The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-05-19
Be Sure to Understand Everything About
ANY Petition You Are Asked to Sign

Ever since primary selecting nomi-
for public office in Montana adopted in 1914 there
attempts made replace the system with form
convention system of nominating party candidates.
ought to be noteworthy that such efforts invariably spring
reactonar from representing privileged
groups who seek control the political affairs of state by
taking political power from the people-in whom it
should repose in republic like oursand handing it over to
political bosses working for vested interests.
often than the attempt in Montana has been
repeal emascuae the direct primary nominating system in
the legislature which unfortunately has too often been hand
picked controlled by the MACHINE Which dom
political affairs in this state This year there effort
being made to repeal the primary law through referendum
possible you will be asked to sign petition get such
proposal the ballot next November If given that
opportunity should not act the of the moment but
should consider few fundamental factors.
Through the operation of the primary it possible for
have personal hand in nominating candidates for
public office Under the old discarded convention system
by socaed representatives of the voters
who were in turn picked by handfu of persons attending
county and precinct naming of
candidates delegated by all the citizens to few
politicians Anyone who has attended precinct
tions conventions state conventions well of
the tactics used therein Professional politicians control each
step the procedure and such politicians almost invariably
interests trying control the politics of the
wealth the every day life of all citizens of the
wealth playthng of those controlling political af
fairs because whether you realize the results of
cal affairs influences citizens personal life down to
such intimate items daily bread.
1t ought plain person that it is easier for Big
Business political bosses to conrolor bua few
attending political party conventions than to
buy all the voters great state even county
t true Big Montana through the corporate
combination usually termed The Company does pretty fair
OBJ of running politics by influencing the public to vote
candidates the primary elections would be thou
sand simple if convention nominations the
yoa Those familiar with Montana history recall
hat this amply demonstrated the past and the fun
why the voters of the state adopted the direct
primary system of nominating candidates.
There are crafty fellows who forever trying to
,u the companys chesnus out of the fire. who that
repeal only that part of the primary law which pertains
state retain that which allows the voters to
dominate county offices That would be good
oke on the people would permit the people the
for offices which have little real and
and hand to the bosses the seec
ion of candidates for the important jobs.
There likewise birds who ponficate to
he would select their erude fellow
them convention with the result that
hese learned would be able to select able cand
ate the electorate That's fine theory which has
torn smthereen in thousands of instances which
EASILY demonstrate. The history of Montana again good
proof utterly empty character of such shallow state
thousand ms that the nominate
tizen complete chance than the task the
who invariably control party conventions
This simply of whether the people fit to rule
If discard the primary system in favor of the old
rocked convention system repudang democratic
rnent admitting that the sefannonted should rule
he multitude Wars have been fought this conflict
iewpont the saisteps of the mankind u
striving through popular to shake off the
etes in which the Few always endeavong entange
that the Few continue page and exploit
D the wide limits of their whims. u
1t is the primary system perfect Yet it is %
bout as perfect you make for democratic