The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-05-16
(Official City, State and County
Newspaper
Foreign Representatives
SMALL, SPENCER, BREWER
uncorporated)
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON


. uncorporated)
sCHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
7 Agitation for Primary Repeal
It is illogical to advocate repeal Of
the primary law simply upon the basis
eof cost to the taxpayers. Probably
sthat issue is raised by those who
would abolish the primary, as the most
defective argument against the sys-
item. If that theory were applied to
imapy governmental operations as an
argument for their abolition, 1t is not
,hard to determine what the logical
conclusion would be-
There are many necessary func-
tons Of government that cost real
money and no one is urging that they
lbe dispensed with because they are
tcostly. There are more important
reasons than cost to urge against con-
tinuation of the primary system.
If the primary law served any great
lend, the cost argument falls of its own
weight. The primary law originally
was intended to safeguard popular
government and permit the people to
rule. OF course the opposite result
has most generally obtained. Politi-
,cians have been able to manipulate
primaries more easily than they did
the caucus and the convention.
The fact that the primary system
has not made elections cleaner or
safeguarded popular government are
the real reasons why a return to the
convention system would be better
and Of course much cheaper than the
present costly system of frequent
elections and ballots cluttered with
candidates and issues.
Presidential primaries, especially,
serve no good end. All political par
ties could select such officials In party
assembled. Legal safeguards thrown
about party organization would make
their decisions representative and the
state and the nation would get bet
ter class Of public servants than has
resulted In mass action at the pri-
maries. The next legislature prob
ably will have before it many bills re-
vising the states election laws, not
alone in the interest of economy but
also to restore party action and re-
sponsibility which have broken down
under the present primary system.
In North Dakota there will be a
ballot at the June primaries of re-
ferred measures. This ballot, unless
the supreme court finds some meas
ures improperly drawn, will be 40
inches long. In many counties there
are more than 20 candidates for sher-
If alone, meaning long and cum
bersome ballot.
Minnesota, at this writing, has 80
candidates for congress, all running
at large. Probably that state will have
one Of the longest and most compli-
Gated ballots in its history. There is
no doubt but that the ballot which
North Dakota will furnish her cleo
tors next June win be more compli-
Gated than any since the halcyon days
when the League and I. v. A. battled
over amendments and referred or ini-
tiated laws.
All the so-called weapons and bull
warks Of popular government. the re-
call, initiative and referendum are di-
rect descendants Of the primary law.
They have contributed little or moth
ing to safeguard popular government.
On the contrary there have grown up
blocs, cliques and factions. Party rule
either has broken down completely or
is no longer responsive.
Efforts Of President Hoover to bal
ance the budget show how weak Is
party rule and bow ineffective party
discipline IN fsce Of grave uational
crisis.