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Show UTAH IS NOT GUILTY Two American commonwealths, New York In the East and Idaho in the West are leading the movement for a return to the convention system sys-tem of nominating candidates for State offices. The Legislatures of the two states have abolished primaries in all but local elections. Ten years of experimentation with the direct primary pri-mary system have proved that it leads to abuses much graver than those that prevailed under the convention plan. Like most of the attempts to reform election machinery in the last twenty years, the remedy has proved worse than the disease. While the movement for abolishing abolish-ing direct primaries is of Republican origin, Democrats and Republicans Joined in repealing the New York law One of the most weighty objections urged against the law was that under It men of known character and standing stand-ing could not be induced to run for office and New York's delegation in the United States Senate and in the lower house of Congress was not equal to the high u.. i di rd maintained maintain-ed under the convear'oa plan. Another objection 'x that the direct di-rect primary tends tc mi ke a political machine supreme. The cost of the primary pri-mary campaign s to grtat that in many instances only very wealthy men, or men suppri-Hl by powerful private interests, have a fair chance to secure a nomination. The direct primary often bars honest poverty from public office. Tammany Hall's influence in Nr York politics was practically broken until the direct primary enabled the Tammany machine to secure a new lease of life. Since the conventions have been abolished Tammany has been able to divide the opposition, thus dominating all politics in New York City and Democratic policies in the State. "Let the people rule," was the popular pop-ular cry that caused the convention system to be abolished. It is a catching catch-ing phrase, and the unthinking elector elect-or imagines that his vote counts for more if he casts it directly for a primary pri-mary nominee than for delegates who shall select the nominees. This theory has been disproved in actual practice, prac-tice, for, in the majority of instances the direct primary leads to minority rule. There are two powerful arguments in favor of the convention system; no candidate can be nominated who is not the choice of the majority of those taking part, and the merits of every candidate can be personally weighed and sifted by those who make the nomination. Neither of these things is required under the direct primary. A third objecction, and one that has led in this state to the most outrageous out-rageous abuses, is permitting a member mem-ber of one party to be a candidate in the primary of another party No other known system of political selection se-lection lends Itself so readily to corruption cor-ruption and charlatanism. Its absurdity absur-dity was most apparent in the selec-tin selec-tin of candidates for Congress. There have been numerous instances in California in which a single candidate candi-date has secured both Democratic and Republican nominations. A man who espouses two opposing principles stands self-convicted of being without with-out principle. Tammany Hall fought bitterly the repeal of the direct primary law; but a majority of the members of the I Legislature were determined that Tammany's hold on the State government govern-ment must be broken. In next year's primary elections in New York the i.li'ctori will vote for delegates to a 'onvention which will select the par-. par-. ty candidates for both national and I Stale oilices. Congressmen will be nominated in district conventions ' and elective State officials in a con- vention in which every precinct in the State will be represented. California adopted a direct primary pri-mary law ten years ago; and it was 1 0 years ago that the orgy of State ex pense began. Aa soon as the conveniens conven-iens were abolished party responsibility respon-sibility of the candidates ceased to exist. In the convention the record 'jf an official seeking re-election could be explained and he could be brought ;o personal account for failure to carry car-ry out the pledges on which he had -ecured his former election. As soon is the conventions were abolished leagues and machines outside the con trol of the law were organized to select se-lect candidates. In a convention the balloting must continue until one candidate has a clear majority; in the direct primary the candidate securing a plurality wins. The Times rejoices that the . Republicans Re-publicans of the great State of New York were honest and courageous enough to abolish the direct primary It was possible by reason of the fact ;hat Governor Miller and a majority of the members of the legislature made their campaigns on pledges to tbolish it. Perhaps their example will not be lost on the electorate of our own State; for the Times seriously loubts whether it will be possible to secure a reduction of the enormous -ost of State government in California, Califor-nia, until the direct primary, largely responsible for that extravagance, has been put out of business. L. A. Times. |