Union of voters at elections. Why this union becomes permanent. CHAPTER II POLITICAL PARTIES AND THEIR WORK 25. Why we have Political Parties. It is scarcely possible that elections will be held year after year without a determined effort being made by sets of men to control the elections. The only way they can accomplish their purpose is to combine their efforts, in other words, to form an organization. But the organization will do them little good, if it ceases to exist as soon as the election is over, for at next election a new organization is necessary. Continued success. requires therefore a permanent organization. But a permanent organization will succeed only when it gains the support of large numbers of the voters. Unless the organization is then an organization of voters, and not simply an organization of self-seeking men, it can accomplish very little. But an organization of voters cannot be formed and maintained unless these voters have something in common, aside from the desire to carry the election. Unless they hold similar views on public questions, they cannot Two charac- be held together. At least two things therefore are necessary for a party —(1) a fairly permanent set of voters holding similar views on public questions, and (2) an organization of these voters which directs their efforts and carries out their wishes. teristics of a party. 26. The Organization of a Party. — If any one Two parts of the organizashould ask us what the organization of a political tion. party is like, most of us would probably tell him that it consists of the nominating conventions which meet before every election, for the purpose of selecting candidates for public offices. But these conventions, prominent as they are, form the least important part of the organization. They meet but once in two years, or at most but once a year, and they never remain in session longer than a few days. It is clearly impossible for them to do all of their party's work. The real work of the party is to elect its candidates, and this task, as well as most other partisan duties, is performed by permanent party committees, which are the backbone of the party, which are, in brief, the organization. Each party has a national committee for the whole country, a state committee for each state, and one for each county, city, and town. - are held. 27. The Primaries. Several weeks and possibly Why several months before a state election takes place, the primaries party committee for the state in which it is to be held sends out a call for a nominating convention, composed of delegates from the towns or counties. This gives the date for holding the convention, names the place where the delegates will meet, and states how many delegates shall be chosen from the towns, counties, or other districts to be represented. Very soon after there are held in the wards and precincts throughout the state primaries which choose the delegates that form the state convention. Each Character of primary is supposed to include all of the voters a primary. belonging to one party who may reside within the district or precinct for which it is called. Importance of the primaries. Composition and early ses sion of a convention. It would naturally be supposed that every voter would attend the primaries to which he is eligible, because his only opportunities of securing good men for office are at the primaries and at the polls on election day. At the election, his choice will be limited to the candidates that have been nominated, all of whom may be unsatisfactory; but at the primaries he may aid in electing delegates who will be sure to favor good men. In reality, the primary gives him a much better opportunity to obtain good government than the election does. Nevertheless, the majority of the voters in the United States neglect to attend the primaries, or go only to confirm the list of delegates proposed by the ward committee of their party. This committee undoubtedly knows better than the average voter who will make good delegates, so that its list of names should ordinarily be accepted; but very often the committee proposes unfit men that will not act for the best interests of the party. It is of the first importance, therefore, that every voter attend the primaries of his party, and make sure that the right men are chosen. 28. A Nominating Convention presents a very interesting scene. If we should attend a county convention, we should find probably several hundred delegates present, the more populous precincts and towns. having a larger number than the smaller districts. A great many visitors would also be in attendance, and tion of candidates. we should undoubtedly find a very excited gathering. The convention is called to order by the chairman of the county committee, temporary officers are chosen. and committees appointed to draft resolutions and report on other matters. At length, perhaps on the second or third day of the convention, all other business having been completed, the delegates proceed to their real work of nominating men for the different county offices. If but one name is presented for any The nominaoffice, the clerk of the convention casts one ballot for that nominee; but if several persons desire the nomination, the vote of the entire assembly is taken until some one has a majority of the votes cast. Very often a set of politicians will have decided before the convention meets what nominees they desire, and will try to get the convention to accept their "slate," as such a list of nominees is called, but if more than one set of politicians has a slate, or if the rank and file of the party disapprove the slates presented, an effort will be made to select other candidates. candidates by voters 29. Direct Nominations. In several of the South- Selection of ern states, candidates are nominated for state officers, not by conventions, but by a direct vote of all the directly. members of their party. In many of the other states this method is used in making nominations for local offices. The names of all those who desire the nomination for any office are placed on file with the city or county clerk as soon as they have obtained the signatures of a certain number of voters. On a day set by law an election is held, similar in most respects to a regular election, and the voters are allowed to How the committees are composed. What the committees do. select their candidates for each office to be filled at the coming election, provided that no one is permitted to vote for candidates of more than one party. The candidate of each party who receives a greater number of votes than any other candidate of the same party for the same office is declared the nominee of that party for that office, and his name appears as such on the official ballot used in the regular election. 30. The Permanent Party Committees and their Work. Besides the nominating conventions, each party has, as we noticed in § 26, a large number of permanent committees. These committees are composed of representatives elected by the members of their party for terms of two or four years. As they may hold sessions at any time, and as the local committees usually act in connection with the state and national committees, each party has an organization of very great power. The party committees send out calls for primaries and conventions, and take charge of election campaigns. They decide what voters shall be allowed to attend any primary, frequently using this power to exclude members of their own party who oppose the wishes of the committees. They usually propose to the primaries and to the conventions lists of names, popularly known as "slates," and use every means to secure the election of these men as delegates. During the campaign, the committees use every means in their power, both before election and on election day, to secure votes for their party's candi |