The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-09-01
A MULTITUDE OF CANDI-
DATES

In an editorial commenting on the
number of names filed for the various
offices to be voted on in the coming
Massachusetts primary, the Boston
Transcript says:
Primary reform may come of its
own accord, if the filings continue to.
present the tumble of candidates list
ed in Secretary Cooks office yester-
day. More than 1890 persons have
filed for only fraction of that num-
Der of offices for which nominations
will be made in the primaries Septem-.
Der 20. For the eight seats in the
Governors Council 200 persons seek
nomination. In the Ninth Congress
ional District, in which Congressman
Robedt Luce is seeking denomination,
three of the Republicans are contest
ing, and thirteen Democrats. For
the State ticket the figures are as fol-
lows: Governor, four Republicans,
two Democrats; lieutenant governor,
two Republicans, eight Democrats;
secretary Of the commonwealth, one
Republican, twelve Democrats; treas
urer, three Republicans, two Demo-
Gratis; auditor, three Republicans, five
Democrats; attorney general, one Re-
publican, six Democrats.
"This is democracy run mad. Out
of this weller of aspirants how can
any voter mark his primary ballot in
diligently? An overwhelming num-
Der of these candidates are not known
even by name throughout the state,
many of them not in the districts
they are ambitious to represent. Pres
ent officeholders, particularly on the
state ticket and for Congress, proba-
bly, will find safety in the numbers
of their opponents, and the prestige
the incumbents mag have attained
through their service. Incumbents in
the primaries may designate them
selves as for denomination but this
distinction must disappear from the
ballots used on election day."
There can be little disputing the ar
gument put forth by the Boston
paper. The same conditions hold true
in other communities and other states.
1t was the theory of the primary,
when such legislation was generally
enacted, that it would give the peo-
pie a chance to rule. But in most
cases it doesn't work out that way.
In the first place the people are so fed
up on continual series of elections
that they do not turn out as they
should and nominations are made by
minorities, and often by minorities
which win not because of their fitness
but their activity. And in populous
regions there are so many names filed
that the average voter is at a loss,
in many instances, to know whom to
vote for, with the result that he
marks the greater part of his ballot
hapharzadly, just to get it over with
as quickly as possible.
And instead of becoming the boon
of the poor candidate the primary
very often defeats him. For the can
didate who has the money or the in
1uence to build big organization
and to advertise and send out guam
titles of literature about himself has
a big advantage over the financially
poor candidate, especially in popu-
lous districts above referred to.
Although the primary was sup
posed to get rid of the political bosses
it has not done so. 1t has only served
to make the bosses less responsive
to party discipline. Nobody would,
of coure, want to go back to the old
convention system without safeguards.
The man who can devise workable
system, combining what good there
may be found in the primary system
with the party convention, will be a
real benefactor to his country.