The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-03-10
SPEAK AGAINST
PRIMARY REPEAL
Advocates of Present System Say No
Action Should BE Taken With
out Referendum
Especial to The Reformer)
MONTPELIER. March 10.

Especial to The Reformer.)
MONTPELIER. March 10.
The principal speakers at the hearing
On H-6f. to repeal the direct primary law.
yesterday afternoon III representatives
hall were Mr.. Flint of Mortified and
Mrs Annette w. Parmelee of En0Sburg.
w. u. Stewart of Fairfax and Harry
Daniels of East Montpelier spoke briefly
Professor Flint traced the history Of
the primary from the establishment of
the Australian ballot and said that grave
responsibility would rest on any legisla-
ture that tried to do away with a law
adOpted by referendum vote. As a student
of government, lie assured the committee
that the repeal of the primary would be
Just as much a step backward as to do
AWAY with the Australian ballot.
Mrs. Parmelee disclaimed speaking for
any organization, but said she had been
urged to speak against the bill by scores
of women who felt that the bill was I'M
| just to them.
.'Timid women" said Mrs. Parmelee,
will shrink from the corrupt methods
| of the old caucus system and they feel
! that under the orderly, secret method OF
| the primary. 1t may be that democracy Is
on trial. that the people cannot be trusted,
| but if this measure is enacted into law 1T
will constitute a most astounding exhlbi-
/ ton of bad faith.
The principle is reactionary. 1t viii
| turn back the hands of progress. 1t viii
| tend to restore the caucus regime OF graft
i and corruption with which you men are
/ fully ACQUAINTED. and which would alien
ate the best type of men and women from
taking part in public matters.
/ Mrs. parmelee called for q referendum
1 If the bill were passed.
/ Former Lieut.. Gov. Frank f. Howe
said the measure would in fact disfran-
/ cbise the women, at least for q term OF
Il years, and for that matter it would also
i disfranchisc a very large body of the male
/ electorate. As to expense he called atten-
ton to the Mccullough campaign of 1902
I'm which there was probably more money
spent than ever before or since.
i Representative Dan O'Brien of South
Burlington. failing to find ont from Mr.
Howe how much the Mccullough cam
paign actually cost. volunteered the in
formation that it cost S250.0O0 and that
he had positive and certain knowledge that
$4,000 of that amount was deposited in
the Burlington Savings bank to take care
of Chittenden county.
Speaking further. Mr.. O'Brien said b,
lvoted for Frank Agan of Ludlow, but
that now that Governor Hartness was
elected by all the people he was going t.
stand behind him.
The people voted for this primary.
said the speaker, and they ought not L
be deprived Of it without a chance to vote.
4 Mr.. Stewart favored the caucus-conven
u0n system. lie SAID the primary doe
not work, costs too much, people do no
get out to vote.
out of 39S registered voters" said tn,
speaker. Il think seven voted" He alsC
l0pposed it ON the ground of expense ant
urged the old system as being more rep
Preventative.
Mr. Daniels humorously asked the com
mittee whether they wanted him to fayo
or oppose the bill.
y have no interest in it he declared
but l don't believe any person has any
! real argument in favor of the primary
BY the time a man has got two-thirdt
Of the legal voters Of the town on his pc
tition he's as good as elected and an!
good looking man can get all the womeI
to sign his papers.
ri doubt. however. if this Legislature
lwOuld feel justified in changing the sys
TEN over what was adopted by a referen
dun vote unless the people are given
tchance to vote on it