Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-02-04
DIRECT PRIMARY.
Had All Best of Argument at Legis-
lative Hearing.
(Alice Frost Lord in Lewiston JournaD

Is the direct primary to be re-
tanned, amended or wiped off the
slate, in Maine?
So solidly have the press editori-
ally insisted that nobody-of any
account-wants the direct primary
longer
So persistently have the adher-
ents of the two party machines
gone about spreading their views of
disaffection with the primary
That many woman and many a
man went over to Augusta for We'd
nesday's session of the Judicial
Committee just to be certain, by the
| hearing of their own ears, whether
this measure still has it's friends in
Maine.
They found the Senate chamber
packed from end to end and floor
| to ceiling, many wimen there, but
| as many men also; strong, argu-
| ments pro and con- with the weight
| of the argument and the strength
of the applause for the hackers of
the primary, without shadow of
doubt.
A running story of that hearing
has been given in this and other
papers Yet there are certain high
lights and side-lights that may pro-
ftably be brought out here.
First of all a majority of the
women advocates of change from
the direct primary were members of
the State Republican Committee or
party workers, who argued that the
preservation of party loyalty and
party responsibility demands the
sacrifice of the primary, in state and
nation.
This was undoubtedly the key
note for those who desire rever-
sion to the. convention system, with
such notifications and checks as
the Gags and Anthoine BILLS pro-
pose.
Minor arguments against the
primary varied: The difficulty of
knowing candidates; the cost of the
primary; the self-advancement of
seif-seekers for office; the rise of
bl0cs; the submergence sf the
country by the city candidate.
That fairly covers the funda-
mental grounds OF the DIRECTORS to
the primary, as arguments were
presented at this hearing. N@body
among them vent1red to call for
the old time convention system.
They sought a modified form though
it was by no means clear as to
whether the Oaks or the Anthoine
bill compassed their conclusions
they had any Most OF them demand
ed convention, the convention plat
form ana the convention nominees,
with such primary provisions as
would-s0 they claimed give any
other Would-be candidate a running.
The case for the primary, as
brought cut by the representatives
of the Maine Federation of Women's
Clubs, the Maine w. c. T. T., the
League Of Women Voters, the
Labor Unions, the XXX, the Parent
Teachers Association and other in
dividuals, mingled it's defense with
vigorous attacks upon the position
and arguments taken by the adyo-
Gates of a change from the primary.
President Buzzell of the Senate,
for instance, clarified the point that
the Oaks and Anthoine bills emily
confuse the real issue, which is
whether the direct primary shall be
retained OF lost in Maine; and in
sisted that even if a referendum
were invoked the people would
surely support the PRIMARY three to
one.
Rep. Body dug forth niger
| in the woodpile' in the Water-poWer
issue which, he claims, lies behind
the attempt to overthrow the direct
primary and to reGnstate the boss
dominated party convention system.
Mrs. George N. French of Port
i land stated that it is too soon to
estimate the value of the primary
in Maine, it having been operative
only a fewyears; and pointedly asked
why the issue should be brought up
by individual republican party work
ers when in official committee meet
ing the party platform was drafted
with no attack upon it.
1t was demonstrated by old-tfme
workers that the convention system
cost time and money-a specltc