The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-06-08
THE LOCAL POLITICAL
SITUATION

Under the revised election laws of
Idaho, the county officers are NOM
mated by the direct primary and the
state and congressional candidates
by the convention method.
Under the primary system the
people Of the state had little chance
to know the men they were voting
for or against because very few pe0-
pie have Z statewide acquaintance.
All men looked alike on the printed
sheet, and It was q plunge in the
dark for most people to vote on the
candidates At all. That opened the
way for wealthy men to take advant-
age Of the poorer ones desiring
nomination, and by means Of adver-
Using In Its various forms. the
wealthy men got the nominations
regardless Of their fines for the
positions they sought. -.
In making nominations by the
same method in county politics, the
assumption is that most Of the
voters know the candidates or most
Of them who are seeking Office In the
home county, and that, therefore
they are able to vote, intelligently
on the matter. That analyses well,
but when 1t comes to the voting, the
centers of population have the bulk
of the votes and they out-vote the
country and nominate the candi-
dates. II 1t were done in conven-
ton the voting would be done by
delegates drawn from the precincts
and the centers of population would
not control It. There has been pri-
mary voting when Blackfoot has
been accused of making the nom
nations and without any fore
thought or planning to that effect,
but simply from the natural work
ings of a system that gets the wrong
results.
Unless some concerted action is
taken,fo the geographical distribu-
ton Of the county candidates, the
natural workings of the primary law
will be liable to repeat the offenses
already noted in the past.
II either or both of the political
parties would get their thoughtful
men together and council among
themselves and those who want to
run for nominations, and agree upon
geographical location insofar as they
could, and also upon the division as
OF sectarian matters to such extent
as they think it advisable to work
and plan with the object of keeping
out all unhappy lack of balance in
that respect, and then get men into
the race for nominations so that
there will be well-balanced situa4
ton, such ticket. or tickets would
command the respect of more peo-
pie. II the campaign opens with in
discriminate efforts of all and sun
dry independent aspirants for office,
there may be so many in the field
that 80 per cent of those voting will
make the nominations, and perhaps |
only Is or 20 per cent will berespon-
sible for the nominations actually |
made, and that is far worse condi-
ton than happens in convention |
even where it becomes corrupt,
which 1t sometimes dbes.
The effect of the direct primary
system has been to disorganize all |
political parties and to keep
thoughtful. public-spirited men out
of political activities, and both |
political parties in this county have
gone backward in the scale of |
strength and virility until it is
doubtful whether either of them
have men of sufficient leadership
and executive ability to bring har-
monious action out of the present
disorganized situation. Each man
waits for somebody called "they"
and they" are not likely to do any,
thing.