The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-02-05

difference explained the open primary
system voter primary election day. whichever
primary party ticket he chooses Under the osed system
the voter is required to register his party aaton Under
the Omstead plan such registration must be made As
to the primary election Voters usually have not decided
which party they wish to vote until shortly before the
election Because growing number of Montana people
wisely voting for the man. and not for the party it is mpos
sbe for them to register party afaton in advance of
primary election without suffering the danger of later regret
ting it. 1t is also questionable whether it is anybodys bust
ness which party ticket any voter uses when he casts his r
ballot Under the present system that choice his
busienss his secret if he wishes Registration would also
quesonaby result in reduced number of people going to
the polls in the primary election Thus the number of voters
making the nominations would be restricted working against
proper democratic processes.
We faced with choice of of two propositions
Either want the people to rule willing to abdcate
right a selfappoined group politicians usually
subserven vested interests 1t mot the social
economic interest of the of people assign their po
cal rights to gangs of politicians with to grind.
There has been complaint with the primary sys-
service because voter cannot all tickets in the
primary This publication thinks there considerable merit
the contention But the proposed remedies of Mr. Toomey
and Mr. Omsead would that situation rather than
it. It is conceivable that primary election in which
there but party with the two highest candidates for
each office being certified to the public candidates for
office in the general election providing candidate for the
given office received majority of the total primary
might be step in the right direction That about what
happens the south where there really but party Wei
think this solution might be desirable for county and state Of
fice But this would destroy party politics for political parties
the nation based party organizations within the
states Certainly doesn't matter whether
state officers members of any party 1t might be
good thing they owed allegiance to either party We
feel it nopportune effect such change there still
people, despite growing independence of party
who cling another political party for little if any
In the final analysis it might be ask those
who would take political from the people what
moral right any legislature has to effect change
enacted by the people themselves? If legislators feel
he primary law should be abolished and the
enon system made the primary law amended to point of
think they usurping accomplish
heir ends through of the legislature
heir propositions the people referendum election The
machinery for such action is available 1t would be
erestng if the people of Montana
to throw their democratic privilege of selecting their
w npublc officers. That's what would happen if they
royed the primary law. ~
Finally let not be forgotten that the Toomey are
citing in the public interest 1t the desire Big
Montana elsewhere to destroy the primary law we'll
all other democratic 1t plain that it would be
luch for vested interests seeking holding special
rveges which they seek to and augment
handful of party politicians looking favors attendance
party convention than control the people who
ote in any primary election would also be much less e.
ost The Toomeys stooges working to pull chest
uts from the political fires behalf interests
1e do not believe the majority of members present
gisature such cattle that they will and
counted for such chcanery The people Montana will tn
mately discover which members of the legislature
sratagem of the big Ship and its political stoopgeon
nd if rights taken from by the legislature
those who perpetuate the outrage will wrath that in
i'll not be beautiful.-The Western News o