Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-02-13

The third in the series Of Open To-
rum meetings held under the auspices
of the Chamber of Commerce was held
at the City Opera House Sunday after
noon, the speaker being Hon. W. r.
Pattangall of Augusta. who talked on
The Direct Primary" There was a
large and interested audience present,
which was highly entertained by Nj
Pattangalrs talk. Mr.. Pattangail
dealt entirely with the defects in the
primary law.
Before beginning on the subject
Of the afternoon Mr.. Pattangall re-
ferred to the fact that it was Lin
coins birthday and he felt that it was
fitting that the time be devoted in
some non-partisan way to some prob
lens of government. He said that as
he was not worried about his political
future he could speak the truth with
out reservation.
In regard to the primary law, the
speaker said that he couldn't say all
the things he felt about the primary
law in a mixed audience. If he was
to do that he felt that the ladies
has been a drift in laws contrary
to the principles Of the government.
No one dreamed that there could be
q pure democracy, so when the con-
stitution was designed out forefath-
ers looked ahead and drafted 1T so that
it should do for future millions. The
original design was that We should
maintain a republic; this was to be
a representative government.
Mr.. Pattangall said that the first
objection to the direct primary law
is that it violates the basic principle
Of American government and seeks 70
do away with the plan for the people
to choose representatives to act for
them. He thought that the direct r"i-
mary in the nomination Of candidates
was not a change for the better, but
markedly for the worse. He explained
that there are political parties and
there must be some way to present
candidates. The direct primary seems
to lead to an excess Of party spirit.
which thoughtful men deprecate. Party
politics are bad. but factional politics
are much worse.
The speaker explained the old man.
nor Of nominating candidates at po-
ltical conventions and said that the
conventions were fairly Representatives
RI the various communities from
which the delegates came. The pri-
mary law had not done what was ex-
rcc,ed Of il. 1t had worked well IN
the south where they were IL states
all one way and they had to have 1t.
II the west it crept in because OF fac-
lions If the primary law brought be-
fore the people men stronger and pet
ter than the old way, 1t Justlhes u
self, said the speaker, but ne sno"eu
that II had not done so.
A strong objection to the primary
law Is that no office can seek the
man. The man has got TO start II
himself. He has got to say that he
viii accept before he knows anyone
wants him and then go out to get
his sicners. Under the old conven-
ton system 1t was possible to select
man who had not been candl-
date. who wouldn't announce HIM
self but would take it if it was Of
tered him.
A serious defect in the primary
law Is that primary politics is loo'-
600 per cent worse than party poll
tics, Mr.. Pattangall said. because 1t
allows a chance for the discussion
to consist of personalities rather
than of public problems. There are
as many public questions as ever
and people should he studying pub
lie questions instead of personalities.
II brings politics to the level of the
bottom OF the gutter.
Mr.. Pattangall referred to the
present political campaign. saying
that all the fellows were personal
friends of his, they lived in his
town and all had good homes and
good families. that they were good
law-abiding citizens. but IL the
primaries were much farther away.
those boys would wonder IL they
ought to appear in public where de-
cent people are. Mr.. Pattangall