The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-11-23

"The Miles City Star is opposed to The
Tribune's suggestion that our state consti-
tuition be changed so that the number of
state officials elected will be limited to the
governor, the lieutenant governor and the
attorey general. This proposal is popular
ly known as the short ballot
The Stars opposition is predicated on
the belief that it would put too much now
er In the hands of the govenor-especially
II the governor should be a democrat-and
OF course, the fact that we are going to
have democratic governor for another
four years after Jan. is very distasteful
to the Miles City newspaper; in fact the
Star is convinced that to give democrats
is governor the power contemplated by the
short ballot would make Montana worse
than Russia under the car.
"The Star, in its rather bitter discussion
OF the short ballot, expresses number of
Ideas which reveal not only an unkind de-
sire to disparage The Tribune and the
democratic party but woeful ignorance
OF the present day trend in constitutional
government.
"The American people are putting the
town meeting period of political activity
behind them. Whether or not this is
good thing for the country remains to be
seen. 1t is a fact, however, that the peo-
pie do not take the proper interest in the
election of all their public officials. This
by other things or it may be because they
no longer feel the responsibility that our
constitutional fathers believed should rest
upon them.
"The voter should use as good Judgment
In marking his ballot for one office as for
another But we know that the average
voter is interested in not more than five or
six candidates when he goes into the poll
ing booth, and he invariably votes his party
ticket for all offices in which he does not
have personal interest in the success of
certain candidates of the opposite party.
Now that we have the primary system,
we know that it is possible for men to be
nominated to state office who are not can
able of filling the positions thew seek. vet
they ride to victory on the strength of their
party afflllation when, as a matter of fact.
their party would never have nominated
them, nor the people elected them, had
their qualifications, or lack of qualification.
Tor the offices been generally known.
One by one, the more progressive states
o. the union are going to the short ballot.
foremost among these are New York and
virginia where it already has been demon
stralea tnat centralizing power and auth
orlty IN the hands of the governor not onlv
brings better government but less exnen-
sive government.
II the editor of the Miles CITY Star is
Iamllar with the incidents connected with
VI state constitution
ne knows that in the 1889 convention two
strong forces were opposing each Other
the mining interests and the stocIgrovino
mterests-which were the states nrinc;nal
industries at that time. Each was ieaIons
OF the other, and the constitution under
winch we now operate as commonwealth
was a compromise between these two in
terests 1t is but system of scheckS ond
Oalances'La determination to give M
single state official any great amount of
power, and to surround him with enouob
handlcaps so that he can not use what ia
Tie power he is given. No one can inns o,;ro
a successful private business beinu eo az
Quoted under the conditions which o7,r con-
sGlt9tlon imposes on the executive officers
we have to go back no farther +bar
wnen Governor Dixon occupied the chief
executives office at the state canitol -
IND an example of the preposterousness &c
our present system of "checks and ba1-
snces. Dixon was charged with all tha
faults OF his administration, vet he w v.,s
nog-ted by our constitution to two otbar
state officials who blocked nearly ever1-
thing that he tried to do to imnrove AZ
situation. Surely, the Miles Citv Star, b S.se
not forgotten those days. And if we are
correctly informed, Governor Dixon him
sen advocated the short ballot among his
friends as the only solution IN fbe d;1eS,, 80