The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-12-31
PARTIES OR CHAOS

Restoration of party govern
ment in Minnesota is to be made
an issue next year in the legis-
lative elections, if the plan be-
hind the State Republican con-
ference called for Lincoln's
Birthday is carried out. The
purpose of the conference is to
get the State election law chang
ed and return to the nomina-
ton of members of the Legisla-
ture, and perhaps other officials,
in party primaries
Why not? The Minnesota
plan of electing the Legislature
without party designation" is
a political freak and monstros-
ity. 1t was conceived as a po-
litical trick and put through the
Legislature by a special inter-
est.
The party system lies at the
foundations of government. The
only alternative is chaos. If
there is any place for parties, it
is in the Legislature, where po-
litical policies are carried
through the fruition. AS the
State law now stands, Minneso-
ia elects Governor pledged to
carry out a platform, as the
head of political party. It
elects the Legislature without
party designation" and the
Governor must look to body of
men responsible to no party,
every man for himself, to carry
out his program. No wonder
the Christensen program was so
mangled last winter. The only
wonder is that so much of it
got through.
There are excellent arguments
for returning to party lines in
the election of City and County
officers, but they are on a lit
tie different basis.-Minneapo-
lis Journal.
At the time the non-partisan
legislative monstrosity referred to
above was passed, the Herald editor
was employed at the State Capitol
The lower House was so progressive
that it bent backwards. Henry Rines,
now the big man in Gov. Christian
sons organization was speaker. w.
[. Nolan, now lieutenant governor
was leader of the progressive forces
together with Mr.. Christianson. These
gentleman were the head and front
Of the dry forces and ruled the
House with rather high hand. When
the bill taking county offices out of
party politics and nominating the
governor and other state officers by
Primary Election was passed it was
sent over to the Senate. The Senate
vas not in favor of the measure, and
he amendment to make the legisla-
lure non-partisan, was added to the
dill in the Senate in the hope that
he House would reject it but they
passed the amendment. If we are
lot mistaken this amendment was
offered by Frank Clague of Redwood
Falls, now congressman from the
Second Minnesota district. The
wet" forces of the legislature
.huckled with glee when the House
wallowed the amendment.
The Herald editor has never been
n favor of the Primary Election
aw. We have watched it from it's
irst inception into the state, then
applicable only to the City of Min
when the late DIR. A. A..
Ames, notorious as a "wide-open"
Mayor of the Flour City for years a
Democrat. With the advent of the
Primary Election law "Doc" prompt
Y became a Republican and filed as
, candidate for mayor. Thousands
If Democrats voted for him at the
figuring that he was the
weak candidate and that they could
lefeat him at the election. But
DR.. Ames was elected mayor.
The next legislature adopted the
Primary system and in Fillmore coun-
", John Burns and Mr.. Nelson, both
If Lanesboro, were nominated as the
;wo legislative candidates for the
over House.
The idea back of the primary cleo
ion of course, was to purify politics.
The result has been exactly the OPP
,osite. With a candidate limited to
IN expense account of $3.50 for total
and prediction expens-
IS many of the reformers, progress
ives and standpatters have been fore
I'd to become perjurers in filing their
costs with the proper of.
icers.
Under the present system it is i'm
possible for poor man to be elected
to state office unless he has an
of outside help. A couple
of mailings Of literature to the voters