The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1930-11-14
DOWN WITH THE PRIMARY
SYSTEM

A bot of good liberals still believe in the Primary
nominating system. .
How, ir the face of experience, they can cling to
this creature of fancy is beyond human compre-
hension
1t has failed to produce any result hoped for: IN
stead of making democracy more secure, instead
of putting the people in power, 1t mas entrencheo
plutocracy and privilege. :.
Instead of electing worthy men, statesmen,
you please, to office, it has played into the hands
of wealthy adventures, and brought about the
rule of the demagogue.
1t was claimed that the Primary System would
make politics possible for the poor man. But II
has put the poor man out of politics.
No man can run for the nomination of an I'M
portant national or state office unless he has
wad behind him. And the man with the money or
supported by money gets all the nominations
exception proves the rule
The Primary campaign conducted by crew OF
political panhanders, is purely matter of person
alities, with no principles involved or discussed.
The best advertiser, the most treless handshaker,
regardless of ability or fitness is nominated.
Then these successful Primary candidates go in
to the general election campaign, supposedly as
party candidates, proposing and defending certain
party principles and policies They expect to get
votes party platforms. But as a matter OF
fact, the voters are confused by the purely per-
sonal campaign of the Primaries, forget the party
idea, and at the general election, the personal
idea prevails, and candidates are voted for and
elected without regard to party or party program
or platform.
In fact no one reads platform programs or gives
a boot for them, but all vote for the man, well
advertised, who catches the popular fancy at the
moment purely personal basis.
And candidates elected on such basis, are not
party men, but successful individuals, who consult
not the party platform as a guide in their work,
but their own fences, owing no obligations to par
ty or anything else
The only thing these men pay any attention to
is the popular ideas of the day, and thus parties
are broken down. platforms become joke and the
faker and the demagogue reigns supreme.
The people become disguised with the whole
show, and come to believe in neither persons nor
principles, and the soil is prepared for the popular
dictator.
Let US look at the results of election in Mon
tana.
Walsh, democrat, is elected to the United States
Senate by nearly 10000 majority and in the Sec
ond district, which Walsh carried by a large ma
jority, Scott Leavitt, republican, is elected by
1000 majority.
Walsh is supposed to be opposed to Hoover and
the republican party and the platform and policy.
Leavitt is a loyal and ardent supporter of Hoover
and the republican party. Walsh votes against the
administration in the Senate Leavitt votes for any
thing the administration wants in the House.
The voters elect both men.
One because he is an outstanding Progressive CD
and the other because he is a 100 per cent stand
patter and conServative-No.
Because of personalities only. Both are
well advertised, like Ivory soap. People have
seen their names in the paper so thew vote for
paign from a general election
Then the voters of Montana elect democratic
judge of the Supreme Court, and at the same
time elect Leonard Young, the great handshaker
as Public Service Commissioner
Then in county affairs they elect democratic
state senator and republican member of the
house to vote against each other, on personal
grounds entirey--they like man better than
the other.
Voters pin their hopes onto individuals and
spurn the party.
In Wisconsin they vote for LaFollette in Ne
braska, Norris, in Minnesota for Schal republican
Tor United States Senator one election and Ship
stead at another, and elect a Farmer-Labor gov
ernor and Lieutenant Governor, and all the res
of the state officers republican
Those supporting radical ideals, vote for reac
tionaries to carry them out.
All of this is the product of the Primary system
All principle, all discipline all idea of govern
ment gone
And what in its place? Confusion and chaos: :
condition where nothing can be solved politically
on the basis of principle.
Down with the Primary system and down will
| Leagues for this and that
Let us return to conventions and party disciplin
to principles instead of persons
Were it not for the hquidating work of the pri
maries. we would now have powerful farmer-la
Dor party in the United States, and be voting 70
principles instead of individuals
The sooner the Primaries are abolished the bet
ter it will be for the people.
It's delusion and snare