The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-01-16
Cass County Mans
Measure Expected
To Cause Dispute

ballot for state officers. One COM
mitteeman is elected from each vot-
ing precinct regardless of the num-
Der of party votes cast in the pre-
cinct.
"A precinct casting 20 or 80 Re-
publican or Democratic votes" Mr..
Fowler said In explaining the bill,
has as much voice in the affairs of
his party as does a precinct casting
200 OF 800 votes. This is manifestly
unfair, un-democratic and not in
keeping with the fundamental Amer
lean doctrine of majority rule.
Furthermore, the present method
Is destructive of party interest and
responsibility.
Very little interest is taken in the
office of precinct committeeman. In
most cases the person elected to that
office receives only three or four
votes. It is generally felt that the
office does not amount to anything
and there is nc competition for the
position.
Under the system proposed a sep
arate party ballot is provided for the
election of precinct committeeman
who are elected at the regular pri-
mary election held on the last Mon
day of May in presidential election
years.
Pr ovides More Responsibility
ut is provided that each precinct
is entitled to elect n committeeman
for each 100 votes or major fraction
ocf in thot procS,,cf FIR procidopf of
the last presidential election. The
term of office is four years. The
precinct committeeman is made the
official representative of his party in
his precinct. He meets with his fell
low party committeeman throughout
the county and organizes the county
party committee and has a voice in
the organization of his state party
committee. He also has a voice in
electing delegates from his county to
a state party convention which elects
the party national committeeman;
the delegates to the party national
convention and dominates the party
presidential electors.
1T will thus be seen that the office
of precinct committeeman becomes
one of much larger responsibility and
greater honor. 1t is brought directly
and fully under the regular primary
law provisions. Party government is
thus based upon the fair and just
ground Of democratic majority rule.
In short the precinct committeeman
is made the direct representative of
his party in his precinct. = His po-
sition is of greater Importance. He
will now take a greater interest in
his party and it's problems.
Says Present System failed
Under the present law, party ma
tional committeeman and delegates
to party national conventions are
elected and party presidential cleo
tors are nominated at a state wide
election held in March of each presi-
Dental election year. This law has
been in operation for almost 20 years.
What have been the results during
that period?
I believe it can be fairly said that
this law in it's actual operation has
not accomplished any Of the results
it was intended to bring about. The
vote cast at the various elections has
been very light, very little interest
has been displayed and hence the Is
sues supposed to be presented and
determined have practically gone by
default.
Furthermore, such issues are OF
such a character that they have not
crystalized at the early date OF our
March election and are not presented
in such a definite and concrete form
as to be susceptible Of determination
and decision at such an election.
What little interest has been dis
played in these elections has been in
the individuals who have been can
didateS for national committeeman
or for delegates to national party
conventions with the uniform result
that those whose names are best
known and most widely advertised
throughout the state have been
elected without regard to faction or
platform.
AT election after election we have
seen the delegates to the Republican
national convention almost equally
divided between the two factions of
that party holding Numerically OPP
posite views and platforms. These
~quadrennial elections cost the tax
payers of the state approximately
$50, 900 for each election without pro-
ducing any beneficial results"
Cities Change in Date
'"ThC reason the date of the pri-
mary election is moved ahead into
May Is so that it will come before
the Republican national convention
which is never held earlier than the
second Tuesday in June. TIE DEM
ocratic national convention Is held
later.
1.-THE delegates to this state party
convention meet and elect the party
national committeeman and the
party delegates to the nation
al convention and nominate the
party presidential electors. It will
thus be seen that the expe sive. use
less March primary is eliminated en-
tirely, and that the election of dele
gates to the state convention is based
on the just and fair basis Of majority
rule.
ut will be further noted that the
precinct committeeman and the del
egates from the various counties to
the state convention r elected just
before the delegates are chosen to
the national conventions. They are
familiar with the sentiment Of the
party voters in their respective pre-
cincts and counties upon national
party matters and candidates as 1t
exists immediately before the dele
gates GO 10 the national convention
to express that sentiment.
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