Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-11-30
With Our State
Contemporaries
THE DESTRUCTIvENESS
OF THE PRIMARY

When Woodbridge N. Ferris, SEN
ator-elect from Michigan, was asked
whether he thinks our primary law is
working we'll he replied: "No,
would not return to the old conven-
ton system, but the primary law is
destructive not only Of party organ
ization, but Of character as well.
think we Democrats have the right
idea in our pre-primary convention.
The pre-primary convention looks
on the surface Of things so much like
makeshift employed to escape from
dab situation, and it has been tried
out in such a cursory way that Mr..
Ferris shows sense in limiting his
endorsement to statemnt that he
thinks" il is the right idea, this even
in the face Of the circumstance that
recently it served his turn very hand
lily. At the same time he may be
right in his judgment, for the adop-
ton Of the primary system has Great
ed demoralized political situation
that makes almost any port t.. of shell
ter attractive, and reversidn of the
old convention system in a thorough
going way would, at the best, be an
exceedingly difficult thing to ac-
complish even if the country were to
decide definitely to abandon the pri-
mary system as it stands.
One Of the principal objections to
modification of the primary system
through injection of the primary
convention is the likelihood that it
would work only to the advantage of
the minority party in any instance,
as it has in Michigan, and would not
materially assist restoration Of party
solidarity and party consciousness in
the ranks of the dominant organiza-
ton. What would be sauce for The
goose might not be sauce for the gan
der.
In his main contention Mr.. Ferris
lis unquestionahly sound. The pri-
mary election system is destructive
both of party organization and of
individual character. The senator
elect might have gone further and de-
clared with equal truth that it has
caused a fearful deterioration in the
general caliber of those who go into
public service and has provided the
professional demagogue and agitor
with his heyday Of prosperity. Plat
forms and policies no longer are the
chief things in the average political
campaign. Instead we have person.
alities, prejudices and appeals to pas
son. Election fights now are not
made between adherents Of opposing
principles championed by standard
bearers selected because of their be-
liefs as much as they are made be-
tween adherents Of individuals, who
for reasons good or bad, happen for
the moment to be the popular idols
Of opposing groups. Today. the thing
is not the party or the policy; the
thing is the candidate. We are
swerving to government by men and
away from government according to
principle.
This is by no means because the
American people lack beliefs and
convictions and have become mere
adulating hero worshippers, The
change has come because the Ameri-
can people have deprived themselves
of the means of crystallizing party
consciousness, conviction and soli-
darity provided by the convention
system; and have not furnished them
selves with a substitute. The cry of
calculating sensationalists and am
bilious spoilsmen, that there is no
longer much difference between the
two great parties in this country and
that the creation of third party
has become necessary is buncombe
and the people who are leading the
shouting know it is better than any
body else knows it. The old Oppose
ing principles and beliefs and fun
damental outlooks that once divided
the Republicans and Democrats
sharply still live. The rallying points
have been destroyed, that is all; and
the muddle which now exists, and
plaques and Injuries the United States
will continue whether new parties
are formed or whether new parties
are not formed, until the nation rea-
Lies that IL must find a way of escape
from that pit, known as the primary
election system, which it first dug
and then fell into.-Detroit Free
Press.