Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-23
The Last Primaries, He HOPES
Bangor Commercially

I
Judge Deering, in his statement
that the primary is a rich mans
/ same, IS but expressing the views of
I many who were candidates at Mon
! DAY election. We imagin there was
a very considerable number of men
ana women who entered the prina
rics with a belief that it would cost
| them nothing to offer their candida
! cies 70 the public. Then they found
| mat they had opposition and discov-
! cred that If they were to have
chance of winning they must place
| themselves prominently in the minds
! OF the voters. And later they found
| that the primaries are expensive.
| We think the primary vote on Mon
| Gay very thoroughly demonstrated
| once more that the voters as a whole
are not particularly interested in the
| primaries. The great atgumcnt for
the primaries is that they give the
| voters q chance to express their de-
Sires rs to nominations. But to what
extent do the voters take advantage
! of this opportunity?
The total vote cast in the primaries
|
dates for nomination rs governor.
amounted to approximately 10000. In
! the state election for governor two
years ago Col. Parkhurst received
1888 votes ana it must be consid-
cred that many women did not vote
two years ago when they had Just
| received the ballot.
Thus the Republican vote In the
| primaries Monday was but Al per
! cent. or the vote east for the Repub-
| lic1n nominee for governor two years
aEo. 1t cannot be denied chat there
was lively primary campaign and
! that every effort was made to get the
voters To the polls on the Republican
! side. The Democratic vote Monday
| was very small, due to lack of COM
petition for the nominations
1t is in the rural sections, especial
| lN, that the voters dc not avail them
selves of their primary privileges. To
| take 4 few places in Penobscot coun-
| ~ and it cannot be denied that there
was very strong effort in this coun-
| ~ to get the voters out. In Lagrange
- votes were cast for the Republican
aspirants for the gubernatorial nomi-
nation as compared with 147 for Col.
| Parkhurst in the election two years
ago.
The figures for Hudson We're 10 as
compared with 43 for Parkhurst in
the September election IN 1920: in
Clifton as compared with 40: in L.
want % as compared with ia: in
| Garland 81 as compared with 49,: in
| Hermon, 70 rs compared with POI: in
| Stetson, 40 as compared with 127. The
votes in these towns which were not
| exceptional show very clearly that
, the voters as a rule do not care for
the primaries.
AS matter of fact the number
availing themselves of the privilege
or the ballot in the primaries in many
Of the towns does not exceed the
number that would attend a caucus
IN a contested nomination fight.
we think that the general primary
in Maine is doomed and that the state
VIII never have another. But IL we
are mistaken and If the primary sys-
TEN is to be continued we devoutly
nope, and express the sentiments of
many that the hours Will be changed
ana that the primary hours will be
made to correspond with those Of the
regular elections. We fail to see any
good reason why the polls should re-
main open until 9'oclock, causing the
election officials to remain at work
well toward midnight and in many
eases beyond. There may be some
voters who would find Inconvenience
in attending the polls before 5