The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-01-25

safeguards whatever are thrown
about these conventions. There is no
legal, enforceable method at present
Of preventing minority nomination
within the respective parties and q
situation may very easily arise where
by with field of four or six candi-
dates, three from each faction we
would have the result of a candidate
being nominated for U. s. Senator
on the Republican ticket by small
minority vote, mis- election following
as a matter Of course as demonstrate
ed by the almost unbroken political
history Of this state. The existing
method of fractional conventions clear
ly does not make for party harmony.
"Under the proposed bill, we would
have one common party convention,
wherein the various party factions
could meet and endeavor to agree
upon and adopt common platform
agreeable to GO per cent Cor two
thirds, if prcferrcdD Of the delegates;
wherein an effort could be made to
nominate candidates of such character
and standing as would command the
support Of such majority If not of all
the delegates; wherein men Of char
acter and standing could be drafted to
run and serve their state and would
be willing to do so under such cir
cumstances; wherein every safeguard
is thrown about the individual dele
gate to insure a free, open, individual
expression Of his choice and judy
ment, and wherein respectable sized
minority has at all times weapon
whereby it can fully protect itself
and the principles or policies for
which it contends.
Furthermore, if the majority and
minority fail to compose their diff
ferences in such convention and a
run-off primary becomes necessary,
we are assured that in such run-off
primary the issue will be limited to
a contest between the majority and
minority candidates, resulting in al
majority party nomination and en-
tirely eliminating the possibility las
at presently of candidates, being put
forward with no hope of nomination
but solely for the purpose Of defeat
ing one of the admittedly stronger
candidates.
Present System Fails
eve have tried the existing. system
for upwards of fifteen years, with the
result, as everyone will think agree.
that during the past ten years we
have simply had factional state
mate. The factions have divided the
state and national offices and have
alternated in the control Of the leg
islature. We have not been making
any progress politically speaking,
nor have we made the progress econ
omically speaking which we should
and to which our State with its great
resources is entitled. It is firmly be-
lieved thot the proposed system will
be a great Improvement over the eX.
listing one. While undoubtedly not +,
perfect, and while not put forth as
a cure ALI for all political ills we
are heir to, nevertheless, it is believ-
ed that combining as it does the best
elements Of the convention system
(Which is based upon representative
government and delegated authority |!
and of the primary system (Which is
based on direct action by the people,
that it will work much better than |
the existing system. ~.
another factor which will tend to
make the proposed combined system
work more successfully and benefi-
cially is the fact that public opinion
has changed for the better and has
become more militant and effective
since the old convention system was
in vogue. What was then countenanc-
ed and excused, would now be con-
demned and denounced, and any poll
teal boss or politician attempting any
of the evil practices of the old con-
vention days would be exposed by a
free and untrammelled public press
and driven from public life by an
alert and aggressive public opinion.
"The proposed bill will admittedly
the present unjust and unrep-
resentative method of selecting pre-
cinct committeeman and party com
1t will do away with the
IICScHC AuIultICuAy luG41CCIlVc anu
presidential preference
primary. 1t leaves the primary cleo
ton to operate just as at present in
it's full vigor in a sphere and area in
which it can operate successfully, viz,
in the election of precinct commit
teemen, county elective officers, men,
bers of the legislature; judges of the
Supreme and District Courts; Super
Of Public Instruction;
County Commissioner and County Of
fetal Newspaper. It applies COM !,
bined primary and convention sys-
tenn to the selection Of candidates
from the larger area of the State
where the direct primary has not
operated successfully.
1.-THE proposed bill is fair to and
fully protects the interests Of all fac
lions in all parties. It should not
be made a partisan issue. It should
be considered solely upon its merits.
# SO considered. it is believed that
the conclusion must be reached that
It is great Improvement over our
existing system and in actual prac-