Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1923-03-01

House of Representatives, Idaho
State Legislature, Seventeenth Session,
Building.
Gentlemen: return herewith,
without my approval, house bill No.
40 providing for holding statewide
primary elections.
have many reasons for withhold
ing my approval of this bill. My
principal and most vital objection is
that it is based upon an unsound
theory. and tends to destroy our rep
resentative form Of government. Pri-
mary elections are largely determin-
ed by the personality of the candi-
date rather than the things for which
he stands. and we must not forget
that our government waxed great be-
cause it has been a government Of law
and not of man, of Drincinles and not
of individuals. 1 also object to this
bill on account of it's form, on ac-
count Of the great expense of its oper-
alton, because it centers power and
patronage in the populous centers, be-
cause it permits manipulation by null
tiplying candidates to defeat the real
l.. desires of the voters, and in practice
limits the people to a choice of offic-
ials from among men of wealth or
wide regulations.
Even if it be assumed that any pri-
mary election law would be workable,
this bill contains many errors and ON
missions which make me question its
successful operation, and there are
some features of the bill which are
particularly Objectionable, such as the
! attempt to combine party control
with official power by permitting
only successful candidates and cam
paign managers to dictate the policy,
and exercise the control of political
parties.
The practical operation of this bill
would lay a heavy expense On the
people Of the state. The dominant
note of the campaign was the neces-
slty for economy. In my message to
the legislature, and in my contact
with its committees and individual
members, | have repeatedly urged that
no legislation be enacted which would
lay new burdens on the taxpayers.
This bill would increase the cost of
elections over hundred thousand
dollars to the taxpayers and an equal
amount to the candidates for office
Neither as taxpayers nor as citizens
can we afford to assume this new ex-
pense
Again, this law would apply most
inequitably in Idaho. We had a pri-
mary law in this state for a number of
years which was the same as this bill
IN principle. The peculiar geographic
divisions of the state, with but few
centers of population, resulted in a
great majority of the office-holders
during that period being nominated
ana elected from the immediate neigh
Oorhood OF the largest city in our state
"here the largest vote is cast. Re
mote districts and the less populous
counties were not proportiOnately nor
adequately represented in our state
government. The man from the farm, |
from the village, or the county with |
put lew votes, started out in his cam
palgn for nomination with the almost |
uhSurmountable handicap fthe larg- |
er vote of the cities, which usually |
was cast for the city man. The poor |
man Tor all practical purposes. was
excluded from aspiring to public Of !
lice: The expense of two campaigns |
eohlhed Office seeking almost entirely I
" TWO classes of citizens, the we'll |
lo-ao and the well-known. Candidates |
anu thelr friends, possessed of means |
J IN lhIiuence, induced dummy candi- !
Sa.es 10 enter 1.-THE primaries, thus |
roa .iulng the votes and defeating the |
oo al Wishes Of the people. These in |
t;na OF opportunity, of distribu-
J SUll Oh Office and manipulation of can
luacies' should not be fostered nor |
perIlltted. The man Of ability from |
oountry districts should have equal
SSpportunity with the man of ability
rom the town. and the potentiaI |
s ~ of little means is entitled |
NO, rue ,au same chance to rise as his |
dor at t,l brother. A few years ago. un
49, tne ulrect primary law, one Of the |
polltical parties of this state |
Az most bitter experience and at |
fd e urgent solicitation of its leaders
nr;,n abandoned the statewide direct |
ina. "i AIRY after thorough trial. Moth |
willis mas lntervened since that time TO
otl.nt anyone in thinking that an
no statewide primary law would |
irer from the pernicious effects
on 'en followed the operation of the |
Vne which was repealed
ma. no not believe the thoughtful tax
thi s class of legislation. The political |
n rn,s CLASS I legislation. The political |
sno' 10 which / am proud to belong
1I NJ Overwhelmingly in its iconyen-
stot. ana In the election against a
bv ew ,,ule primary. Promises made |
y pontical parties are solemn pledges