Year: 1876

THE PRIMARY SYSTEM.


The Inst Republican City Convention pass
ed resolution abolishing the system of
primary elections as heretofore existing. It
appears, however, that tue Central Commit
toe intend to authorize the holding Of such
primary elections for delegates to the ap-
preaching County Convention on the ground
that no substitute for the primary system
was brought forward to take lis place.


It would be difficult to conceive Of 9
greater trayesty Of justice, decency, and fair
ness than the primary system Of making
nominations rs it hns been practiced in this
city for some years past Under the aus
pices of this system as first organized, when
the city was small, and when every man
knew his neighbors, it was practicable to
secure fair expression OF tho wishes Of the
party on any given question. There were
always enough persons at the voting places
to identify those who came to take part in
the election, aud the count Of votes and
the making Of returns were always open
and free from fraud In the course OF
time the question Of carrying particular
ward primary became question of getting
a given number of men to particular place
at particular time. without reference to
their politics or place Of residence. This, Of
course, was mere question OF money.
Somewhat later it was found that gang of
professionals voting from place to place were
more efficient and cheaper than any previous
invention for carrying primaries, and these
were tried with somewhat brilliant results.
Instances might bo cited, however, where
the utmost efforts of reporters, Democratic
ruffians, Republican rufdans, and honest cit
izens all together. outside Of the voting-room,
have been frustrated by those who had the
counting Of the votes and tho making Of
the returns. And so we have gone on from
good to bad and from bud to worse, until
there is absolutely no guarantee Of q fair
primary election, and respectable citizens
have generally absentel themselves from
them under the conviction that they were
sure to be cheated anyway. A few weeks
ago primary election was held in the First
Ward which resulted in giving two or three
times rs many votes to certain
candidate tor Alderman as he afterwards re-
ceived in the regular city election AL the
votes given for him over and above the
small number he received at the city election
were of course fraudulent. When the cleo
ton came to be held under the safe
guards prescribed by law, he was found to
be in ridiculous minority. It is safe to say
TINT the villainous fraud practiced upon the
voters Of South Chicago in the recent election
for Assessor, Collector, etc., was prompted
and suggested BY the facility with which the
returns Of primary elections have been re-
peatedly falsifed. At all events the process
employed was substantially the same.


The last city election demonstrated pretty
thoroughly that sham nominations will not
be ratified by the people A candidate for
an important Office, who was really the head
of the ticket, ran more than ten thousand
votes behind his associates and WINS beaten
notwithstanding al that was done to save
him from defeat. What guarantee have
the advocates of the primary sys-
tenn that their next nominations
will fare any better? None whatever. The
party have officially declared that they have
no confidence in nominations made in that
way. This they declared by resolution duly
passed in convention. The people have de-
clared that they have no confidence in them
By rejecting one Of the products of the sys-
TEN in tones Of thunder. It will not be well
to tempt them farther. OF course some
thing must be done to supplant the loose,
corrupt old system with better one. A bet
ter ono is obviously to be found in the Re-
publican ward clubs, where every members
residence is known and his position vouched
for. A record Of this kind being kept,
the danger Of repeating, and double
voting, and voting out of the ward, may be
effectually guarded against and the club
organization is usually such, and may always
bo made such, that fraudulent counting and
returning Of votes will be impossible As
the case stands now, primary elections of
the old sort arc irregular and unauthorized,
ind will continue SO until the resolution
passed by the last Convention is changed by
equally high authority. It is competent for
the Central Committee to adopt some other
system in lieu of the one abolished. In tho
absence Of specific instructions it ia their
duty to do SO. But it is not competent for
them to adopt the one which has been abol-
ished, and which has legally ceased to exist.


TIE OTHER GRAND CREDIT M0BILER.


memorial has been presented by the |
minority of the stockholders of the Central |
Pacific Railroad Company to Congress in
which it is alleged that LELAND STAMFORD,
MARK HOPKINS, G.. P. HUNTINGTON, and |