Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-03-10
PRESIDENT THINKS THAT THE
PRIMARY SYSTEM HAS NOT
BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
sTIRS UP MUCH DISCUSSION
Many Politicians of Both Parties
Agree With His Opinion, but Rever-
sion to the Old Plan Would Be
Strongly Contested.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

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Columbia, made a specific declaration
III FAVOR OF return to the convention
plan OF making nominations for office.
Inls means, of course, that the Presi-
Gent thinks the primaries have been
more or less a failure.
Some comment naturally was in
slant on the declaration Of the Presi-
dent, but political leaders who are in
cllned to give matters study before
speaking delayed the utterance of
their opinions on the matter.
During the campaign preliminary to
the Republican convention of 1912 the
presidential primaries came so near to
naming the Republican candidate in
advance that politicians and many
otners were led to believe that in the
future national conventions would be
nothlng more than ratifers of the peo-
pies choice and makers Of Platforms
Inc thought on this subject later was
proved to be in a large measure falla-
clous. 1t is only necessary to read the
histories of the conventions of the
parties in 1916 and 1920 to find proof
that the primaries did not in any way
make it certain in advance who were
to be the nominees for the presidency.
1t was said at the time, however, that
later on the prophecies of the year
1912 would be fulfilled and that the
national conventions would become
merely ratification gatherings.
Many Prefer Convention System.
There were primaries in Ohio prior
to the last convention. President
Harding made a speaking campaign in
his own behalf in his own state. The
result was division of the delegates
chosen between Harding and Wood. In
fact, Wood succeeded in capturing one
of the delegates at-large Nobody has
suggested that the Presidents animos-
ity to primaries is based in any way
on his experience in Ohio. Doubtless
it is based on real belief that the pri-
maries have been a failure. It has
been known to men who are not presi-
dents that many Republican and Dem
Ocratic politicians throughout the
country have favored for long time
return to the convention system.
There will be a fight on this matter,
however, if it is made an issue in the
coming political campaign.
Opinion here is that the Presidents
affection for the convention system
means that no effort is likely to be
made, for some time at any rate, to
secure federal legislation providing
Or hn 1afi TON nf f01
President and vice president by direct
vote. Thus far this has been a state
matter and not federal matter.
1t is as true today as it was two
years ago, when certain senators were
stirring up trouble for some Of the
candidates for the presidential nomi-
nation, that sentiment exists in con-
gress in favor of national primaries
under federal direction. This senti-
ment dwells mainly with the progress
sives and with the so-called radicals
in congress, but it also has lodging in
the breasts of some few of the repre-
sentatives and senators who are called
conservatives, not to say reaction
aries.
FrogreSSIVeS Tor PRIMARIES
Last year there were attempts made
in several states of the Union to do
away with the primary system. In In
diana there was a hard fight to secure
the repeal of the primary laws. 1t was
sharply intimated at the time by few
men that the Indiana attempt was in
behalf of the political fortunes of
certain man who soon was to measure
his popularity in the primaries against
an admittedly strong opponent. This
may or may not have been true. The
primary law was not repealed.
Little or no success met the de-
mands to repeal state primary legis-
lation elsewhere. If President Har-
ding actually will press the matter it
is probable that repeating propositions
will find their way into the legislatures
of virtually all the Northern states
when next they meet. This does not
mean, by long shot, however, that
the repeal attempts will be success
full.
Next year about thirty-six state
legislatures will be in session. A year
is a long time, and there will be. am
pie opportunity to determine during
the months if there is a genuine senti-
ment in favor Of the old convention
system. Under the convention meth
DDS party responsibility is estab-
lished. Under the primary methods
the peoples responsibility is estab-
lished. The conservatives, like Me-
Harding, prefer party responsibility.
Whatever else the President has ac-
complished by his pronouncement in
favor of conventions as opposed to pri-
maries, he certainly has given the
politicians something to talk about. 1t
is a thing for the politicians to talk
about and for the people to think
about What the outcome of their
thinking will be is in doubt.
To Scrap Island Defenses.
Pressure for reduction of the
strength Of the army, and for the