The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1926-08-06
ABOLlSHINC THE
PRIMARIES


Mr.. Stanley Ogg,
Sec'y Trades and Labor Council,
612 Sycamore st.
Hamilton, Ohio.
Dear Mr.. Ogg and Brother Unionists:
Have attended several of your
meetings recently, and am very much
impressed by the display of interest
and enthusiasm that is being shown
in the coming elections. Although
there is one vital question before us
at present which, feel, is not re-
ceiving as serious consideration as it
deserves. This is the attempt that
is being made to destroy the greatest
instrument we have for attainment
of our industrial and economic ideals
the primary election.
Petitions are being circulated ask
ing for an amendment to the constitu-
tion in Ohio abolishing the primary.
the bud And believe the concerted
action of organized labor in it's oppo-
sition would mean lot toward doing
this thing. We must protect our
alienable rights to select our candi-
dates as we'll as to elect them
Politicians are seeking return to
the boss-controlled convention sys-
TENS for no other reason than to be
able to nominate candidates who are
loyal to the capitalistic cause. 1t is
an effort, pure and simple, to dimin-
ish the voting power of the whole
people; for, by having picked candi-
dates on both tickets, "big business"
is sure to win. They have long real
lied that the primary was their great
est obstacle, in this respect, and are
quick to capitalize the recent scan
dals in Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.
Although they haven't leg to stand
on here, if the public would take the
right viewpoint. Condemning the
primary election because of this per-
formance by crooked politicians is
like condemning our present postal
system because mail robberies have
occurred.
The mere fact that this move is be-
ing pushed by the Andy Mellon type
of politicians is sufficient proof that
it is to our interest to oppose it.
Might mention in passing that the
Mellon forces spent over a million
dollars in the Pennsylvania campaign
have been lots cheaper and more GER
tain, for them, in this case.
| Efforts to vote out the primary
were recently made in the state OF
Oregon, but they didn't get to first
base The candidates who stood for
abolition of the primary were also
overwhelmingly defeated If this
could be considered a criterion, there
would be little need for action on oul
part, but from past experience we
find that what holds good in one sec.
| tion of the country will not go ir
another. So the time is always ripe
to take good big, healthy swing at
all such legislation, and not take
any chances.
The death of the primary would
have a far-reaching effect in many
other ways. For instance, if labor
should succeed in getting few dele
gates to the convention, they woulC
have the usual deadlock and other cha
otic conditions to contend with, and
chances are, be frozen out in the end
i We must also remember that a few
convention delegates are much easier
4 to handle than the primary vote.
j Furthermore, we are reminded tina
| the primary is responsible for th'
amount of representation labor nov
has in congress. Under the conven
tion system, wealth and influence ar
the most essential elements in seek
} ing public office. This seems goot
place to quote the Chinese philoso