The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-04-10
THE DIRECT PRIMARY-DEFENDER OF DEMOCRACY e

THE cynical disregard of civic decency disclosed at
the heart Of our national by the
investigations constitute greatest menace to democ
racy in the history of this Republic The people have
suddenly discovered that they do not control their
government that certain institutions called political
Chimes without sanction whatever in the constitution
or the statutory law have usurped the of
men and have filled the highest offices of the with
their favotes and their favotes relatives for their
ends
In this crisis there is one question at stake: are
the American people selfish private interests going
control this government? Washington is the United
States 1t is only the servant of the people of the United
States. For three thousand miles of the Capitol
dome live the real rulers of this country They hon
est industrious and good-natured These very virtues
have been their political undong Because they are
industrious they have believed that politicians who take
themselves the sacred trust of public Office would
sedulously promote public welfare. Because they are
goodnatured and going they have allowed their
resentatves to create powerful political machines for
plotting the people and corruptng their government
profit INSCRIPTIONS private greed.
The people have the power to regain possession of
their government at the coming primary and general
elections Wherever they have the direct primary they
dismiss treasonous public servants and put faithful
in their stead Whenever the nomination
of candidates still depends upon the old boscontro
vention system, their only hope the pressure of in
dignant public opinion to enforce political housecean-
ing
This is why the direct primary is the defender
mocracy This is why it is fought bitterly by machine
politicians of both parties This is why the next great
stride forward in good is the elimination of
boss rule in the selection of presidential candidates by
nationwide presidential primary followed by election
direct popular ballot without the intervention of
chaic electoral College If the American people could
sweep aside political machines and vote directly for the
president the coming occupant of the White House
would be thorough going progressive En-
gineers Journal.
"THE PROGRESSIVE FORCES OF THE COUN-
TRY MUST BE ON GUARD FOR IF THERE is ONE
PROPOSITION THAT THE REACTIONARIES ARE
DEVOTED TO, IT IS TO REPEAL THE DIRECT
PRIMARY LAWS WHEREVER THEY CAN."-HON-
ORABLE WILLIAM S. KENYON, UNITED STATES
CIRCUIT JUDGE.
By JUDSON KING, Director National Popular Govern
ment League, Washington D. C.
DISCARDING political theory and coming at once to
practical politics. the Old Guard hates the Direct Pr
mary for two principal 1t costs more to buy
state the nation than convention and never
tell when the people going to wake Added to
which, it is agreeable to fix up deal for fran-
chise land grab in back than to fight it out
the hustings with the 'unintelligent mobS
Along in 1910 the Old Guard was losing out in the
fight for the Direct Primary Initiative and Referendum
Recall, Corrupt Practices Acts, and other direct meth
DDS of government But just the voters getting
practiced hand to speak, in the of these new
tools democracy the World War along and the