, 1922-03-06
CONCERNING THE PRIMARY.

1t was but recently that former Governor Chatter
ton of Riverton, came out with n very able denuncia-
dion of the Wyoming primary law and from VARIOUS
sections of the country prominent'pubhe men OF both
political parties have felt moved 20 do what Governor
~ChHttrcton has done.
In Montana pretty much the same feeling exists
among thoxe who take interest in public affairs as
exists in Wyoming and elsewhere. The Butte Miner
takes up the question and adds the following to the
general discussion:
ST Is quite noticeable of late that thinking public
s;entimsnt is turning strongly against the direct pr1-
cmnry system of nominating candidate for Office
idaho repealed its law some two or three years
ago, after a most unsatisfactory experience with it.
and the fight is now on TO do the same thing IN New
York
~The direct primary is one of those political pan
aeeas that was forced upon the people by organized
propaganda
St was made to appear all right m theory, but in
practicc It has worked out very badly for the people
OF this country, for as a rule It has given them very
inferior public servants
"President Harding alta Lincoln day dinner held in
Washington surprised everybody by his courage in con
demning the plan and by committing himself to The
abolition of the method.
mot as much comment Was made upon this declara-
zion Of the executive as might have been expected,
probably owing TO other important matters like the
soldier bonus, and the ratification of the Washington
conference treaties, overshadowing Mr.. Harding's very
outspoken statement on this primary subject.
aIn the current number of the Saturday Evening
Post Mr.. Samuel Blythe, the well known political
writer, IN discussing the passing of Senator Penrose
takes up the primary system and blames it for the
most marked deterioration in the type of men who
an now found in both houses of congress.
eHe makes it evident that he feels the direct pri
yrzry in practice has proved a mistake and has result
ed in giving the nation a very poor crop of senators
and representatives.
AA few weeks ago, a former state official, who hat
more to do with getting Montana to adopt the primary
law than any other citizen, made an open confession
to the Miner, that while he was perfectly sincere ii
doing what he did to get this commonwealth to adopt
this plan, he now realizes that it has worked out yer,
badly for the people and the best interests of the state
and that Montana would have been much better of
without II.
"Only those who have been benefciaries of the di
rect primary, and who realize they would have beer
unlikely to have been named for office without it, hav,
a good word to say for the law.
'"The old convention system was not perfect, and We
IN its results It proved to be far more representative,
of the VIII of the majority of the people than the pri
mary law has done.
81, Montana time and time again under the primar-
Tini men have been nominated for high office wheI
t~wo-thirds of the membership of their party went Of
record at the primary polls as not wanting them a
candidates.
Frequently a person receiving onc-third of tn
vote cast by his party at a primary becomes the can
didate of his political organization.
sit cannot be maintained that this permits the ran
and file of a party to select its nominees.
ut IS universal testimony that as a general thin
political conventions named much better men for oil
fec, for party welfare demanded that they put up goo
candidates., otherwise their political organization Wa
almost sure to go down to defeat
What should be done in this state is to resubu,
the question 20 the voters This fan to see whether Ii
mary law with ITS unsatisfactory results and the in
Tuense expense it entails upon the taxpayers.
The law certainly is not worth the cost il uut= II
people to ycar after year"