The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-05-26

denDurg one Sunday and elected him
two weeks later. Another fortnight
will find him in the full power and
panoply of office. Think what this
would mean to America. Suppose the
presidential nominations could be
made Oct Is, the elections held Nov
/ and the new president placed in the
white house before Thanksgiving.
Perhaps that would be a little too
speedy for this country; perhaps we
should have the nominations Oct l.,
the election Nov. | and the Inaugural
ton December l. This would permit
the new congress sessions to begin the
first Monday in December as at pres
ent. 1t is assumed that in this new
system congressional nominations and
election would be held according to
the same schedule
This is a revolutionary suggestion,
and for something more than $50
years the United States has hated
revolutions. The democrats particular
| ly may hold up their hands in horror
1t took them nearly a month last year
to make nomination. Under the new
scheme that would have LETT but very
little time for campaign. AS matters
turned out, however, it would have
| been enough.
This is the age OF speed. The te1e-
graph, the telephone and the radio
could give the people all they wanted
OF a presidential campaign within the
space of four weeks. Issues are made
as rule even before candidates are
named or platforms adopted. Voters
minds usually are made up far in ad-
vance and then comes the long wait
tc cast the ballots.
| AS it is at present presidential nom
| inatons are made in June and July
Alter that every one goes home to
rest and things are at standstill vir-
tually until late September There is
some sharp shooting meantime, but
no real heavy fighting. The elections
are held in November, followed by
another Understandable and proftless
hiatus until the following March 4th
when the president, new or reelected,
takes the oath of office.
| All of this means that nine solid
months every four years are given
up to politics and the country kept in
more or less of a turmoil. With pri-
mary fights preceding the national
conventions. 1t may be said that an
entire year is consumed in preparing
for the quadrennial balloting and car
rying out the verdict of the people 1t
is difficult to see how anyone can de
fend the existing wasteful system. 1t
i is archaic to say the least 1t may be
said that more time is required in this
country to reach the electorate because
OF the vast open spaces. That may
have been true when the present sys-
tenn was devised but with the rapid
means of communication available to-
day and with even the most remote
jewellers getting a daily newspaper in
their rural delivery box the old iso-
lation is ended. A quick, snappy cam
paign OF one month would be more
effective, more educational and result
in a more reflective decision than is
possible under the present plan of
slow motion procedure.
The two weeks presidential cam
pagn in Germany brought out more
than 100000 votes. The four months
campaign in the United States last fall
brought out 100000 votes. Eighty
per cent OF the eligible German voters
were propelled to the polls by the
force and fury of the brief campaign
Only 81 per cent of the eligible Amer
lean voters cast their ballots in No
vember of 1924.
They cav we won't have an, trees