Arizona republican., 1922-06-17
SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE II, 1922
No country can find eternal peace
and comfort aUhere the vote Of Judas
Iscariot is as good as the Uote OF the
SdUior OF mankind. Carlyle.
The Direct Primary

OF the eight controverted constitutional amend
ments which have been submitted to the people to
be adopted rejected in the primary the two which
will be the chief centers of conflict will be pro-
posal for the repeal of the direct primary provision
of the constitution and the proposal extend the
limitation the states Indebtedness. These the
most important changes suggested.
The direct primary question is big and
is now agitatng the whole country in consequence
of defects which have been disclosed in the various
laws which have been enacted 1t must be admitted
that no satisfactory system has yet been devised.
But Notwithstanding the defects complained Of it
be also admitted that the evil which provoked
the system real one and is patiently awaiting
rehabilitation Whatever failures have been encoun-
tered in enacting direct primary legislation should
not drive us back without hope to the conditions
which we sought to escape by the enactment of
primary laws.
1t will be the part of good citizens to remedy
such defects as appeared and devise nearly
as possible a perfect law, keeping in mind that the
proper operation of every law depends wholly upon
the human element. That that effect overlooked
in the preparation OF existing is painfully
apparent. 1t would be well the leaders of both
parties for newspapers and citizens generally
to address themselves to the task of devisng rene
dies rather than to the "scrappng7 of our present
system
1t may be questionable whether the subject Of
the primary should have been introduced into the
constitution which the receptacle for great
deal Of unnecessary matter. But it is there and no
good reason has been offered for striking it out.
An attempt to do so must arouse suspicion of
ulterior purpose to pave the way for wiping the
direct primary law from the statutes, and that sus-
picion will persist despite all disayowal The primary
provision the constitution is not restrictive; it
does no harm leaves legislature and the people
free to amend the law replace it with another.
From. time to time prior to the next meeting OF
the legislature The Republican will suggest such pri
mary election reforms believe will be helpful
vii be calculated keep public office free from
the control of bosses special interests selfish
and demagogues
All this would be easy if only one thing could
be accomplished; if the people could be made and
kept watchful and active. In that it would
make little difference what kind of primary law
we might have If such a condition had prevailed
twenty five years ago and had been since main
need of any.
The movement for primary reform was reac-H
ton against bosssim to which the old convention
system lent itself so readily We know that it would
do so again if it should be restored. Therefore, we
cannot do that Nor is it necessary to go back to
the beginning and start reform. In the exist
ing direct primary law with all its faults there is
material for law which may be made to work
satisfactorily.