination by
the special interests and may even
be much more far-reaching in its
harmful effects.
III we are to bring about a ma.
jority expression In the nomination
OF our candidates. then 1t seems to
me that one of two courses must be
pursued, and in each of these courses
the principle Of the direct primary
Will be preserved: Q) We must have
primary nominating conventions to
select one candidate for each Of the
several offices, but leaving the pri.
mary open to all other entrants who
may not have permitted their names
to go before the nominating conven-
ton, or CD we must have two pri-
maries, the first to be an elimination
primary out Of which two candidates
only would be chosen, subject to
nomination in the second primary.
1T is no longer wise to follow the
politically expedient course of avoid
ing this issue. and predict that those
who come forward with a strong
practical solution for this problem
will receive the general appreciation
OF the people. l recommend that your
honorable body enact laws that will
bring about this very much needed
change"