The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-03-21
PRIMARY PROBLEMS

LTliOIGll with rapidly decreasing FREE
~ qucrcy, some brother arises now and then
- 10 shout about the bless nrs Of the lircct
primary as the panaccu for all the Ills The
populace is the political heir To. The intervals
between these shouts grow longer. The at
tcntiun they receive grows less.
Over in Arizona. our sister state whose con
stituiion has So often been held mp 10 us as
cmbodying an the ideals Of popular govern
ment that New Mcxico's constitution is alleged
10 lack, they ere having a special Legislative
session, called ont Of stern necessity to propose
some constitutional changes. Onc Of these
amendments proposes 60 VIM out the Arizona
primary law which got itself written into =
constitution.
This expression from the Prescott Courier
has been copied with hearty amous hy a number
of Arizona papers:
There is something wrong with the
primary law Of Arizona and D man doesn't
need 10 have perception of extraordinary
keenness To see il. Those who believe in
the rule Of the majority must recognize
the majority does not have voice under
the existing primary law. Time after
time plurality candidates have been
chosen when the majority of votes were
against thcir NOMINATION.. why NOT ne
candid about the state constitution Only
idiots and jackasses refuse 10 change their
minds.
And the Douglas International, in course of
several days of editorial comment upon the
primary law. expresses the following definite
conviction about il
"The present primary election law is a
miserable makeshift. II has not resulted
always in the nomination Of the most de-
Sirable candidates. "
In a recent news report Of proceedings Of
the Illinois constitutional convention, sitting
at Springfield, this comment upon the primary
law of that state occurred
Illinois primary election law was
booted about and a roll call which followed
the debate showed that thirty two of the
delegates had decided 20 leave the task Of
crasing thr act 10 the Legislature.
''Thc primary law. which has been on
the statute books for several years was
attacked on al sides. and not a single
voice was raised ia is defense. The dele
gates who voted to permit the legislature
TO make the act extinct expressed the hope
that its repeal would come soon.
Delegate Gale aud II. l. Green Of
Champaign led the fight in support Of the
amendment. Primaries are the result Of
political ~hysteria and fear of alleged re-
formers who flood the country with
liNAilNAN tlAA hAfhAn VIM hNN VI Nv
people who really should be considered
have kept still, Mr.. Gale said.
Delegate De Young of Harvey ex-
pressed the hope that the Legislature would
some day get the courage TO kill the pri-
mary law.
"'I do not believe the constitution
should recognize political parties as such
in the bill Of rights Delegate De Young
said. The legislature may some day get
enough courage 10 repeal the primary law,
| but ! do not believe it is a matter to put
in the constitution. -
Five or six years ago a man who would voice
such expressions as these about the primary
law in Arizona or Illinois would have been
looked upon as a deliberate political suicide.
How are we TO account for the change in
sentiment, and the frank public expression OF
! that changed sentiment
Are the people OF these states also convinced
along with their representatives. newspapers
and political leaders, that the primary is
punaeen that hasn't panned outf
/ IL iooks that way.