Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1916 — Some Do; Some Don’t Like The New Primary Law. [ARTICLE]

Some Do; Some Don’t Like The New Primary Law.

The Benton Review’ says the majority of the people are well pleasec with the primary law. Over this way the majority of the people remainec at home and did not vote at all. Whether this can be considered as opposed to the law or not we are unable to say, but it at least shows that voters are not very enthusiastic about the primary. There were some who openly expressed their displeasure, a good many who grumbled and occasionally reports were made of persons who went to the polls, declined to accept identity with any party and refused to vote. Various queer reports were told about the ballots that were reported. In one instance a progressive ballot is said to have been marked on each side of each name. In another instance a democratic balolt is reported to have been nicely folded up but when opened a circle had been drawn, around the names and the letters “B. S.” inscribed on its face. ' The primary law, however, is not without its defenders. It at least offers the opportunity for every voter to express his choice of candidates. The criticism of the delegate conventions was augmented by the failure of the voters to attend the conventions and name their delegates. The fault will' now lay directly with the voter if he fails to go to the polls.

In Jasper county there were no local contests to enthuse the voters and they would not drive several miles through the mud to vote. There were many, to be sure, right in town, who declined to go to the polls. If a man fails for any reason to vote he should make no complaint about results. This would not bind him to support the choice of his party at the polls, for the greatest freedom should extend to every voter and the constitution gives this guarantee. The primary may need some changes and one voter expressed himself to The Republican in a very positive manner in favor of cutting out the second choice voting and having the candidate with the largest vote named. Others favor limiting the primary to the naming of county and district tickets, including delegates to the state convention, but not burdening candidates for state office the expense of the long campaign. It is quite certain that no candidate for governor or United States senator can go through a primary campaign without devoting almost all his time for several weeks and the expenditure of several hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars. It is not the poor man’s way of getting a nomination. Jasper county can not pass fair judgment on the law until there has been a contest for local offices. This year it cost the county several hundred dollars and aside from United States senator, governor, congressman and state representative there were no contests. The same result would have been attained without any costr at all by the old delegate system. Two years from this time there will be nominations for almost all the lucrative offices in the county and it is certain there will be lively contests. It is time for those who want office to begin themselves and preparing to have their pictures taken, for newspaper publicity is essential to getting a nomination and people like to see the picture of the man they are going co vote for.