Evening star., 1926-10-22
Dawes Attack on Non-VOting
Citizens Wins Wide Approval

Of the primary. THE convention sys-
tenn was long in vogue in this Coun-
try" declares the AsheVille Times,
''and it had every opportunity TO jus
tify itself. What was the outcome of
this trial? The people became so dis
gusted with the way in which conven-
tions were manipulated and with the
character Of the men chosen by these
party gatherings that they rebelled.
The primary system was the inevitable
consequence of this disgust and revolt.
1t has been an improvement over the
convention system which II supplant
ed. Generally speaking il has oper-
ated to keep the Government closer
to the people and TO weaken the hold
of the ringster politicians. It's weak
nesses may he freely confessed. hut
it's benefits should also be acknowl-
edged"
'In spite Of the attacks" insists the
Watertown Daily Times. the direct
primary will 60 marching on. 1t
may call for correction and perfectfnY
processes. but il is 81 desirable politi-
cal system. Whatever the politicians
say. the people are convinced that the
primary stands between them and old.
severe, unrepresentative machine
methods. Therefore, they stick to
the primary" The Sioux City Trih-
une adds that merit can he claimed
for the Representative system only
so far as it may he truly represents
tive. The experiences of years have
proved that political conventions
have a low batting average in that
respect"
Rather inconsistently Gen. Dawes
advocates the abolition Of the direct
primary" observes the Chicago Daily
News, although it Is ma nifest that
under the convention system the
spoils machines and perpetuatine
oligarchies would find II much easier
TO retain Office and power indefinitely.
while the voters would be even more
prone than now to stay away from
the polls on primary and election
days. The direct primary gives the
people d chance TO overthrow the
spOils machines, while return to
the boss-cOntr0lled convention system
would deprive them of that oppor
tunity" The Des Moines Tribune
also holds the view that the trouble
with so many who criticize the pri-
mary is that they do not look back
TO the convention conditions that
brought on the primary. Who can
believe the old convention and caucus
a minute by q controlling body of
voters? One Old-time caucus and con
vention would destroy any working
ma jority in our present-day politics"
And the Muskegon Chronicle asserts
that "the remedy is not in taking the
responsibility away from an indiffer-
ent public. as Vice President Dawes
would do, but inskeeping the disease
always manifest before our eyes and
going to the roots of it," The Butte
Daily Post also is convinced that the
public's Indifference toward the
franchise is the chief menace to
American institutions"
"The defects Of the primary plan
have been quite manifest in recent
years and in numbers Of insta nces,"
says the Charleston Daily Mail, hut
ii Is question at this time whether
sentiment against it is strong enough
to secure it's sbolishment How to
get hack to the old convention plan
and vet eliminate the evils ~ the
old-time convention II the stumbling
block in the way. All our political
devices are moro or less cumbersome
and inefficient and fail Of the ideal"