The Alaska daily empire., 1921-04-13
PRIMARY LAW DEFECTS

Perhaps the greatest. defect in the Alaska primary election law is great length time between the date filing declarations of candidates for nomina- tions and the elections Within eight months after the adjournment of the Icgisature people will have to begin getting candidates in the field for the next cec- ion and then will start ten months campaign in the primary contest and the general election contest will ollow In other words the primary election law makes the game of politics almost continuous in Alaska That means the people have very little time attend business unless they turn the selecton of the public offices to the politicians.
 Very few people know in January February whether not they would want to serve in the Territorial Legislature that conves year from the following March, and fewer still would want to gc through a months campaign to election the Legislature. It would mean, from the time ol filing for the nomination until the adjournment Of The Legislature fifteen months would nave to be devoted to politics.
 At the present time fifteen sixteen months ol every twenty four in Alaska devoted politics Business cannot give two thirds of their time tc the game, and they cannot afford to have bushes. disturbed by those who do.
 The Empire has always favored law-controeG primaries It has opposed from the beginning of it' cxistepce the old system. It is in favor therefore.t of the repeal of the direct primary Law unless it be substituted with something better. but it ought by all means to be substituted with something better
 
 Empire opposed the Drscoll law when it pending Bill It said. then, and it repeats now, that the prov ision that permits people vote in precincts other than those in which they live, unless have registration and other proper safeguards, is inv- tation fraudss
 The Empire believes that campaigns in Aaska should be shortened from 60 90 days The election day should be advanced that may be secured from remote precincts before close o navigation and the date of the meeting of the Leg islature should be advanced January earlier If the campaigns in Alaska should start early it. August and the Legislature adjourn March 1st or be fore, we would have portion of the time when peo- pie could quit the game of politics and attend t. business. The result would be that more peopl would take part in the short campaigns and it would not be difficult to get people to file declarations of capdidaees for the various offices Things would not be left nearly exclusively to the politicians manage
 Every Presidential year there could be an organi ZatioD primary. controlled by the Government a. which party commit teemen could be elected to rep resent the parties for four years They could mce in convention shortly after their election and choose delegates to the National Convention and member of the National Committees, with power to fill va oancies select sub-cOmmittees, campaign committees etc. This primary ought to be held without grea expense Each of the party organizations could b, required to Judge of the election who would without pay.
 The Empire believes further that the primary law in Alaska, like those in many the States zoe too far to recognize the political parties It believe the primary election and the general election the law is concerned, should be non-partsan It believes all the voters should use one ballot a the primary election and that the candidate. receiving the highest number of for oTico should be the opposing candidates at the general election irrespective of their party affiliations Then If political parties would want to have partisan can ddates for the offices would necessary for then to organize and sec that their get enough vote in the primaries insure them position on the ballot for the general election.
 This is no new system It is in vogue in many of the largest cities San Francisco. Los Angeles Seattle, Tacoma. Spokane Portland Denver and scores of other Westm cities and Boston. Detroit Cleveland and other large Eastern cities and hundreds of small CT ones, have it.
 It is probably safe 10 say that nearly or quite one-half of the voters of Alaska are really inde pendent of political parties Under the law as il is these independent voters must go either into a Democratic or Republican primary have nothing say in the selection of candidates 10 be voted for